Segregated Witness (#SegWit) and #Taproot activation reduced the witness data in a transaction by moving the #signature data from the transaction data to a separate witness area. This made the signature data no longer count towards the block size limit, which freed up space for more transactions.
In a traditional Bitcoin #transaction, the signature data is included in the transaction data. This means that the signature data counts towards the block size limit, which is currently 1MB. This can limit the number of transactions that can be included in a block, which can lead to #congestion and delays in the network.
SegWit moves the signature data to a separate witness area. This witness area is not counted towards the block size limit, which means that more transactions can be included in a block. SegWit also introduces a new transaction format that is more efficient than the previous format. This further reduces the size of the transaction, allowing even more transactions to be included in a block.
Taproot activation further reduces the witness data in a transaction by using a new type of signature called a #Schnorr signature. Schnorr signatures are smaller than traditional signatures, which means that they take up less space in the witness area. This further increases the amount of space that is available for transactions in a block.
The combination of SegWit and Taproot has significantly reduced the witness data in a transaction. This has helped to improve the scalability of the Bitcoin network and make it more efficient.
Here is a table summarizing the size of the signature data in a traditional Bitcoin transaction, a SegWit transaction, and a Taproot transaction:
| Transaction type | Signature data size |
|---|---|
| Traditional Bitcoin transaction | 70-80 bytes |
| SegWit transaction | 40 bytes |
| Taproot transaction | 20 bytes |
As you can see, the signature data size is significantly reduced in both SegWit and Taproot transactions. This is a major factor in the improved scalability of the Bitcoin network.
