NEAR, which launched in 2019 with then-unrealized plans to boost transaction speeds by splitting its network into parallel processors (so-called sharding), kicked off Phase 1 or its “Nightshade” playbook facilitated by NEAR contributor Pagoda. This phase sees the introduction of specialist “chunk-only validators” that feed into the sharding mechanism but are easier to set up than full nodes.
Source: https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/09/12/near-blockchain-moves-ahead-with-phase-one-of-sharding-upgrade/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=rss&utm_campaign=headlines