But a nonce is introduced during the hashing function of proof-of-work mining as a way to enhance the difficulty level of the mining process. The goal of adding a nonce to the process is generate a unique hash function and ensure that blocks meet the right difficulty level.

Unique hashes in turn are critical to maintaining the overall security and integrity of the underlying network during the mining phase.

During the hashing process, all kinds of transaction data is converted and encrypted into a uniform size and output, essentially preparing the data for addition to a blockchain.

The difficulty level in POW systems is dynamic and will change based on network conditions.

So, while a nonce might be no big deal on its own, it plays a key supporting role in making sure that the hashing function can happen, which in turn leads to the proper function of the underlying blockchain.