A canonical block is a block that is used as the standard for all other blocks in a blockchain. This means that once a particular block has been selected as the canonical block, all other blocks will be required to match it.
The concept of a canonical block is used to help prevent the dreaded double-spend problem, which occurs when someone spends the same money or currency twice.
The use of a canonical block also helps to ensure the integrity of a blockchain. Any changes to a previous block will cause all subsequent blocks to be different, potentially disrupting the entire blockchain. By using a canonical block as the standard, any changes to a previous block will be immediately identified and dealt with.
The canonical block may be selected by a consensus algorithm, such as proof of work or proof of stake, and may be used to determine which transactions are processed and added to the blockchain. In some cases, multiple blocks may be considered canonical, but only one of them can become canonical after further processing and consensus.