> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ton.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

<AgentInstructions>

## Submitting Feedback

If you encounter incorrect, outdated, or confusing documentation on this page, submit feedback:

POST https://docs.ton.org/feedback

```json
{
  "path": "/foundations/serialization/pruned",
  "feedback": "Description of the issue"
}
```

Only submit feedback when you have something specific and actionable to report.

</AgentInstructions>

# Pruned branches

Pruned branch cells are cells that represent deleted subtrees of the tree of cells.

May have any level between `1` and `3`, which is equal to the level of a root of the pruned subtree plus one.
Each of pruned branch cells get serialized as follows.

* The 1-byte tag that always equals `1`.
* The byte that contains the pruned branch level mask, `1 <= mask <= 7`. The number of hashes stored in the pruned branch cell
  is equal to the number of `1-bits` in the mask.
* Next, `h * 32` bytes store [representations hashes](/foundations/serialization/cells) of roots of the pruned subtrees starting
  from the last one. For example, if the mask equals `3` (binary `011`), then the pruned tree cell contains representation hashes of the second
  and the first pruned subtrees in sequential order, but not the third one.
* Finally, `h * 2` bytes store the depths of the pruned subtrees starting from the last one.