Validator

Blockchain

A distributed, immutable digital ledger that records transactions across a network of computers without a central authority.

Distributed Ledger Technology

A digital system for recording, sharing, and synchronising data across multiple sites without a central administrator.

Consensus Mechanism

The method by which a distributed network agrees on the current state of the ledger and validates transactions.

Proof of Work

A consensus mechanism requiring computational effort to validate transactions and create new blocks, used by Bitcoin.

Proof of Stake

A consensus mechanism where validators are selected based on the amount of cryptocurrency they hold and stake.

Delegated Proof of Stake

A consensus mechanism where token holders vote for delegates who validate transactions on their behalf.

Byzantine Fault Tolerance

The ability of a distributed system to reach consensus despite some nodes acting maliciously or failing.

Merkle Tree

A hash-based data structure that efficiently verifies the integrity and consistency of large sets of data.

Hash Function

A mathematical function that converts input data of any size into a fixed-size output, used extensively in blockchain security.

Cryptographic Hash

A one-way function producing a fixed-length output that is computationally infeasible to reverse or find collisions for.

Public Key Cryptography

An encryption system using mathematically linked key pairs — a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.

Digital Signature

A cryptographic mechanism that verifies the authenticity and integrity of digital messages or documents.

A blockchain interaction model where users specify desired outcomes rather than exact execution steps, with solvers competing to fulfil the intent optimally.

Software or hardware that stores cryptographic keys and enables users to manage their blockchain assets.

A cryptocurrency wallet connected to the internet for convenient but less secure asset management.

A blockchain architecture that separates execution, consensus, settlement, and data availability into independent layers, enabling specialisation and improved scalability.

A peer-to-peer exchange of cryptocurrencies across different blockchain networks using cryptographic hash time-locked contracts, eliminating the need for trusted intermediaries.

The property of blockchain data that prevents alteration or deletion once recorded on the ledger.

Infrastructure enabling the transfer of assets and data between different blockchain networks.

The process of using computational power to validate transactions and add new blocks to a proof-of-work blockchain.