Category archive

Foundations

The building blocks of crypto: wallets, private keys, consensus mechanisms, and the core concepts underpinning blockchain technology.

Articles

Current page

Page 15 of 20

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What is Proof of Work?

Learn what Proof of Work is, how PoW mining secures blockchains, why it resists Sybil attacks, and the tradeoffs in energy, incentives, and security.

21 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What is Quorum?

Learn what a quorum is in consensus: why overlapping decision sets prevent conflicting outcomes, and how majority and 2/3 thresholds work.

23 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is Proof of Stake?

Learn what Proof of Stake is, how it secures blockchains with staked collateral, how validators and finality work, and where the model depends on assumptions.

23 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is a Miner in Blockchain Consensus?

Learn what a miner is in blockchain consensus: how miners create blocks, secure Proof-of-Work chains, earn rewards, and where the model breaks down.

23 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is PBFT (Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance)?

Learn what PBFT is, why it needs 3f+1 replicas, how pre-prepare/prepare/commit work, and where Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance fits in blockchain.

26 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is Proof of Authority?

Learn what Proof of Authority is, how PoA consensus works, why it is fast and cheap, and the tradeoffs it makes in trust, governance, and decentralization.

26 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is Liveness in Consensus?

Learn what liveness means in consensus: why progress can fail, how it differs from safety, and which assumptions let blockchains keep moving.

24 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is a Fork Choice Rule?

Learn what a fork choice rule is, why blockchains need it, and how rules like longest chain, GHOST, and LMD-GHOST select the canonical head.

26 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What is Leader Election?

Learn what leader election is in consensus, why protocols choose temporary leaders, how failover works, and why proposer selection affects safety and MEV.

24 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is Federated Consensus?

Learn what federated consensus is, how quorum slices and quorum intersection work, and why trust configuration determines safety and liveness.

23 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What Is a Checkpoint in Blockchain Consensus?

Learn what a checkpoint is in blockchain consensus, how it works in Ethereum finality and fork choice, and why checkpoints matter for sync and trust.

22 min read

Consensus

Mar 21, 2026

What is a Consensus Mechanism?

Learn what consensus mechanisms are, how blockchain networks agree on one history, and the tradeoffs between PoW, PoS, BFT, and probabilistic designs.

26 min read