mirror of
https://github.com/fluencelabs/tendermint
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21 lines
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Markdown
21 lines
2.0 KiB
Markdown
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NOTE: this wiki is mostly deprecated and left for archival purposes. Please see the [documentation website](http://tendermint.readthedocs.io/en/master/) which is built from the [docs directory](https://github.com/tendermint/tendermint/tree/master/docs). Additional information about the specification can also be found in that directory.
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Validators are responsible for committing new blocks in the blockchain.
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These validators participate in the consensus protocol by broadcasting _votes_ which contain cryptographic signatures signed by each validator's public key.
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Some Proof-of-Stake consensus algorithms aim to create a "completely" decentralized system where all stakeholders (even those who are not always available online) participate in the committing of blocks. Tendermint has a different approach to block creation. Validators are expected to be online, and the set of validators is permissioned/curated by some external process. Proof-of-stake is not required, but can be implemented on top of Tendermint consensus. That is, validators may be required to post collateral on-chain, off-chain, or may not be required to post any collateral at all.
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Validators have a cryptographic key-pair and an associated amount of "voting power". Voting power need not be the same.
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## Becoming a Validator
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There are two ways to become validator.
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1. They can be pre-established in the [genesis state](Genesis-State)
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2. The [ABCI app responds to the EndBlock message](https://github.com/tendermint/abci) with changes to the existing validator set.
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## Committing a Block
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_+2/3 is short for "more than 2/3"_
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A block is committed when +2/3 of the validator set sign [precommit votes](Block-Structure#vote) for that block at the same [round](Byzantine-Consensus-Algorithm). The +2/3 set of precommit votes is called a [_commit_](Block-Structure#commit). While any +2/3 set of precommits for the same block at the same height&round can serve as validation, the canonical commit is included in the next block (see [LastCommit](Block-Structure)).
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