Consensus Rules

Consensus rules are the underlying technical specifications and protocols that all participants in a decentralized network must follow to agree on the state of the ledger. These rules dictate how blocks are validated, how transactions are authorized, and how the network achieves agreement on the canonical chain.

They ensure that all nodes arrive at the same conclusion regarding account balances and contract states without needing a central authority. Deviations from these rules result in invalid blocks that are rejected by the network.

Understanding these rules is essential for identifying potential risks of network forks or chain reorganizations.