BFT State Machine Replication

Definition ∞ BFT State Machine Replication is a method for building highly fault-tolerant distributed systems. This approach ensures that all honest nodes in a network maintain identical state despite the presence of Byzantine faults or malicious actors. It relies on a consensus algorithm where a supermajority of nodes must agree on the order and execution of operations. This mechanism provides strong consistency and availability, making systems resilient to failures and attacks.
Context ∞ This replication technique is critical for the security and reliability of many decentralized applications and blockchain protocols. Its ability to maintain system integrity even when some participants act dishonestly addresses fundamental challenges in distributed ledger technology. Ongoing developments focus on improving its scalability and efficiency, particularly for high-throughput digital asset platforms, ensuring robust operation in adversarial environments.