Crash Fault Tolerance

Definition ∞ Crash fault tolerance describes a system’s capacity to continue operating correctly even if some of its components or nodes suddenly stop working or “crash.” This property ensures that the system remains available and processes information accurately despite unexpected failures. It is a fundamental requirement for reliable distributed systems.
Context ∞ In blockchain and distributed ledger technology, crash fault tolerance is a critical design consideration for maintaining network uptime and data consistency. Protocols are engineered to withstand node outages without compromising the integrity of the ledger or halting transaction processing. News often reports on the resilience of various blockchain networks under stress, directly correlating with their inherent crash fault tolerance mechanisms.