Decentralized Oracle Network

Definition ∞ A decentralized oracle network provides external data to blockchain smart contracts in a trust-minimized manner. These networks aggregate information from multiple independent data providers, verifying its accuracy before transmitting it to a blockchain. By distributing data sourcing and validation, they reduce reliance on a single point of failure, enhancing the security and reliability of smart contract execution. They enable real-world events or data to trigger on-chain actions without central control.
Context ∞ Decentralized oracle networks are fundamental infrastructure for many DeFi applications, linking off-chain information with on-chain logic. Current discussions often concern the integrity and latency of data feeds, the economic incentives for oracle providers, and the resilience against manipulation. Ongoing developments focus on expanding the types of data available and improving the security models to support more complex decentralized applications.