Graded Broadcast Protocol

Definition ∞ A graded broadcast protocol is a communication mechanism in distributed systems that allows nodes to deliver messages with varying levels of certainty or “grades” of agreement. Unlike atomic broadcast, which requires all non-faulty nodes to agree on the same message order, graded broadcast permits a subset of nodes to acknowledge receipt, even if full consensus is not immediately achieved by everyone. This approach can improve system availability and responsiveness in certain scenarios. It offers a more flexible reliability model for message dissemination.
Context ∞ Graded broadcast protocols are relevant in the academic and developmental discussions surrounding resilient distributed systems and blockchain architectures. While not as commonly cited in mainstream crypto news as atomic broadcast, its principles are considered for specific applications requiring nuanced fault tolerance. Understanding this concept contributes to a deeper appreciation of distributed system design trade-offs.