Linear View Change

Definition ∞ Linear view change is a specific protocol event in some distributed consensus algorithms where the network transitions to a new leader in a sequential, ordered manner. This process ensures that all participating nodes agree on the sequence of leadership changes. Linear view changes are critical for maintaining liveness and safety in Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) systems. They prevent network stalls when a current leader fails or acts maliciously.
Context ∞ Linear view change mechanisms are important for the resilience and performance of certain blockchain protocols, particularly those employing BFT consensus. News reports on protocol upgrades or network stability often refer to the efficiency of these leader rotation processes. Optimizing view change procedures is a constant area of development to minimize downtime and transaction delays. The design of these mechanisms directly impacts a network’s ability to handle validator failures gracefully.