Liveness Safety

Definition ∞ Liveness safety is a dual property in distributed systems that combines the guarantee of progress with the assurance of correctness. Liveness ensures that the system eventually produces results and does not halt, while safety guarantees that those results are always correct and consistent. Achieving both simultaneously is a central challenge in protocol design.
Context ∞ In blockchain and distributed ledger technology, discussions surrounding liveness safety are paramount for assessing the reliability of consensus mechanisms. Protocols strive to achieve a balance where transactions are continuously processed without ever confirming invalid or conflicting states. News often analyzes protocol upgrades or incidents through the lens of how they impact these fundamental properties, ensuring the network remains functional and trustworthy.