Low Latency Consensus

Definition ∞ Low latency consensus refers to a distributed agreement mechanism that achieves rapid transaction finality. This type of consensus protocol is designed to confirm transactions quickly, minimizing the delay between submission and irreversible inclusion in the ledger. It is essential for applications requiring near-instantaneous processing, such as high-frequency trading or real-time payment systems. Achieving low latency often involves optimizing communication patterns and reducing the number of rounds required for agreement among network participants.
Context ∞ The pursuit of low latency consensus is a key objective for many next-generation blockchain protocols, especially those aiming for mainstream adoption in financial services. Researchers are continually refining BFT-based algorithms and exploring new approaches to reduce transaction confirmation times without compromising security. The trade-off between latency, decentralization, and security remains a critical area of ongoing investigation.