PeerDAS

Definition ∞ PeerDAS refers to Peer Data Availability Sampling, a proposed method for improving data availability in sharded blockchain networks. It is an Ethereum scaling solution designed to allow light clients to verify the availability of data in execution shards without downloading all data. Instead, light clients sample small portions of data from peers, relying on cryptographic proofs to confirm that the full data segment is indeed available. This mechanism enhances network scalability by distributing data storage and verification responsibilities among nodes.
Context ∞ PeerDAS is a key technical concept frequently discussed in news related to Ethereum’s roadmap for scalability, particularly after the Merge and subsequent upgrades. The discussion centers on its role in enabling efficient data availability for rollups and other layer-2 solutions. Critical future developments involve its integration into the Ethereum protocol to significantly increase transaction throughput and reduce costs.