Definition ∞ The persistence property refers to the characteristic of data or system states remaining intact and accessible over time, even after system restarts or failures. In distributed systems, this means that information, once recorded, is durably stored and not subject to accidental loss or modification. It ensures data longevity and reliability. This attribute is crucial for maintaining historical records.
Context ∞ In blockchain technology, the persistence property is a fundamental security feature, guaranteeing that once a transaction is added to the ledger, it cannot be altered or deleted. News articles often refer to this when explaining the immutability of blockchain records and the trust derived from decentralized data storage. The robust design of consensus mechanisms aims to uphold this property, making blockchain data highly resistant to censorship or data loss. This characteristic underpins the reliability of digital assets.