Preconfirmations

Definition ∞ Preconfirmations are a mechanism in blockchain networks where a subset of network participants provides a provisional guarantee that a transaction will be included in an upcoming block. This occurs before the transaction is officially added to the main chain and fully confirmed by the entire network. Preconfirmations offer a faster, albeit less final, assurance of transaction settlement. They significantly improve user experience for time-sensitive operations.
Context ∞ Preconfirmations are a prominent feature in news about blockchain scalability and user experience improvements, particularly for Layer 2 solutions and high-throughput networks. They address the latency issues often associated with blockchain finality, making decentralized applications more responsive. Research continues on balancing the speed benefits of preconfirmations with the need for robust security guarantees.