Scalable Distributed Systems

Definition ∞ Scalable distributed systems are computing architectures that can increase their processing capacity and performance by adding more resources, such as nodes or servers, without significant degradation. In blockchain, this refers to networks that can handle a growing number of users and transactions efficiently. Achieving scalability often involves sharding, layer-2 solutions, or novel consensus algorithms. These systems are crucial for supporting global adoption.
Context ∞ Scalable distributed systems are a primary focus of innovation and debate within the blockchain and digital asset sectors, consistently featured in news reports. Projects actively develop and deploy various scaling solutions to overcome the limitations of early blockchain designs. The ability of these systems to accommodate increasing demand is a key determinant of their long-term viability and competitive advantage.