Sequential Verification

Definition ∞ Sequential verification is a method where the correctness of a computation or proof is checked step-by-step, with each step depending on the successful completion of the previous one. This contrasts with parallel verification, offering a methodical approach to confirming computational integrity. It ensures a rigorous audit trail for complex processes, often used in cryptographic proofs. This process confirms the validity of each stage in a series.
Context ∞ The current research explores the use of sequential verification in conjunction with incremental verifiable computation to manage the verification of long-running or continuously updated computations. A key debate involves optimizing the intermediate state commitments to reduce the overall verification time and storage requirements. Future developments will focus on designing more efficient sequential verification schemes for resource-constrained environments and for auditing complex smart contract executions.