Simple Multi-Valued Agreement

Definition ∞ Simple Multi-Valued Agreement is a distributed computing problem where a set of processes must agree on one value from a set of proposed values, even if some processes fail. This problem is fundamental to achieving consensus in distributed systems, including blockchains, where nodes must agree on the order of transactions or the state of the ledger. It is a simplified variant of more complex agreement problems, focusing on basic value selection. This ensures consistent state across a network.
Context ∞ The theoretical underpinnings of Simple Multi-Valued Agreement are crucial for designing reliable and fault-tolerant blockchain consensus protocols. Current research often applies these concepts to evaluate the security and liveness properties of various proof-of-stake and other distributed ledger technologies. Debates sometimes involve the practical implementation challenges of achieving multi-valued agreement efficiently in large-scale, permissionless environments.