State Machine Replication

Definition ∞ State machine replication is a technique for achieving fault tolerance in distributed systems by ensuring that all replicas of a service execute the same operations in the same order. This process guarantees that all nodes maintain an identical state, despite potential failures. It is a foundational concept for building reliable distributed databases and blockchains.
Context ∞ News concerning state machine replication often relates to the underlying mechanisms that ensure consistency and reliability in blockchain protocols and distributed ledger technologies. Reports might discuss how different consensus algorithms achieve this replication or the performance implications of various approaches. Understanding this concept is key to appreciating how decentralized systems maintain a single, consistent view of data across numerous participants.