State Validation

Definition ∞ State validation is the process by which participants in a decentralized network verify the correctness and consistency of the current global state of the blockchain. This involves checking that all transactions are valid, that account balances are accurate, and that the rules of the protocol have been followed. It is a fundamental operation ensuring the integrity of the ledger.
Context ∞ State validation is a critical concept in discussions about blockchain scalability, light client security, and the efficiency of various consensus mechanisms. News often reports on advancements in state validation techniques, such as zero-knowledge proofs or fraud proofs, which aim to reduce the computational burden on individual nodes. The efficiency of state validation directly impacts the overall performance and decentralization of digital asset networks.