Sublinear Communication

Definition ∞ Sublinear communication describes a method of information exchange where the amount of data transmitted is less than linear in proportion to the size of the data being processed or verified. This technique is vital for optimizing network bandwidth and reducing computational overhead in distributed systems. It allows for efficient consensus and data validation across many participants.
Context ∞ Sublinear communication protocols are foundational for the scalability of blockchain networks, particularly in achieving consensus with a reduced message complexity. Discussions frequently center on advancements in verifiable computation and succinct proofs that allow for verification of large datasets with minimal communication. The practical impact is seen in the improved transaction throughput and reduced latency of advanced layer-2 solutions.