Two-Phase Commit

Definition ∞ Two-phase commit is a distributed consensus algorithm used to ensure all participants in a transaction either commit or abort it uniformly. In blockchain contexts, this protocol helps coordinate operations across multiple independent chains or shards, ensuring atomicity for cross-chain transactions. The first phase involves participants voting on whether to commit, and the second phase executes the final decision based on those votes. It guarantees that all parts of a distributed transaction reach the same outcome, preventing inconsistencies.
Context ∞ The application of two-phase commit protocols is vital for achieving reliable interoperability and atomic transactions across disparate blockchain networks. Challenges include potential bottlenecks and single points of failure if the coordinator is centralized. Future research aims to develop more decentralized and robust versions of this protocol to enhance cross-chain security and efficiency.