Verifiable State Transition

Definition ∞ A verifiable state transition refers to a change in a blockchain’s ledger state that can be cryptographically proven to be correct according to the protocol rules. This property ensures that every update to the system’s global state is legitimate and adheres to the predefined logic. It is a fundamental guarantee of security and integrity in any decentralized system.
Context ∞ Verifiable state transitions are a central concern in the design of all blockchain protocols, especially as networks seek to scale and support more complex applications. The discussion often involves the efficiency of proving these transitions, particularly with the use of zero-knowledge proofs and optimistic rollups. Robust verifiable state transitions are essential for maintaining the security and trustworthiness of digital assets and decentralized applications.