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The Latest Gossip on BFT Consensus (Tendermint)

This report details the design and architecture of Tendermint, a BFT consensus protocol that simplifies the construction of blockchain networks. By combining a

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Abstract

This report details the design and architecture of Tendermint, a BFT consensus protocol that simplifies the construction of blockchain networks. By combining a gossip-based communication protocol with a robust BFT consensus engine, Tendermint provides a platform for building modular, high-performance distributed ledgers. The protocol is distinguished by its ‘application-agnostic’ design, separating the networking and consensus layers from the application state via an interface (ABCI). Tendermint enforces a strict block-proposer rotation, ensuring that consensus is finalized across the network for each block. Its core innovation lies in the simplification of the state machine transitions and the integration of a gossip protocol to disseminate blocks and votes efficiently. This architecture allows developers to build blockchains using various programming languages while leveraging a battle-tested consensus engine. The report highlights how Tendermint manages validator sets, slashing conditions, and safety guarantees, making it a critical primitive for the Cosmos ecosystem and many other Proof-of-Stake-based distributed systems today. Authors: Ethan Buchman, Jae Kwon, Zarko Milosevic Publication: arXiv preprint Publication date: 2018-01-01

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Key findings

  • Tendermint provides an application-agnostic consensus engine for building diverse blockchains.
  • Gossip protocols are utilized to propagate information efficiently among network participants.
  • The consensus mechanism ensures immediate finality upon block commitment.
  • ABCI allows the consensus engine to remain decoupled from the application logic.

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Citation

Ethan Buchman, Jae Kwon, Zarko Milosevic (2018). The Latest Gossip on BFT Consensus (Tendermint). arXiv preprint. https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.04906
Canonical knowledge ID: research:the-latest-gossip-on-bft-consensus-tendermint