GlossaryAdvanced
Nakamoto Consensus
Bitcoin's original approach combining proof of work with the longest-valid-chain rule.
Nakamoto Consensus refers to Bitcoin's original consensus design, combining proof-of-work mining with a rule that the network follows the longest valid chain, giving participants a straightforward way to agree on a single shared history.
It was a genuinely novel solution to achieving reliable agreement among untrusted, anonymous participants, and directly influenced many later blockchain designs.
Examples
- Many early cryptocurrencies adapted Nakamoto Consensus from Bitcoin's original design.
- The longest-valid-chain rule is a core component of Nakamoto Consensus.