GlossaryIntermediate
Proof of Authority
A consensus mechanism where a limited, identified set of validators produce blocks.
Proof of authority is a consensus mechanism where a limited, publicly identified set of validators are authorized to produce blocks, generally trading some open-participation decentralization for higher throughput and more predictable performance.
It's more commonly used in private, permissioned, or enterprise-focused networks than in fully open, public networks.
Examples
- An enterprise supply-chain network might use proof of authority among a small set of known validators.
- Proof of authority generally sacrifices some decentralization in exchange for speed and predictability.