Consensus is the process a blockchain network uses to agree on valid transactions and the state of the ledger.
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Short definition
Consensus is consensus is the process a blockchain network uses to agree on valid transactions and the state of the ledger.
Simple explanation
Consensus helps distributed network participants agree on what happened without relying on one central authority.
Why it matters
Consensus affects security, finality, speed, validator behavior, and network design.
Example context
Proof of work and proof of stake are two broad categories of consensus mechanisms.