How It Works
Solana's key innovation is Proof of History (PoH), a verifiable delay function that creates a historical record of time, allowing validators to agree on event ordering without communication overhead. This enables the validator network to process transactions in parallel using a deterministic scheduler. The Tower BFT consensus algorithm uses PoH as a clock, allowing ~400ms slot times. The Sealevel runtime executes non-overlapping transactions concurrently across multiple cores, a unique capability versus single-threaded EVM. Gulf Stream eliminates mempool bottlenecks by forwarding transactions to expected leader validators before their slot.
Consensus Mechanism: Proof of Stake
Proof of Stake consensus selects block proposers based on the amount of cryptocurrency staked as collateral. Validators risk losing their stake (slashing) if they act dishonestly, creating economic security without energy expenditure. Stake-weighted selection means larger stakers have proportionally greater influence on block production.
Key Architecture Facts
| Category | Layer 1 |
| Consensus | Proof of Stake |
| Launched | 2020 |
| Founder | Anatoly Yakovenko |