In brief
Kaspa keeps nearby valid blocks in a blockDAG and uses consensus rules to reason about ordering and accepted effects.
What this page explains#
A blockDAG starts from the simple fact that valid blocks can be found close together, but it does not remove the need for a consistent ordering rule. This page sits in Consensus, GHOSTDAG, And blockDAG. It gives the topic a plain-language handle first, then shows the working idea, the mechanism, the source trail, and any limits that still matter. This category explains how Kaspa reasons about many blocks without pretending the graph itself is enough. The flow moves from graph shape, to GHOSTDAG classification and ordering, to virtual state and accepted transaction evidence.
The writing follows a simple Kaspa documentation pattern: answer the practical question first, then link outward for details. The closest public sources for this page are WIKI-KASPA, PAPER-GHOSTDAG, RK-GHOSTDAG, RK-GHOSTDAG-ORDERING. Local notes can help choose what to explain, but public-facing references resolve to upstream websites, repositories, papers, release pages, or docs.
How to think about it#
The practical model starts by naming the layer that owns the topic: wallet use, node operation, consensus, transaction validation, Toccata script behavior, tooling, or research. From there, the page shows which public source can support the explanation and where the explanation becomes incomplete.
For blockDAG Model, the model is built around these anchors: blocks reference parents and become vertices in a directed acyclic graph; parallel valid blocks can remain represented in the DAG instead of being reduced to a single previous-block line; the DAG shape gives graph information, but not a final transaction order by itself; GHOSTDAG selected-parent and classification mechanics are introduced after the graph structure exists; implementation source is needed before current behavior claims become reliable. This model is useful, but it does not encode every constant, branch, error type, or edge case. Those details belong in the source path and the source notes.
How it works#
1. blocks reference parents and become vertices in a directed acyclic graph. Consensus pages separate graph structure, ordering, work signals, and state consequences. A claim in this section is useful only when it says whether the source is describing the DAG shape, GHOSTDAG classification, selected-parent context, virtual-state processing, or research background.
2. parallel valid blocks can remain represented in the DAG instead of being reduced to a single previous-block line. Consensus pages separate graph structure, ordering, work signals, and state consequences. A claim in this section is useful only when it says whether the source is describing the DAG shape, GHOSTDAG classification, selected-parent context, virtual-state processing, or research background.
3. the DAG shape gives graph information, but not a final transaction order by itself. Consensus pages separate graph structure, ordering, work signals, and state consequences. A claim in this section is useful only when it says whether the source is describing the DAG shape, GHOSTDAG classification, selected-parent context, virtual-state processing, or research background.
4. GHOSTDAG selected-parent and classification mechanics are introduced after the graph structure exists. Consensus pages separate graph structure, ordering, work signals, and state consequences. A claim in this section is useful only when it says whether the source is describing the DAG shape, GHOSTDAG classification, selected-parent context, virtual-state processing, or research background.
5. implementation source is needed before current behavior claims become reliable. Source-review pages are practical maps. They start from one claim, identify the owning subsystem, inspect data structures and serialization, follow validation or execution, check tests and release context, and then write down what remains unresolved. The page is useful only if it says both what a source proves and what it does not prove.
This mechanism section separates graph structure, GHOSTDAG classification, selected-parent context, ordering consequences, and virtual-state effects. A diagram or summary can orient the reader, but implementation paths and KIPs carry high-risk claims.
How to check it#
| Step | Check | Evidence gate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check blocks reference parents and become vertices in a directed acyclic graph. | Read WIKI-KASPA, PAPER-GHOSTDAG, RK-GHOSTDAG; distinguish graph shape, ordering, selected-parent context, and accepted-state consequences. |
| 2 | Check parallel valid blocks can remain represented in the DAG instead of being reduced to a single previous-block line. | Read WIKI-KASPA, PAPER-GHOSTDAG, RK-GHOSTDAG; distinguish graph shape, ordering, selected-parent context, and accepted-state consequences. |
| 3 | Check the DAG shape gives graph information, but not a final transaction order by itself. | Read WIKI-KASPA, PAPER-GHOSTDAG, RK-GHOSTDAG; distinguish graph shape, ordering, selected-parent context, and accepted-state consequences. |
| 4 | Check GHOSTDAG selected-parent and classification mechanics are introduced after the graph structure exists. | Read WIKI-KASPA, PAPER-GHOSTDAG, RK-GHOSTDAG; distinguish graph shape, ordering, selected-parent context, and accepted-state consequences. |
| 5 | Check implementation source is needed before current behavior claims become reliable. | Read WIKI-KASPA, PAPER-GHOSTDAG, RK-GHOSTDAG; distinguish graph shape, ordering, selected-parent context, and accepted-state consequences. |
When using this page for consensus explanation, identify whether the claim is about graph shape, GHOSTDAG classification, selected-parent context, virtual-state processing, or transaction consequences. Diagrams are orientation aids; source paths and KIPs carry the high-risk behavior claims.
Related Pages#
- consensus-blockdag-ghostdag
- phantom-and-ghostdag