In brief
Kaspa keeps nearby valid blocks in a blockDAG and uses consensus rules to reason about ordering and accepted effects.
First Contact#
Proof of work gives blocks an objective work signal. A blockDAG explains why the guide keeps more than one nearby block in view. GHOSTDAG explains why graph structure still needs an ordering mechanism. Virtual processing explains how ordered consequences become state changes.
Working Model#
The path is not proof of work versus blockDAG. It is proof of work plus graph-aware consensus. Miners still do work. Nodes still validate. The difference is that the education path must explain what happens when the network sees several valid blocks close in time.
Mechanics#
When a miner produces a block, that block is not automatically a complete application-level success story. The block must be validated and related to the rest of the blockDAG. Consensus processing then determines how selected-parent-chain changes affect accepted data and UTXO state. This is why the transaction lifecycle page separates block/DAG addition from accepted transaction evidence.
Expanded Transition#
Proof of work remains the starting point: miners do work to produce candidate blocks under network rules. blockDAG does not replace proof of work in this guide; it changes the way the guide has to talk about block relationships. GHOSTDAG does not replace the graph; it is the consensus topic that makes the graph useful for ordering and selected-parent reasoning. Virtual processing does not replace GHOSTDAG; it is where accepted consequences become visible through state and evidence.
The transition matters because each layer answers a different question. Proof of work asks how blocks are produced under work requirements. blockDAG asks how nearby blocks relate. GHOSTDAG asks how consensus reasons about the graph. Virtual state asks what accepted consequences follow. UTXO asks what spendable outputs exist after those consequences.
When reviewing claims, keep those questions separate. A source that supports proof of work does not automatically support a GHOSTDAG mechanism claim. A paper can explain the research model, while the implementation source must be checked for exact current behavior. A release note can support versioned status but may not explain every branch in the source.