In the Cardano blockchain, validators refer to entities, people or mechanisms that verify and approve transactions and smart contracts to ensure their legitimacy and accuracy. Cardano uses a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm called Ouroboros, where validators are commonly known as stake pool operators (SPOs). These SPOs are responsible for validating and creating new blocks on the blockchain.
There are two main roles related to validation on the Cardano network:
- Stake Pool Operators (SPOs): These are individuals or organizations that manage stake pools, and they are selected to validate blocks based on the amount of ADA (Cardano’s native cryptocurrency) staked in their pool. The more ADA staked, the higher the chances of being chosen to validate a block and earn rewards.
- Plutus Script Validators: These are scripts or smart contracts written in Cardano’s Plutus programming language. They contain logic that validates whether a transaction meets the conditions set out by the contract. When users interact with these smart contracts, the validators ensure that transactions are executed according to the rules defined in the contract.
In summary, validators in Cardano are either stake pool operators, who validate transactions and add blocks to the chain, or smart contract scripts, which enforce the rules of specific decentralized applications.
Leave a Reply