Splendor Consensus Protocol: Hybrid Aura + GRANDPA

Splendor Chain leverages a hybrid consensus approach combining Aura (Authority Round) for block production with GRANDPA (GHOST-based Recursive Ancestor Deriving Prefix Agreement) for block finality. This dual mechanism provides both predictable block times and deterministic finality, offering a balanced combination of efficiency, security, and reliability.

Enhanced by the Tokio Upgrade

Our recent Tokio Upgrade significantly enhanced our consensus performance, enabling more stable block production, faster state transitions, and improved network reliability. The upgrade was meticulously integrated, showcasing Splendor’s commitment to innovation.

Key Improvements

• Optimized Block Production: Higher consistency and predictability with 2-second block times via Aura
• Deterministic Finality: GRANDPA provides fast and final confirmation of blocks (typically within 6 seconds)
• Increased Network Stability: Robust handling of high transaction volumes (up to 1,000 TPS)
• Developer-Friendly Integration: Seamless interaction with existing Ethereum tooling through Frontier
• Enhanced Validator Selection: Improved algorithms for optimal validator participation
• Scalable Architecture: The separation of block production and finality allows each to be optimized independently

How Our Hybrid Consensus Works on Splendor

Our hybrid consensus on Splendor operates through this sequence:

Aura (Block Production)

1. Validator Set Determination: At each epoch (2 hours), the active validator set is determined based on stake and performance metrics

2. Time Slot Assignment: Each validator is assigned specific 2-second time slots in a deterministic round-robin fashion

3. Block Production: During their assigned slot, a validator:

   • Collects transactions from the mempool
   • Assembles a valid block
   • Signs the block with their validator key
   • Broadcasts the block to the network

4. Block Validation: Other validators:

   • Verify the block was produced in the correct time slot by the authorized validator
   • Validate all transactions and state transitions
   • Import the block to their local chain if valid

GRANDPA (Finality)

5. Finality Voting: Validators participate in a finality voting process:

   • Vote on chains rather than individual blocks
   • Use a Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) algorithm to reach agreement
   • Require a supermajority (2/3+) for finality

6. Finalization: Blocks are considered final after:

   • They receive sufficient votes from validators
   • The finality gadget has committed to the block
   • Providing deterministic and irreversible finality

Technical Specifications

Why This Hybrid Approach?

Splendor’s hybrid consensus mechanism delivers multiple benefits:

• Best of Both Worlds: Combines the predictable block times of Aura with the deterministic finality of GRANDPA
• Separation of Concerns: Block production and finality happen through separate mechanisms, optimizing each process
• Rapid Finality: Quick and predictable block times with deterministic finality (typically within 6 seconds)
• Resource Efficiency: Minimal computational requirements compared to PoW or complex PoS protocols
• Simplified Governance: Validator sets managed transparently through Splendor DAO
• High Throughput: Capable of processing up to 1,000 transactions per second
• Security: Robust against common blockchain attacks with slashing for misbehavior
• Eco-Friendly: Significantly lower energy consumption than Proof of Work systems

Validator Selection and Incentives

Validators on Splendor are selected based on:

1. Staked SPL: The amount of SPL tokens staked by the validator
2. Historical Performance: Uptime, block production statistics, and overall reliability
3. Governance Approval: Validators must meet community-established criteria

The rewards structure incentivizes reliable validator performance:

• Block Rewards: Validators receive SPL tokens for producing blocks
• Transaction Fees: A portion of transaction fees goes to validators
• Staking Yields: Annual returns based on tier levels (see Reward System)

Comparison with Other Consensus Mechanisms

Future Consensus Roadmap

The Splendor development team is committed to evolving our consensus mechanism to meet growing ecosystem demands:

1. Short Term: Optimizing validator selection and reward distribution
2. Medium Term: Implementing advanced slashing conditions for improved security
3. Long Term: Research into hybrid consensus with higher degrees of decentralization

Built for Developers

Every aspect of our hybrid consensus has been thoughtfully crafted to ensure a developer-friendly environment that’s familiar yet significantly improved. You get the reliability of Aura for block production with the strong finality guarantees of GRANDPA, creating an optimal foundation for building decentralized applications.

The consistent 2-second block times and 6-second finality provide an ideal experience for dApp developers, allowing for responsive user interfaces and predictable transaction confirmation times.

Becoming a Validator

If you’re interested in becoming a Splendor validator, please refer to our validator documentation (coming soon) for technical setup instructions and economic considerations.