🧠 Consensus Overview
In any decentralized system, there is no single authority deciding what is true. Instead, participants must agree on a shared version of reality.
This is what we call consensus — a method for making decisions and validating information in a distributed environment.
❓ Why is Consensus Needed?
In traditional systems, a central authority validates and stores data. But in a decentralized network like Allfeat:
- There is no central database
- Multiple participants can propose and submit data
- Everyone needs to agree on what data is valid, when it was submitted, and who submitted it
Without a consensus mechanism, the system would be vulnerable to:
- Retroactive tampering
- Spam and invalid submissions
- False claims on metadata contributions
Consensus ensures that all data is:
- Authentic
- Immutable
- Agreed upon by a transparent process
🧱 Two Layers of Consensus in Allfeat
Allfeat separates consensus into two complementary layers, each with a distinct responsibility.
🔒 1. Technical Consensus – Proof of Authority (PoA)
This layer handles the infrastructure of the network:
- Writes and orders new blocks
- Executes transactions
- Maintains system-level timestamps
PoA relies on a small, trusted set of pre-approved validators who:
- Run reliable nodes
- Are publicly known and accountable
- Are compensated through transaction fees and protocol reserves, not inflation
It ensures network efficiency, cost control, and technical stability — perfect for an industry-driven platform.
🧩 2. Functional Consensus – Proof of Metadata (PoM)
This layer governs the metadata itself — what is accepted into Allfeat’s public database.
- Anyone can submit a MIDDS by locking AFT tokens
- Trusted participants (Trusters) review and vote on the data
- If approved or unchallenged, the MIDDS becomes certified and immutable
PoM is a form of social and peer consensus, reflecting professional validation within the music industry.
🧠 Why Two Layers?
| Layer | Role | Participants | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔒 PoA | Infrastructure & security | Validators | Fast and stable block production |
| 🧩 PoM | Metadata validation | Providers, Trusters | Community-approved data quality |
PoM relies on the secure and ordered block production ensured by PoA. Together, they form the full consensus mechanism of Allfeat.
This separation lets Allfeat scale efficiently while preserving data trustworthiness and operational reliability.
🧾 Summary
- Consensus is how Allfeat agrees on a single version of truth
- PoA secures the network and writes the blocks
- PoM ensures metadata is valid and reviewed by real professionals
- The two systems work together to maintain a credible and open public metadata layer