What is Ouroboros?
Crypto Glossary Definition
Ouroboros is the name of Cardano's staking algorithm. In this algorithm, a node is selected to generate a new block based on the relative economic stake they have in the network. Time is divided into 'epochs', and further subdivided into slots, where leaders are chosen.
Why Ouroboros Matters
Ouroboros was the first Proof-of-Stake protocol to be built on peer-reviewed academic research from the ground up, developed by IOHK researchers for Cardano. Its epoch/slot structure is designed to make block production predictable and formally provable to be secure under specific mathematical assumptions, an approach Cardano has leaned on heavily to differentiate its development process.
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