✔️ Validation Process: Propose & Attest
Understand block proposal, attestations, and consensus finality
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0 / 5 completed⚙️ The Validation Lifecycle
Understanding how validators process blocks is crucial. Every 12 seconds, the network coordinates thousands of validators to propose, validate, and finalize blocks.
🎬 Interactive: Block Validation Timeline
Slot Assignment
t = 0sNetwork divided into 12-second slots. Each slot represents one chance to create a block.
Process Details:
- →32 slots = 1 epoch (~6.4 minutes)
- →Validator selected pseudo-randomly
- →Proposer and attesters assigned
- →Duties known ahead of time
Key Validation Concepts
Committees
Validators grouped into committees (~128 members) for efficiency. Each committee assigned to a slot for attestations.
Why? Prevents any single validator from having too much power.
BLS Signatures
Special cryptographic signatures that can be aggregated. 1000 signatures → 1 compact signature.
Benefit: Reduces network bandwidth by ~90% while maintaining security.
Attestations
Votes from validators affirming they've seen and validated a proposed block. Includes source and target checkpoints.
Impact: 2/3+ attestations required for finality.
Finality
After 2 epochs with supermajority support, a block is finalized—can never be reverted without massive economic loss.
Security: Reverting costs at least 1/3 of all staked ETH (~$20B+).
Validator Responsibilities
Maintain Uptime
99%+ availability required to maximize rewards
Missed duties = -1x block reward
Attest Correctly
Vote for correct head, source, and target
Wrong vote = Small penalty
Propose When Selected
Build valid blocks within 4-second window
Missed proposal = Lost reward opportunity
Avoid Double-Signing
Never sign conflicting messages
Slashing: Lose up to 50% of stake
Epochs & Slots
- •Slot: 12-second period for one block proposal
- •Epoch: 32 slots = 6.4 minutes (committees reshuffled)
- •Finality: 2 epochs (~12.8 min) required for irreversible blocks
- •Day: ~225 epochs = 7,200 slots = 7,200 blocks