Execution clients and consensus clients

Two cooperating roles check execution and follow proof-of-stake consensus.

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A game can need both a rule calculator and a system for agreeing which round comes next.

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Receive, check and share across independent nodesStep 1 / 4

A node receives a proposed transaction or block-related message. Receipt is not the same as accepting its claims.

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The execution role

An execution client processes transactions, EVM execution and relevant state. It checks whether proposed execution payloads follow the rules and can expose APIs used by applications.

The consensus role

A consensus client follows the proof-of-stake chain, including consensus messages and fork choice. It coordinates with the execution client rather than replacing its transaction-validity checks.

They communicate through a defined interface

The Engine API supports cooperation between these roles. A node setup normally runs compatible execution and consensus components. Validator duties add another role and are not required merely to verify the network.

Independence exists across implementations

Different client teams can implement the same protocol. This helps avoid every participant depending on one codebase, while compatibility and correct configuration still matter.

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Does the consensus client eliminate the need for execution validation?

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