In this track: The network behind the screen
intermediate · 3 MIN READ

What happens in a slot?

The consensus schedule gives an opportunity for a block proposal.

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A timetable can reserve a turn for a speaker even if that speaker misses the turn.

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Receive, check and share across independent nodesStep 1 / 4
Receive, check and share across independent nodesIncoming dataCandidate instructionNot yet trustedNode AReceives the messageApplies local checksEach participant has a local view of incoming informationNode A checksAuthorizationProtocol validityValid candidateEligible for next stepsNot a finality promiseApplication safety is a different claim from protocol validityNode AShares checked dataNode BChecks for itselfNode CChecks for itselfNode ARules checked✓Node BRules checked✓Node CRules checked✓Agreement on history adds the consensus mechanism

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

Animated local teaching model. No wallet, RPC or live blockchain data. Some labels and hashes are abbreviated for readability.

A scheduled interval

Ethereum proof of stake organizes time into slots under protocol constants. A proposer is assigned for the relevant opportunity. A slot is a scheduling unit, not a promise that a usable block will appear.

A proposal contains several kinds of data

A block includes consensus information and an execution payload under the protocol’s format. The execution side still needs to check the payload’s transactions and state effects.

An empty opportunity can happen

Missed proposals or network problems can leave a slot without a block in the accepted view. Blocks and slots therefore should not be treated as interchangeable counts in every situation.

Voting relates to the chain

Validators make attestations under their duties. These support fork choice and checkpoint agreement rather than a separate popularity vote for every payment. Read epochs and finality next for the wider timing structure.

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Does each scheduled slot guarantee an accepted block?

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