Astria

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The Astria Sequencing Layer ​

The Astria Sequencing Layer uses CometBFT (formerly Tendermint) as its consensus algorithm. At a minimum, the sequencing layer needs to implement a decentralized leader selection algorithm which rotates between proposers. Ideally, it is also able to provide single-slot (“fast”) finality, which prevents forks from occurring, allowing for simplified chain derivation logic on the rollups which use it. CometBFT is able to provide both of these. Additionally, CometBFT is battle-tested and has been used in production, on many chains, for years. It allows blockchain applications (application, in this case, meaning the chain’s execution logic) which implement ABCI (Application Blockchain Interface) to easily use it as their consensus layer. Additionally, CometBFT-enabled chains have the ability to support IBC (inter-blockchain communication), meaning they have the potential to bridge between many other chains.

Astria sequencer’s execution logic is implemented as a CometBFT application, written in Rust. The application logic allows for three main functions:

  • sequencing of rollup data
  • value transfers
  • validator set changes

During the consensus phase of the sequencer network, the proposer decides on the transactions for the block and creates a commitment to the rollup data for each rollup_id. This is then verified and only finalized if agreed upon by the majority of other nodes. This allows for rollups to only pull the data necessary for their rollup, checking that the commitment to it matches what was finalized by the sequencer chain, without needing to pull the entire sequencer block’s data.

The sequencer network also needs to make its block data available to rollup nodes. During the consensus process, the block data needs to be made available to all validators, so that they can verify and vote on the rollup data commitments (ie. they need to ensure the commitments match the block data). After the consensus process, the data is made more widely available via a data availability layer. Celestia is used for DA, as it supports data availability sampling via light nodes, meaning a light node is able to check if data was made available.