• Tenderbake algorithm for Tezos has been developed in broad cooperation and will have a “classic style” BFT consensus.
• The new consensus mechanism will allow blockchain to achieve block times of less than 1 second.

Nomadic Labs has launched a testnet for Tezos based on Tenderbake consensus algorithm. First outlined in 2020, this new algorithm is the product of a global collaboration between engineers and academic researchers, with infrastructure created in collaboration with the Baking Bad team. The TQ Tezos team stated in an official post:

More recently, the viability of the proposed consensus algorithm was supported by the formal verification of Theorems 5 and 6 outlined in that paper. Tenderbake is now closer than ever to a fully-featured economic protocol, and is currently being tested to identify potential implementation errors and optimize performance.

Unlike the current Tezos consensus algorithm called “Emmy”, Tenderbake will not operate in a “Nakamoto” style, but a “classic style” BFT consensus. The developer team has adapted Tenderbake to make it capable of handling a large number of validators.

Benefits for Tezos’ blockchain

Looking ahead, the team faces the challenge of replacing Emmy with Tenderbake. When that goal is achieved, there will be major benefits and significant changes, the press release states. Among other things, the blockchain will be able to achieve deterministic finality at a faster rate.

Unlike the current consensus algorithm, Tenderbake blocks that are included in the chain will have finality when two other blocks are included “on top” of it. The process will not take into account latency or network splits. The latter will be “resolved” in less than two blocks. The Tezos team explains:

Synchronous consensus algorithms need to make a conservative guess regarding the speed of the network, but Tenderbake doesn’t and can thus boast much shorter block times, and much faster finality than the current Emmy+ algorithm. Tenderbarke can theoretically achieve block times of 1sec or lower.

The team believes that this update will be a “major step forward” and one of the most important achievements for Tezos in recent years. The new features, the “near-instant” finality will allow users to leverage irreversibility in their transactions when a block is created. This differentiates Tezos from blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Although it is only in a test stage at this time, the excitement surrounding the testing and what it could mean for future developments is reflective of the community engagement that is possible when you have a thriving on-chain upgrade model like the one that exists on Tezos.