A system where participants don't need to trust each other or a central authority because rules are enforced by code and cryptographic proofs. Smart contracts execute deterministically—the outcome is guaranteed by the protocol, not by any party's goodwill. 'Trust-minimized' is often more accurate, as users still trust the code, validators, and protocol design.
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A system where participants don't need to trust each other or a central authority because rules are enforced by code and cryptographic proofs. Smart contracts execute deterministically—the outcome is guaranteed by the protocol, not by any party's goodwill. 'Trust-minimized' is often more accurate, as users still trust the code, validators, and protocol design.
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Trustless (trustless) Category: Web3 Definition: A system where participants don't need to trust each other or a central authority because rules are enforced by code and cryptographic proofs. Smart contracts execute deterministically—the outcome is guaranteed by the protocol, not by any party's goodwill. 'Trust-minimized' is often more accurate, as users still trust the code, validators, and protocol design. Related: Smart Contract, Consensus Mechanism
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Self-executing code deployed on a blockchain that automatically enforces the terms of an agreement when conditions are met. Smart contracts are immutable once deployed (unless upgradeable), transparent, and trustless. On Solana they're called 'programs'; on Ethereum they're written in Solidity and run on the EVM. They enable DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and other decentralized applications.
The protocol by which nodes in a distributed network agree on the current state of the ledger. Common mechanisms include Proof of Work (Bitcoin), Proof of Stake (Ethereum, Solana), and BFT variants. Consensus ensures all honest nodes converge on the same transaction history despite potential network delays or malicious actors.
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Self-executing code deployed on a blockchain that automatically enforces the terms of an agreement when conditions are met. Smart contracts are immutable once deployed (unless upgradeable), transparent, and trustless. On Solana they're called 'programs'; on Ethereum they're written in Solidity and run on the EVM. They enable DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and other decentralized applications.
The protocol by which nodes in a distributed network agree on the current state of the ledger. Common mechanisms include Proof of Work (Bitcoin), Proof of Stake (Ethereum, Solana), and BFT variants. Consensus ensures all honest nodes converge on the same transaction history despite potential network delays or malicious actors.
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The vision of a decentralized internet built on blockchain technology, where users own their data, identity, and digital assets. Web1 was read-only (static pages), Web2 is read-write (platforms like social media), Web3 is read-write-own (permissionless, user-sovereign). Web3 applications use wallets instead of logins and smart contracts instead of centralized servers.
An application with its backend logic running on a blockchain as smart contracts rather than centralized servers. dApps typically have a traditional web frontend that interacts with on-chain programs via RPC. Users authenticate with wallets instead of username/password. Examples: Uniswap (Ethereum DEX), Jupiter (Solana DEX), Magic Eden (NFT marketplace).
Software or hardware that manages cryptographic keys and enables users to sign transactions, view balances, and interact with dApps. Hot wallets (Phantom, Solflare, Backpack) are internet-connected for convenience. Cold wallets (Ledger, Trezor) store keys offline for security. Wallets don't actually 'hold' tokens—they hold the private keys that control on-chain accounts.
A 12 or 24-word human-readable backup of a wallet's master private key, generated using BIP-39 standard. The seed phrase can deterministically regenerate all derived keypairs (BIP-44 derivation paths). Losing the seed phrase means permanently losing access to all associated accounts. Never share, photograph, or store seed phrases digitally in plain text.