⛓️ Relay Chain: Coordinate Parachains
Understand how the Relay Chain provides shared security
Connect specialized blockchains to a relay chain
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The Polkadot Relay Chain is the heart of the network, providing security and coordination for all parachains. Unlike traditional blockchains that process individual transactions, the Relay Chain validates parachain blocks, not individual transactions.
🔑 Key Insight: Two-Layer Validation
Parachains process transactions independently (Layer 1), then produce a "proof of validity" that validators verify on the Relay Chain (Layer 0). This allows 100 parachains to process ~100,000 TPS total while maintaining shared security.
Relay Chain: Validates proof (not 1,000 individual txs) → Finalizes
Three Key Roles in Polkadot
Polkadot's architecture separates responsibilities across three roles. Select each to understand their unique function:
- •Validate parachain state transitions
- •Participate in GRANDPA finality
- •Produce Relay Chain blocks
- •Vote on governance proposals
Block Production Simulation
Watch how the Relay Chain coordinates block production across multiple parachains. Each parachain produces blocks independently, then validators finalize them together.
GRANDPA Finality
Polkadot uses GRANDPA (GHOST-based Recursive Ancestor Deriving Prefix Agreement) for finality. Unlike Nakamoto consensus which requires 6+ confirmations, GRANDPA achieves deterministic finality in seconds.
❌ Probabilistic Finality
Bitcoin/Ethereum: Wait 6+ blocks (~60 minutes Bitcoin, ~15 minutes Ethereum) for "probably final"
✅ Deterministic Finality
Polkadot: GRANDPA finalizes after 2-3 seconds. Mathematically impossible to reverse.