Cardano Leios Prototype Adjust Block Size Based on Voting Support

Cardano consensus team don release Ouroboros Leios prototype rc-2026w44 with one feature wey dem call adaptive endorsements. This one allow producers make smaller endorser blocks when recent blocks no dey get enough voting support. The team design the feature make e preserve some of the extra transaction capacity wey Leios add when bigger blocks dey struggle to get certified and throughput for otherwise fall back to wetin Praos, Cardano existing consensus protocol, fit support.

Why Smaller Blocks Fit Help

Leios add capacity by using endorser blocks to carry transactions alongside the regular blocks wey form the chain. To certify endorser block, votes wey represent minimum share of stake go dey needed. For Musashi tests, some bigger blocks no reach the target because voting nodes no fit validate transactions wey dem never see before the voting window close.

The prototype dey compare the voting weight behind each recent block announcement with the stake wey participate across recent rounds. E use the difference to estimate how much of the margin above the certification threshold the announcement don lose. Producers go then scale down new endorser blocks, so that voting nodes go get fewer transactions to check inside the same window.

Wetin Change for the Main Development Branch

Separate from the prototype release, the consensus team don add endorser block production to the main development branch. Producers fit build these blocks from transactions wey no fit enter regular chain block, wey dem dey call ranking block, and store them inside one dedicated database wey dem call LeiosDB.

When incoming ranking block carry Leios certificate, the node go check the certificate and wait for the corresponding endorser block before e select the ranking block for im chain. The development branch still add vote relaying. Nodes go check each Leios vote once and disconnect from peers wey send invalid votes.

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How Musashi and DijkstraNet Take Differ

Intersect don identify Musashi as the test network for the full Linear Leios implementation. DijkstraNet dey run protocol version 12 and e support BLS key registration for stake pool operators. Im current release no include full Linear Leios for scope.

Adaptive endorsements dey off by default for rc-2026w44. The configuration wey dem supply for Musashi enable the feature. The release keep the database and network message formats wey rc-2026w43 use, so nodes for both versions fit communicate and operators fit upgrade without resynchronizing.