Block Finality and Network Performance

What is block finality, and how is it achieved on the Toto Chain?

Block finality refers to the process of determining which block is the definitive, irreversible part of the blockchain. On the Toto Chain, block finality is achieved through GRANDPA, a finality gadget that allows validators to vote on the next block. A transaction is considered final after a few blocks at most​.

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What are "GRANDPA" and "BABE"?

• GRANDPA (GHOST-based Recursive Ancestor Deriving Prefix Agreement): This is the finality mechanism used by the Toto Chain. It finalizes blocks asynchronously by allowing validators to vote on the chain's state.

• BABE (Blind Assignment for Blockchain Extension): While not explicitly mentioned in the documents, BABE is commonly used alongside GRANDPA in Substrate-based chains to provide block production. Instead of a pure Proof-of-Work or Proof-of-Stake system, BABE assigns block production slots randomly among validators​.

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How long does it take for a transaction to be considered final?

A transaction is considered final after a few blocks. Since the block time on the Toto Chain is 3 seconds, finality would take a short period, depending on how many blocks are required for confirmation​.

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What happens in cases of block reorganization or forks?

In the case of block reorganization or forks, the chain follows the longest chain rule. This means that if two competing blocks exist, the chain will continue building on the longer branch, discarding the shorter one. GRANDPA ensures that once a block is finalized, it cannot be reversed​.

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What is the transaction throughput of the Toto Chain (e.g., transactions per second)?

The documents do not provide a specific transactions-per-second (TPS) metric, but since the block time is 3 seconds, and assuming the chain follows Substrate’s standard optimization, TPS could be in the range of hundreds to a few thousand transactions per second, depending on transaction size and validator performance​.

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How does the network handle congestion or high transaction volumes?

The network handles congestion through:

• Pending transactions and transaction lifetimes, ensuring transactions that cannot be processed immediately wait in a queue instead of failing.

• Transaction tips, which allow users to prioritize their transactions by offering additional fees to validators.

• Block producer selection based on transaction weight, meaning heavier transactions may impact block time​.