In a Ripple network, there are a number of components that work together in order to achieve consensus and form a payment network.
These components are discussed individually here: Server: This component serves as a participant in the consensus protocol.
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Ripple server software is required in order to be able to participate in consensus protocol.
Ledger: This is the main record of balances of all accounts on the network.
A ledger contains various elements such as ledger number, account settings, transactions, timestamp, and a flag that indicates the validity of the ledger.
Last closed ledger: A ledger is closed once consensus is achieved by validating nodes.
Open ledger: This is a ledger that has not been validated yet and no consensus has been reached about its state.
Each node has its own open ledger, which contains proposed transactions.
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Unique Node List: This is a list of unique trusted nodes that a validating server uses in order to seek votes and subsequent consensus.
Proposer: As the name suggests, this component proposes new transactions to be included in the consensus process.
It is usually a subset of nodes (UNL defined in the previous point) that can propose transactions to the validating server.
Key Points to Remember
- Ripple consensus protocol phases In a Ripple network, there are a number of components that work together in order to achieve consensus and form a payment network.
- These components are discussed individually here: Server: This component serves as a participant in the consensus protocol.
- Ripple server software is required in order to be able to participate in consensus protocol.
- Ledger: This is the main record of balances of all accounts on the network.
Conclusion
Ripple consensus protocol phases represents one of the many innovative layers that make blockchain technology so powerful and transformative. As distributed systems continue to evolve, a solid understanding of these core concepts becomes increasingly valuable — not just for developers, but for anyone building, investing in, or working alongside blockchain-powered systems.
Whether you are just starting your blockchain journey or deepening existing expertise, mastering these fundamentals gives you the tools to think clearly about decentralized systems and make smarter decisions in this rapidly evolving space.