Distributed ledger

A distributed ledger (also called a shared ledger or distributed ledger technology or DLT) is a system whereby replicated, shared, and synchronized digital data is geographically spread (distributed) across many sites, countries, or institutions.^[1] In contrast to a centralized database, a distributed ledger does not require a central administrator, and consequently does not have a single (central) point-of-failure.^[2]^[3]

In general, a distributed ledger requires a peer-to-peer (P2P) computer network and consensus algorithms so that the ledger is reliably replicated across distributed computer nodes (servers, clients, etc.).^[2] The most common form of distributed ledger technology is the blockchain (commonly associated with the Bitcoin cryptocurrency), which can either be on a public or private network. Infrastructure for data management is a common barrier to implementing DLT.^[4]

^ Distributed Ledger Technology: beyond block chain (PDF) (Report). Government Office for Science (UK). January 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
^ ^a ^b Scardovi, Claudio (2016). Restructuring and Innovation in Banking. Springer. p. 36. ISBN 978-331940204-8. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
^ "Distributed Ledgers". Investopedia. Archived from the original on 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
^ Sadeghi, Mahsa; Mahmoudi, Amin; Deng, Xiaopeng (2022-02-01). "Adopting distributed ledger technology for the sustainable construction industry: evaluating the barriers using Ordinal Priority Approach". Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 29 (7): 10495–10520. doi:10.1007/s11356-021-16376-y. ISSN 1614-7499. PMC 8443118. PMID 34528198.

[UKscienceOffice201601-1] Distributed Ledger Technology: beyond block chain (PDF) (Report). Government Office for Science (UK). January 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2016.

[raiib-2] Scardovi, Claudio (2016). Restructuring and Innovation in Banking. Springer. p. 36. ISBN 978-331940204-8. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2016.

[3] "Distributed Ledgers". Investopedia. Archived from the original on 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2022-08-09.

[4] Sadeghi, Mahsa; Mahmoudi, Amin; Deng, Xiaopeng (2022-02-01). "Adopting distributed ledger technology for the sustainable construction industry: evaluating the barriers using Ordinal Priority Approach". Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 29 (7): 10495–10520. doi:10.1007/s11356-021-16376-y. ISSN 1614-7499. PMC 8443118. PMID 34528198.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]