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Light Client Protocol
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=====================
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Light clients are an important part of the complete blockchain system
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for most applications. Tendermint provides unique speed and security
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properties for light client applications.
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See our developing `light-client
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repository <https://github.com/tendermint/light-client>`__.
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Overview
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--------
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The objective of the light client protocol is to get a
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`commit <./validators.html#committing-a-block>`__ for a recent
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`block hash <./block-structure.html#block-hash>`__ where the commit
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includes a majority of signatures from the last known validator set.
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From there, all the application state is verifiable with `merkle
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proofs <./merkle-trees#iavl-tree>`__.
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Properties
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----------
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- You get the full collateralized security benefits of Tendermint; No
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need to wait for confirmations.
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- You get the full speed benefits of Tendermint; transactions commit
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instantly.
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- You can get the most recent version of the application state
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non-interactively (without committing anything to the blockchain).
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For example, this means that you can get the most recent value of a
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name from the name-registry without worrying about fork censorship
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attacks, without posting a commit and waiting for confirmations. It's
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fast, secure, and free!
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