Formal Technical Specification for ANCORA Base Layer Protocol
1. Overview
This document defines the formal technical specification of the ANCORA core protocol, including network architecture, data structures, transaction formats, state transition functions, and cryptographic primitives. This specification is the single source of truth for all client implementations, security audits, and third-party integrations.
ANCORA is a layer 1 proof-of-stake blockchain with native confidential transaction support, post-quantum security, and globally verifiable fixed supply guarantees. The protocol is designed for 50+ year operational lifetime with minimal required upgrades.
2. Notation & Conventions
All cryptographic operations follow NIST standard definitions. All numerical values use 256-bit unsigned integers with 18 decimal places of precision. All hashing operations use SHA3-512 unless otherwise specified.
Key notation:
H(): SHA3-512 hash function
||: Concatenation operator
G: Base point of the secp256k1 elliptic curve (for Pedersen commitments)
pk: Public key
sk: Secret key
B: Block
T: Transaction
S: Global state
3. System Architecture
The ANCORA protocol is divided into five core sub-protocols:
Consensus Protocol: APOS (ANCORA Proof of Stake) Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus
Ledger Protocol: Confidential UTXO state management and supply commitment tree
Transaction Protocol: Confidential transaction format and validation rules
Privacy Protocol: Zero-knowledge proof and anonymity primitives
Network Protocol: Peer-to-peer messaging and block propagation
All sub-protocols operate with strictly separated concerns and formally defined interfaces. No cross-protocol state modifications are permitted outside explicitly defined transition functions.
4. Core Data Structures
4.1 Block Structure
4.2 Transaction Structure
All transactions are confidential by default. No transaction amounts or addresses are stored in plaintext.
4.3 UTXO Structure
5. State Transition Function
The global state S transitions only via valid block application. The state transition function STF(S, B) → S' is deterministic and formally defined as:
Validate block signature and proposer eligibility
Validate all transaction signatures and proofs
Apply all transaction input nullifiers to the spent set
Add all transaction outputs to the UTXO set
Update the global supply commitment tree
Validate aggregate SupplyProof for the block
Calculate and apply validator rewards and fee distribution
Update validator set and stake weights
No state transition is valid unless accompanied by a complete zero-knowledge proof of correctness.
6. Cryptographic Primitives Standard
All implementations must use the following standardized primitives:
All cryptographic libraries must undergo third-party formal verification before mainnet deployment.
7. Protocol Upgrade Mechanism
All protocol upgrades follow a 3-stage process:
Proposal submission and 30-day community review period
80% validator approval threshold
90-day mandatory upgrade window with automatic fork activation
No upgrade may modify the total supply, vesting schedule, or core monetary policy defined in the ANCORA Constitution.