Files
tendermint/docs/tendermint-core/light-client-protocol.md
Anton Kaliaev 9bf8f41ac9 lite2: fix tendermint lite sub command (#4505)
* lite2: fix tendermint lite sub command

- better logging
- chainID as an argument
- more examples

* one more log msg

* lite2: fire update right away after start

* turn off auto update in verification tests

Co-authored-by: mergify[bot] <37929162+mergify[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
2020-03-02 06:51:36 +00:00

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---
order: 9
---
# Light Client Protocol
Light clients are an important part of the complete blockchain system for most
applications. Tendermint provides unique speed and security properties for
light client applications.
See our [lite
package](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/tendermint/tendermint/lite2?tab=doc).
## Overview
The objective of the light client protocol is to get a commit for a recent
block hash where the commit includes a majority of signatures from the last
known validator set. From there, all the application state is verifiable with
[merkle
proofs](https://github.com/tendermint/spec/blob/953523c3cb99fdb8c8f7a2d21e3a99094279e9de/spec/blockchain/encoding.md#iavl-tree).
## Properties
- You get the full collateralized security benefits of Tendermint; No
need to wait for confirmations.
- You get the full speed benefits of Tendermint; transactions
commit instantly.
- You can get the most recent version of the application state
non-interactively (without committing anything to the blockchain). For
example, this means that you can get the most recent value of a name from the
name-registry without worrying about fork censorship attacks, without posting
a commit and waiting for confirmations. It's fast, secure, and free!
## Where to obtain trusted height & hash?
https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/tendermint/tendermint/lite2?tab=doc#TrustOptions
One way to obtain semi-trusted hash & height is to query multiple full nodes
and compare their hashes:
```sh
$ curl -s https://233.123.0.140:26657:26657/commit | jq "{height: .result.signed_header.header.height, hash: .result.signed_header.commit.block_id.hash}"
{
"height": "273",
"hash": "188F4F36CBCD2C91B57509BBF231C777E79B52EE3E0D90D06B1A25EB16E6E23D"
}
```
## HTTP proxy
Tendermint comes with a built-in `tendermint lite` command, which can be used
to run a light client proxy server, verifying Tendermint rpc. All calls that
can be tracked back to a block header by a proof will be verified before
passing them back to the caller. Other than that, it will present the same
interface as a full Tendermint node.
```sh
$ tendermint lite supernova -p tcp://233.123.0.140:26657 \
-w tcp://179.63.29.15:26657,tcp://144.165.223.135:26657 \
--height=10 --hash=37E9A6DD3FA25E83B22C18835401E8E56088D0D7ABC6FD99FCDC920DD76C1C57
```
For additional options, run `tendermint lite --help`.