Protocol

The complete rule set defining a cryptoeconomic system — specifying valid states, allowed transitions, and component interactions.

A protocol establishes the boundary of the system: what transactions are valid, how consensus is reached, what constitutes correct behavior. Examples include Bitcoin (UTXO model, Nakamoto consensus) and Ethereum (account model, EVM execution).

Systems Connection

The protocol defines the system’s boundary and structure — the rules that all components must follow. Protocol upgrades are a form of adaptation: the system modifies its own rules to respond to changing conditions or discovered vulnerabilities.

See Also

• Cryptoeconomics — parent domain
• Consensus Mechanism — core protocol component
• Boundary — what protocols define