A new technical reference for engineers, cryptographers, and researchers
We are pleased to announce that we are opening a new window into Algorand. The Algorand Specifications site is now live: https://specs.algorand.co/.
This new resource gives protocol engineers, researchers, and cryptographers a complete view of how Algorand works under the hood. It covers everything from the BFT consensus and ledger mechanics to the Algorand Virtual Machine, keys, cryptographic primitives, and network architecture.
Why a new site?
Over the past several years, the Algorand ecosystem has grown into a diverse community of builders. Many are focused on creating dApps, integrating smart contracts, or launching new products. For them, the Algorand Dev Portal is the best place to start because it offers tutorials, SDKs, and examples that make it easy to build on Algorand.
We also realize that others want to explore Algorand's technology. Some want to understand the design decisions behind Algorand’s consensus, and others are exploring advanced topics in cryptography, protocol optimization, or node engineering.
For those who want a deeper dive, we revamped the Algorand Specifications.
Our top engineers have updated the Algorand Specifications format and contents, aiming to close the gap between the formal protocol specifications and their reference implementation. To ease the understanding of the Algorand protocol, the normative and formal chapters (reviewed and corrected) are now integrated with new non-normative chapters, examples, and references to the implementation.
While dev.algorand.co’s purpose is to help developers build on Algorand, the specs.algorand.co new site helps experts understand Algorand itself: its core protocols, consensus, cryptography, and security fundamentals.
Inside the Algorand Specifications website
The specification's website organization reflects the architecture of the protocol:
- Algorand BFT Protocol: full description of the consensus mechanism and its safety and liveness guarantees
- Algorand Ledger: structure, validation rules, and state transitions
- Algorand Virtual Machine: the secure distributed execution environment that executes smart contracts
- Keys and Cryptography: cryptographic primitives and key management systems that secure the network
- Algorand Network and Algod Node: non-normative sections about the reference implementation, node architecture, message flows, and an experimental AI DeepWiki
Each section includes preambles for context, normative parts that define the protocol itself, and non-normative parts for explanations and commentary.
Who is it for
The Algorand Specifications site is for:
- Protocol engineers designing or optimizing core components
- Researchers studying distributed systems and consensus models
- Cryptographers working on secure primitives and proofs
- Security engineers and auditors analyzing protocol safety, adversarial behavior, and potential attack vectors
- Node and infrastructure developers implementing or maintaining Algorand nodes
If your work requires understanding how the system functions beneath the SDK layer, this site is for you.
A living reference for a growing ecosystem
The team versions and structures the specifications for ongoing updates as the protocol evolves. Our goal is to make Algorand's foundational design more transparent and accessible to anyone advancing blockchain research and engineering.
We invite you to explore it now at https://specs.algorand.co/.
Disclaimer: The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only. The information is provided by the Algorand Foundation and while we strive to keep the information up-to-date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the blog or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the blog for any purpose.
The content of this blog is not intended to be financial advice. You should not take any action before conducting your own research or consulting with a qualified professional. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will Algorand Foundation be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect, or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this blog.
Through this blog, you may be able to link to other websites which are not under the control of the Algorand Foundation. We have no control over the nature, content, and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not imply a recommendation nor endorse the views expressed therein.