About
Hedera is a public distributed ledger platform and enterprise-grade decentralized network that offers a high-performance alternative to traditional blockchain systems. Unlike blockchains that group transactions into blocks, Hedera uses a directed acyclic graph called the hashgraph consensus algorithm, designed to deliver fast transaction speeds, low fees, energy efficiency, and strong security guarantees — including asynchronous Byzantine Fault Tolerance (aBFT). This enables transactions to reach consensus with finality in seconds, facilitates high throughput, and reduces resource consumption compared with legacy blockchain approaches. Hedera supports a suite of core services for decentralized applications, including smart contracts (Solidity compatible), native tokenization and NFT management via the Hedera Token Service (HTS), and a Consensus Service (HCS) that allows applications to record ordered events and messages immutably on the public ledger. Developers interact with Hedera through SDKs and APIs that seamlessly combine its distributed ledger capabilities with application logic, enabling use cases spanning DeFi, supply chain transparency, identity systems, data provenance, micropayments, and more. The native cryptocurrency HBAR is central to the network’s operation: it pays for transaction fees, is used to incentivize and reward network nodes, and can be staked to support network security and participate in consensus. Hedera’s governance model is unique among distributed ledgers — a Hedera Governing Council of up to 39 leading global organizations (such as Google, Boeing, IBM, and others) collaboratively oversees software upgrades, pricing, treasury management, and strategic decisions. Each council member has equal voting rights and serves a term-limited position to help ensure decentralized, stable governance without direct compensation. The project was originally conceptualized around the patented hashgraph algorithm (developed by Dr. Leemon Baird and his team) and later evolved into an open-source, public network with continuous ecosystem growth. Hedera aims to combine enterprise reliability, public decentralization, scalable performance, and decentralized governance — making it suitable for broad adoption by developers, enterprises, and users seeking efficient, secure distributed applications.
