What is DuskDS?
DuskDS is the consensus, settlement and data-availability layer of the Dusk Layer 1. It orders transactions, finalizes blocks with a proof-of-stake protocol called Succinct Attestation and holds the data that Dusk's execution environments rely on. Dusk's Apps & Products page lists this layer under Dusk L1.
Financial markets need to know when a transfer is final. On a chain where blocks can be reorganized, a trade that looked settled can still change. DuskDS is designed for fast, deterministic finality suitable for financial markets. A block is final once it is ratified, with no user-facing reorgs in normal operation.
How does DuskDS work?
Succinct Attestation is DuskDS's permissionless, committee-based proof-of-stake consensus protocol. Provisioners, the nodes that stake DUSK, take part in rounds of three steps:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Proposal | A provisioner creates and broadcasts a candidate block |
| Validation | A committee checks the block's validity |
| Ratification | Another committee confirms the validation outcome and finalizes the block |
Nodes exchange messages over Kadcast, Dusk's peer-to-peer networking layer. Kadcast uses a structured overlay instead of random gossip, which reduces bandwidth and makes latency more predictable.
Nodes run Rusk, the Rust node implementation for the Dusk Layer 1. Rusk runs DuskDS consensus, maintains chain state and executes DuskVM contracts.
Two genesis contracts sit at the base of the layer. The Stake contract tracks provisioners, stakes and rewards. The Transfer contract coordinates value movement and accepts both Moonlight and Phoenix payloads, so public and shielded transactions settle on the same layer.
Contract execution happens next to DuskDS and above it. DuskVM executes Rust/WASM contracts directly on the Layer 1, while DuskDS provides the consensus, settlement and data-availability foundation. DuskEVM, the environment for Solidity contracts, publishes its transaction data to DuskDS and settles there.
| Part | Role |
|---|---|
| Succinct Attestation | Proof-of-stake consensus with deterministic finality |
| Kadcast | Peer-to-peer networking |
| Rusk | Node software |
| Stake and Transfer contracts | Staking records and value movement |
Dusk publishes external security reviews on its audits page. They include a Kadcast audit by Blaize Security (April 2024) and audits of the Rusk consensus and node library by OAK Security (September 2024). Each report covers the code as it stood at the time of the review. The 2024 Dusk Whitepaper specifies Succinct Attestation and Kadcast.
For an overview of the whole network, see What is Dusk?. Dusk's Apps & Products page lists the Dusk L1 alongside the node software, the Dusk wallets and the developer tools.
Common questions about DuskDS
Is DuskDS the same as the Dusk Layer 1?
DuskDS is the consensus, settlement and data-availability layer of the Dusk Layer 1. The Layer 1 is DuskDS plus DuskVM, the virtual machine that runs Rust/WASM contracts.
Which consensus does DuskDS use?
Succinct Attestation, a permissionless, committee-based proof-of-stake protocol. Each round has a proposal, a validation and a ratification step, and a block is final once it is ratified.
Does DuskDS run smart contracts?
DuskDS provides consensus, settlement and data availability. Contract code runs in DuskVM, directly on the Layer 1, or in DuskEVM, which settles on DuskDS.
How does DuskEVM relate to DuskDS?
DuskEVM is an execution layer for Solidity contracts. It publishes its transaction data to DuskDS and settles there, so DuskEVM applications rely on DuskDS for data availability and settlement.