GHOSTForge: A Scalable Consensus Mechanism for DAG-Based Blockchains

Blockchain scalability has long been a critical issue, and Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) offer a promising solution by enabling higher throughput. However, despite their scalability, achieving global convergence or consensus in heterogeneous DAG networks remains a significant challenge. This work, introduces GHOSTForge, building on the Greedy Heaviest-Observed Sub-tree (GHOST) protocol to address these challenges. GHOSTForge incorporates unique coloring and scoring mechanisms alongside stability thresholds and order-locking processes. This protocol addresses the inefficiencies found in existing systems, such as PHANTOM, by offering a more proficient two-level coloring and scoring method that eliminates circular dependencies and enhances scalability. The use of stability thresholds enables the early locking of block orders, reducing computational overhead while maintaining robust security. GHOSTForge's design adapts dynamically to varying network conditions, ensuring quick block order convergence and strong resistance to attacks, such as double-spending. Our experimental results demonstrate that GHOSTForge excels in achieving both computational efficiency and rapid consensus, positioning it as a powerful and scalable solution for decentralized, heterogeneous DAG networks.