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Everything about Two Generals' Problem

Thought experiment

In computing, the Two Generals' Problem is a thought experiment meant to illustrate the pitfalls and design challenges of attempting to coordinate an action by communicating over an unreliable link. In the experiment, two generals are only able to communicate with one another by sending a messenger through enemy territory. The experiment asks how they might reach an agreement on the time to launch an attack, while knowing that any messenger they send could be captured. Wikipedia →

đź§­ Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: Two Generals' ProblemA 5-minute orientation
  2. Pick up a classic book: Two Gentlemen of VeronaThe most-reprinted book on the subject
  3. Read the landmark paper: The Simplified Two Generals Problem for Communication Immutability and Security Over Multiple Heterogeneous ChannelsCited 1 times
  4. Go sideways: Consensus (computer science)A closely related topic
  5. Go sideways: Byzantine faultA closely related topic

đź“– Definitions

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🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

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