What is Proof of History (PoH)?

Proof of History (PoH) uses sequential hash calculations to help demonstrate the order of recorded events and the passage of computational time between them. Solana’s design uses it for timing and ordering; it is not a standalone consensus mechanism.

What kind of record does Proof of History create?

The previous hash output becomes the input to the next calculation. Data inserted into the sequence affects the results that follow. Solana’s PoH explanation describes the sequential computation.

If record A appears before B, the computational relationship can be checked. But the statement “payment delivered” inside A does not become true in the physical world merely because it is recorded in PoH. Data ordering and the truth of an external claim are different questions.

Does PoH replace Proof of Stake?

No. The Solana whitepaper describes PoH alongside a consensus algorithm. Creating an ordered record cannot, by itself, decide which transactions are valid or which history the network accepts.

Example

Imagine “order received” entering a computational sequence before “payment record added.” PoH helps establish the sequence of those entries and the computation between them. Writing “parcel delivered” into an entry would not prove that a courier actually delivered it. The analogy explains record ordering; a physical delivery still needs evidence from outside the chain.