---
description: Each chain is run by a network of validator nodes which run a consensus on the chain state update.
image: /img/logo/WASP_logo_dark.png
keywords:

- validators
- validator nodes
- access nodes
- consensus
- state update
- explanation

---

# Validators

Each chain is run by that chain's *committee of validators*. This committee owns a key that is split between all of its
validators. Each key share is useless on its own, but a collective signature gives validators complete control over the
chain.

The committee of validators is responsible for executing the smart contracts in the chain and thus calculating a _state
update_.
All validators execute exactly the same code and reach a consensus on the state update.
Once the next state is computed and validated, it is committed to each validator's database, a new _block_ is added to
the chain (containing the state mutations), and the _state hash_ is saved in the L1 ledger.

Depending on the governance model, chain owners can rotate the committee of validators.
By rotating the committee of validators, validators can be deleted, added, or replaced.

ISC does not define how to select validators to form a committee: it could be a solitary choice of the chain's owner, or
it could be a [public competition](https://wiki.assembly.sc/learn/introduction/) between candidates.
ISC does not define how validators are rewarded either.

## Access Nodes

It is possible to have some nodes act as _access nodes_ to the chain without being part of the committee of
validators.
All nodes in the subnet (validators and non-validators) are connected through statically assigned trust
relationships and each node is also connected to the IOTA L1 node to receive updates on the chain’s L1
account.

Any node can optionally provide access to smart contracts for external callers, allowing them to:

* Query the state of the chain (i.e., _view calls_)
* Send off-ledger requests directly to the node (instead of sending an on-ledger request as a L1 transaction)

It is common for validator nodes to be part of a private subnet and have only a group of access nodes exposed to the
outside world, protecting the committee from external attacks.

The management of validator and access nodes is done through
the [`governance` core contract](./core_contracts/governance).
