A directed acyclic graph (DAG) is a way to order transactions so each new item points at earlier ones, without forming a loop. Some networks use that structure instead of a single linear chain of blocks, so more than one transaction can be confirmed in parallel.

A classical blockchain appends one block at a time to a single sequence. A DAG can accept multiple branches of work at once and then order them. The result is still a shared ledger; the difference is how items are linked and sequenced.

Parallel ordering can reduce waiting when many senders submit work at the same time. It is one approach to higher throughput. Finality, fees and security still depend on the rest of the protocol, not on the graph shape alone.

Some DAG designs still group transactions into blocks or batches. Others attach transactions directly to earlier vertices. Explorers often still show height, hashes and confirmations so the ledger is readable in familiar terms.

Finality is the point after which a transaction is treated as settled and will not be reversed under normal protocol rules. Probabilistic finality gets safer as more blocks or vertices build on top. Deterministic finality is declared by the protocol after a vote or checkpoint.

A Layer 1 is a base network that keeps its own ledger, consensus and accounts. Other tools — wallets, explorers, studios and Layer 2s — settle or report against that base. UNARA is presented on this site as an EVM-compatible DAG Layer 1.

The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) is the runtime used by Ethereum smart contracts. An EVM-compatible chain can run Solidity contracts and common Ethereum tooling, with its own token, fees and consensus.

A wallet holds the keys that authorize transactions from an address. Connecting a wallet lets a site read that address and ask you to sign. It does not, by itself, move funds — you approve each signature.

A smart contract is a program stored on the network. Once deployed, anyone can call its functions under the rules written in the code — transfers, locks, markets or custom logic — as long as they pay the required fees and meet the contract’s conditions.

Gas is the fee unit for computation and storage on EVM-style networks. Harder calls cost more gas. The amount you pay also depends on the current gas price. Unused gas is typically returned; a failed call can still consume the gas it used.

RPC is how wallets and apps talk to a node: read balances, send signed transactions, subscribe to new blocks. A public RPC is convenient; a private or self-hosted RPC is used when you need higher limits or more trust in the node you query.

A testnet is a practice network. Tokens there are not treated as mainnet value. Mainnet is the production ledger. Use a testnet to deploy and break things before you spend real fees or move real assets.

Staking locks tokens to help run or secure a network, or to participate in a protocol’s rules. In return, some designs pay rewards. Locked tokens are usually not freely transferable until an unbonding or unlock period ends.

Vesting releases tokens on a schedule instead of all at once. A cliff delays the first unlock; later events release more over time. Dashboards that show locked, unlocked and next unlock dates are reading that schedule for an address.

Use the transaction hash in a block explorer. Confirmed or successful status means the network included it. Pending means it is still in the mempool or being ordered. Failed or reverted means the call ran but did not complete its state changes; the hash still exists.