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Parachain Collators

1 min read
Pronunciation
[pair-uh-chain kuh-lay-turz]
Analogy
Like local reporters gathering news stories for the main newspaper, collators gather parachain transactions and prepare block candidates for the relay chain validators.
Definition
Nodes on a Polkadot or Kusama relay chain that collect parachain transactions, produce candidate blocks, and submit them to validators for inclusion in the shared relay chain.
Key Points Intro
Collators maintain parachain health by aggregating transactions and generating valid block candidates.
Key Points

Transaction aggregation: Collect and organize parachain tx into blocks.

State availability: Ensure block data is available to validators.

Collation duty: Produce block candidates at each parachain block interval.

Light validation: Verify parachain-specific consensus rules before submission.

Example
A collator on a DeFi parachain collects user swaps, bundles them into a block candidate, and sends it to the Polkadot relay chain for finalization.
Technical Deep Dive
Collator runs a Substrate node with parachain logic, uses `proposeCandidate()` RPC to generate a candidate including state root and proof-of-validity data, then broadcasts to relay chain validators via XCMP for inclusion.
Caveat
Insufficient collator performance or availability can delay parachain block production.
Related Terms
Parachain

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