Linearizability and real-time operations
Research context
postgraduate concept · established · As of 2026-10-10
A linearizable object admits a sequential explanation in which each completed operation appears to take effect between invocation and response, preserving real-time precedence of nonoverlapping operations.
Key knowledge
A linearizable object admits a sequential explanation in which each completed operation appears to take effect between invocation and response, preserving real-time precedence of nonoverlapping operations. This is stronger than merely receiving messages in order. Raft's client/read protocol needs additional checks to ensure a leader is still authoritative and to handle duplicated retries. Eventual convergence alone permits intermediate behavior that is not linearizable.
Conditions and scope
- State the object's legal sequential specification and which invocations/responses are included.
- Concurrent overlapping operations may be ordered in either valid way; a replication log alone is not a proof about all read paths.
Sources · 2
References
Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.
Evidence and review
Author checked this English statement, displayed equation where present and stated hypotheses against these source locations: §§5–8: leader election, log matching, commit rule, durable state, membership and client linearizability; Definitions and asynchronous atomic read/write impossibility theorem; partial synchrony discussion. The check is bounded to the recorded claims; no complete proof reconstruction, software proof replay or universal literature completeness is claimed.
2026-10-10 · Author source-body/statement/equation/domain check, with graph associations scoped individually. Separate independent content/source/inventory review is required before branch closure.
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