🗣️ Language Focus
When explaining how something works in blockchain (like how a transaction flows through Ethereum), it’s important to present each step in a clear and logical order. This is where sequencers come in.
Sequencers are words and phrases that help organize ideas chronologically. They tell the reader or listener what happens first, next, and finally. These expressions are especially useful when giving tutorials, writing documentation, or describing how code or smart contracts behave over time.
Below are some common sequencers used in technical explanations. You can then take a quiz at the bottom of the course page to test your knowledge
✍️ Language Features
Sequencer | Purpose | Example from the Article |
|---|---|---|
To begin with | Start the process | To begin with, the user constructs a transaction... |
Once... | Show a condition is complete | Once the transaction has been prepared, the user signs it… |
Subsequently | Indicate the next major step | Subsequently, the signed transaction is broadcast... |
Prior to | Indicate an earlier stage | Prior to execution, validators select transactions... |
At this point | Emphasize the current state or stage | At this point, the transaction is considered permanently settled. |
Ultimately | Signal the final step or result | Ultimately, once the transaction is included in a block... |
These expressions help the reader follow the explanation step by step, which is critical in technical communication.
✅ Task
Read the article below: How a Transaction Works on the Ethereum Network.
As you read, pay attention to how the sequencers are used. Notice how they help explain each phase of the transaction process, from construction to finality.
You’ll take a short quiz afterward to test your understanding of these expressions.
💸 What Is a Transaction on Ethereum?
A transaction in Ethereum is a cryptographically signed instruction that originates from an externally-owned account (EOA) and is used to update the network's state. This could involve transferring ETH from one account to another, executing smart contract functions, or deploying new contracts. While all transactions must ultimately originate from an EOA (controlled by a private key), smart contracts can also trigger internal transactions as part of their execution.
🔁 How a Transaction Works on the Ethereum Network
To begin with, the user constructs a transaction including essential fields like:
Sender address: The externally-owned account (EOA) initiating the transaction. This address must cryptographically sign the transaction using its private key.
Recipient address: The destination of the transaction, either another EOA or a smart contract.
Signature: A unique digital fingerprint generated from the sender’s private key. It confirms the transaction’s origin and integrity.
Nonce: A sequential counter that reflects the number of confirmed transactions previously sent from the sender's account.
Value: The amount of ETH to be transferred.
Data: An optional field used to include extra information, especially for smart contract interactions (e.g., function calls and parameters).
Gas limit: The maximum amount of computational effort the transaction is allowed to consume. It prevents excessive use of network resources.
Max priority fee per gas: A “tip” offered to incentivize validators to prioritize the transaction.
Max fee per gas: The ceiling on how much the sender is willing to pay per unit of gas.
Once the transaction has been prepared, the user signs it with their private key using the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA). Subsequently, the signed transaction is broadcast to the Ethereum network. At this stage, it enters the mempool (memory pool)—a transaction pool maintained by individual nodes, where it awaits inclusion in a block.
Prior to execution, validators select transactions from their mempools, typically prioritizing those that offer higher priority fees (tips) and gas prices. These chosen transactions are then assembled into a block, which is proposed and validated through Ethereum’s Proof of Stake consensus mechanism.
Once a block is proposed, each transaction within it is executed by the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This step includes:
Debiting the sender’s account for the ETH transfer and gas fees
Processing any smart contract logic contained in the data field
Crediting the recipient’s account with the transferred ETH
Updating the Ethereum network’s global state
During execution, gas is consumed based on computational demand. The base fee is burned (permanently removed from circulation), while the priority fee is awarded to the validator responsible for proposing the block.
Ultimately, once the transaction is included in a block and that block reaches finality, the transaction is considered permanently settled. At this point, all state changes are visible and confirmed across the network.
