Commit-Reveal Schemes
Web3 / smart contracts
Commit-reveal schemes are two-phase cryptographic protocols in smart contracts that separate information disclosure into commitment and revelation stages, preventing front-running and collusion during decision-making processes. In the commit phase, participants submit a hash of their choice without revealing the underlying value, locking in their decision before others can observe it. During the reveal phase, participants then submit the original plaintext value, which the contract verifies against the previously committed hash. This design pattern ensures fairness in voting, auctions, lotteries, and other scenarios where premature information exposure could enable strategic manipulation or advantageous re-positioning. Example: Gnosis Protocol's batch auction mechanism uses commit-reveal principles to prevent frontrunners from gaming bidding, where traders commit encrypted bids first and reveal actual orders only after the auction window closes. Why it matters for smart contracts: Commit-reveal prevents frontrunning and collusion by cryptographically hiding participants' intentions until commitment becomes irrevocable, ensuring fair outcomes in voting and auction smart contracts.
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