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This section is the protocol layer’s home on docs.optimism.io. Protocol behavior is normatively defined in the OP Stack specifications; per the content guide, the pages here explain concepts and route to the exact spec section; they never restate normative text.

Get the canonical definition

Read the OP Stack specifications, the normative source for all protocol behavior.

Understand how the rollup works

Learn how Optimistic Rollups work: block storage, production, execution, bridging, and fault proofs at a high level.

Look up a network upgrade

Find any hardfork’s activation timestamps, governing spec, and minimum component versions in the registry.

Meet the components that implement it

Find the canonical hub for each OP Stack component, grouped by protocol role.

Check who holds privileged roles

See the privileged roles OP Stack chains still include, the risks they pose, and their mitigations.

Looking for something else?

Browse the documentation by role: app developer, chain operator, or node operator.