What is Atomic?

"Atomic" have different meanings depending on the context, but in the context of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, it generally refers to an operation or transaction that is indivisible or all-or-nothing.

What is an atomic swap?

An atomic swap is a decentralized peer-to-peer exchange of cryptocurrencies or digital assets between two parties, where each party transfers their assets directly to the other party without the need for a centralized exchange. Atomic swaps use smart contracts to execute the exchange and ensure that both parties fulfill their part of the deal simultaneously, ensuring that neither party is cheated. The swap is called atomic because it either succeeds in its entirety or fails completely, without any partial executions or rollbacks. Atomic swaps offer a high level of security and privacy, and they eliminate the need for intermediaries and their associated fees.

What is an atomic transactions?

In the context of blockchain, an atomic transaction is a transaction that involves multiple assets or tokens and is executed atomically, meaning that either all of the transactions are executed or none of them are executed. This is achieved through the use of smart contracts that hold the assets until all the conditions of the transaction are met, and then execute the transaction atomically. This is commonly used in the context of atomic swaps, where two parties exchange different cryptocurrencies without the need for an intermediary.