# Introduction To Distributed Ledgers Bitcoin's success is due, in part, to its use of a distributed record. A distributed record is one that is not maintained by a central authority, but by a distributed community. In the case of Bitcoin, this community is known as "validators." They access and update the public ledger, which contains a record of all Bitcoin transactions. This ledger is shared globally, much like a Google Sheet. The key innovation of Bitcoin and blockchain technology is that it enables a community to reach consensus on truthful transactions, without the need for a centralized intermediary. This allows for the removal of the centralized intermediary, without compromising transactional financial security. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://driipa-foundation.gitbook.io/core-concept-of-driipa/dev-plans/introduction-to-distributed-ledgers.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.