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Cronos architecture

A high-level overview of how Cronos is structured: execution layer, nodes, RPC, explorers and how Cronos Wallet plugs into the stack.

Architecture Nodes RPC
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High-level layers Overview Execution & accounts EVM Nodes & RPC Infra Cronos Wallet integration Clients

High-level layers

Cronos follows a familiar layered model. If you’re new to the chain, reviewing the Getting Started page first provides useful context before diving deeper into low-level internals. At the highest level, the architecture consists of:

Consensus & networking
Nodes exchange blocks and transactions, agree on ordering and finalise blocks. Developers can read more about node types in the Nodes & RPC section.
Execution (EVM)
Smart contracts run inside an Ethereum-compatible VM. If you're deploying contracts, see Smart contracts.
Access & tooling
RPC endpoints, wallets and explorers make the chain usable. Wallet installation instructions are available in the Install guide.

Execution & accounts

Cronos uses the Ethereum account and transaction model, so tooling such as Hardhat and Foundry works out of the box. If you're configuring your environment, start with Developer tutorials & resources.

  • Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) controlled by private keys.
  • Contract accounts with bytecode and persistent storage — see Smart contracts for guidance.
  • Gas metering and fees paid in CRO or testnet tCRO (see FAQ for common fee-related questions).

Contracts compiled for the EVM (Solidity, Vyper, etc.) can be deployed without modifications. If you want to understand how Cronos compares to other chains from a developer perspective, review the Background section.

Nodes & RPC

A Cronos node is the heart of the infrastructure. Before running one, it’s recommended to read the Cronos roadmap to understand planned protocol updates that may affect operators.

  • Maintains a local copy of the blockchain state.
  • Validates blocks and transactions (validators participate in consensus).
  • Serves JSON-RPC requests from wallets, explorers and applications. Wallet behaviour is described in Cronos Wallet integration.
Component Role Typical consumers
Full node Stores full chain data and responds to RPC requests. Wallets (setup guide), dApps, explorers.
Validator node Participates in consensus and block production. Stakers, governance — see Background.
Light clients Verify headers instead of full state. Resource-constrained apps, some wallets.
OPERATORS If you plan to run a node, ensure your environment matches the recommended requirements. For local wallet interaction or dApp development, follow developer environment setup.

Cronos Wallet integration

Cronos Wallet acts as a secure client on top of the chain. To install the wallet or update your version, follow the Install guide.

  • Connects to trusted RPC endpoints for mainnet and testnet.
  • Validates account state and balances retrieved from nodes.
  • Displays contract interactions in readable form — details in Smart contracts.
  • Ensures consistent UX across supported EVM networks.

From a developer’s perspective, interacting with Cronos Wallet mirrors interacting with any EVM chain. If you're building dApps meant to integrate with the wallet, start with Tutorials & resources.

To understand how the chain and wallet will evolve, continue to Cronos roadmap.