Aptos is a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) smart contract network that uses the Move programming language for virtual machine (VM) transaction execution. The AptosBFT consensus mechanism is architected with Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT), which means the network functions properly if less than one-third of the validators act dishonestly. The Move ecosystem was designed for safety and contains a compiler, a virtual machine, and developer tools. In Move, smart contracts are known as Modules.

Aptos uses a "modular approach" to transaction processing that enables transaction dissemination (transactions grouped into batches and broadcasted to other validators), block metadata ordering (group batches of metadata to blocks and order them), parallel transaction execution (via a sharded architecture), batch storage (enables data partitioning, so computation only accesses relevant data), and ledger certification (sharing and aggregating validator signatures on the ledger state) to operate concurrently. This modular architecture supports frequent and instant protocol upgrades with minimal interruption. See Messari’s “Understanding Aptos” report for a complete overview of Aptos’ technical architecture.