Network interoperability is the ability of independently operated networks or systems to exchange information and use it correctly through agreed protocols and data formats. It depends on shared standards at the relevant layers so that heterogeneous implementations communicate without bespoke adaptation. In distributed and blockchain contexts it is the precondition for cross-network value transfer and coordinated operation.
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- Achieving interoperability requires agreement on syntax (encoding and formats), semantics (meaning of exchanged data), and behaviour (protocol state machines). Gateways and translation layers can bridge incompatible systems, but native standards-based interoperability avoids the fragility, latency, and trust assumptions introduced by intermediaries.