ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Distributed algorithm

Okay kiddo, let me explain what a distributed algorithm is. Imagine you and your friends are playing a game, but instead of playing in one room you are all playing in your own rooms in different parts of the house. This is called a distributed game because you are all playing the same game but you are doing it in different places at the same time.

Now, imagine that you and your friends need to work together to solve a problem. Everyone has different information and skills, so you need to come up with a plan to work together to solve the problem. This is where a distributed algorithm comes in. It's like creating a set of rules that everyone follows so that you can all work together to solve the problem, just like following the rules of a game.

But why is this important? Well, sometimes problems are too big or complex for one person to solve on their own. By working together with others in a distributed way, you can solve the problem faster and more efficiently. It's like having a bunch of little experts working together instead of one big expert trying to do everything alone.

In summary, a distributed algorithm is like a set of rules that allows people to work together to solve a problem even though they are in different places. It helps people work more efficiently and solve bigger problems than they could on their own.