‘Real-world information’ refers to data points that exist off-chain. With respect to Analog, this is all the time-bound data that will eventually be submitting for inclusion in our Timegraph.

The date of a college degree or the time of purchase of a train ticket are two examples of real-world information that could be submitted to the Analog Network.

Smart contracts can only query data that is stored on-chain. Oracles serve as the bridge between off-chain ‘real-world information' and the blockchain. They collate and verify through consensus real-world information and then submit it on-chain for use by smart contracts.

For example, an Oracle may collect and verify commodity-price information that is then recorded on-chain so it can be used as reliable price data by a trading-related smart contract.

In the case of Analog, our Oracles verify real-world time data prior to logging it to the Timegraph.