From a delegator's perspective, staking works by enabling them to participate in network security and validation without running a validator node themselves. Instead, they delegate or lend their coins to a validator (or staking pool) who does the actual work. The process generally involves selecting a trusted validator or staking pool, locking up (staking) their cryptocurrency in the network, and assigning the staking power to their chosen validator.
The validator then operates on behalf of the delegator, participating in the network's consensus mechanism by validating transactions, creating new blocks, or participating in governance. As the network rewards the validator for these efforts, these rewards are then distributed to the delegators in proportion to their staked amount, often after subtracting a commission for the validator's services.
It's important for delegators to research and choose their validators wisely, as the safety of their staked tokens and potential rewards can depend on the validator's performance and reliability. The staked tokens usually remain in the delegator's control and can be un-staked, but there may be a lock-up period or 'Unstaking' time before they can be moved or sold.