If you are interested in blockchain technology, you may have heard about application-specific blockchains (appchains). These are blockchain-like networks that are created for a specific use case, and they have been gaining popularity due to their flexibility and ease of deployment. In this article, we will provide a guide to appchains and explore their use cases and examples.
From the user’s perspective, appchains are similar to any other blockchain network in that they are compatible with existing web3 tools and wallets. They can be public or private, but they rely on public blockchain networks for their security models. Transactions or proofs of transactions are submitted from an appchain to another network to record activity that has taken place on the appchain. The advantage of using an appchain instead of creating your own blockchain is that they inherit the security guarantees provided by the underlying network.
Appchains have a wide range of use cases, and they are ideal for specific scenarios that require a blockchain network to be used for a particular purpose. They offer higher throughput and lower transaction costs than public networks, making them a practical choice for many applications.
There are several examples of appchains, including Ethereum appchains such as Polygon Supernets and Optimism Rollups, Parachains on Polkadot using Substrate, Zones on Cosmos, and Subnets on Avalanche. Cosmos and Polkadot networks have the largest ecosystem of appchains at present, in part due to their design to be multi-chain from inception.
While appchains are still in their infancy, they are expected to become increasingly more numerous due to the ease with which they can be deployed compared with stand-alone blockchain networks and the security guarantees they inherit. However, there are considerations to keep in mind, such as the need to pay gas fees using cryptocurrencies for sending groups of transactions to existing public blockchain networks.
As the number of appchains is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, it’s important for organizations to perform their own research and trial different technologies before committing to one. Regardless of which platform is chosen, it’s essential to ensure that it supports the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to simplify development and integration.
Chainlens, the appchain and blockchain explorer, is at the forefront of supporting numerous leading appchain platforms. With its innovative features and comprehensive support, Chainlens has become a go-to solution for businesses and developers looking to leverage the power of appchains. If you’d like to see Chainlens in action, simply book a product demo.
In conclusion, application-specific blockchains (appchains) are an exciting development in the blockchain space, offering a flexible and practical solution for specific use cases. As the technology continues to evolve, businesses and developers should keep a close eye on appchains and consider integrating them into their blockchain networks or decentralized platforms.
