The Substrate framework is designed for the rapid development of complete blockchains and decentralized applications (dApps). It is an open-source technology that allows for the creation and customization of blockchains with maximum technical freedom and flexibility.
Substrate facilitates the direct creation and migration to Polkadot parachains. It has been gaining popularity due to its ease of use and impressive results. It is known for its reliability, stability, and speed. The future will reveal how Substrate will handle upcoming blockchain development projects.
In this blog post, we will delve into the Substrate blockchain framework, how to build a custom blockchain using Substrate, and its relationship with Polkadot. Let’s dive in!
What is Substrate?
Substrate is a blockchain development framework created by Parity Technologies that enables developers to build decentralized systems. It offers secure and scalable blockchain logic, a rich user experience for any chain, compatibility with the Polkadot ecosystem, and support for smart contract platforms like the Ethereum Virtual Machine.
Substrate features an efficient database that developers can utilize to run and maintain blockchain-based applications. All chains built on Substrate are compatible with Polkadot and Kusama, providing access to a diverse ecosystem of applications and resources.
Substrate-based Blockchain
Substrate allows for the creation of specialized blockchains for various use cases and was used by Parity Technologies to develop Polkadot, showcasing its performance, flexibility, and robustness.
While Substrate can be used to create any type of blockchain, connecting to Polkadot offers benefits such as built-in security, cross-chain interoperability, and access to Polkadot’s growing ecosystem.
Substrate and Polkadot
Substrate-based chains can become parachains on Polkadot or Kusama. Substrate serves as the software development kit for building parachains and enabling secure communication between Polkadot chains.
Although Polkadot and Substrate are complementary, they are not interdependent. Polkadot parachains can be created without using Substrate, and chains built with Substrate do not need to be connected to Polkadot or Kusama.
Benefits of Polkadot:
Enhances network dynamics.
Optimizes uptime and participation.
Contributes to securing the network.
Reduces the risk of downtime by distributing tasks across multiple nodes.
Accesses data from the Polkadot blockchain for analysis and application development.
Stakes tokens with Bison Trail’s non-custodial Polkadot validators.
Building a Blockchain with Substrate
Substrate enables developers to build blockchains using widely used technologies.
Supports forkless upgrades.
Smart contract ready: Substrate is compatible with various smart contract platforms.
Allows for the creation of custom functionalities.
Features a multi-layered architecture for developers to choose between ease of development and technical flexibility.
Natively compatible with Polkadot and Kusama.
Substrate Blockchain Framework
Projects built with Substrate can easily integrate into the Polkadot ecosystem, leveraging the network for wider application adoption. While anyone can build a blockchain using Substrate, most projects have focused on advancing the Polkadot ecosystem.
Why is Substrate the Best Technology for Building Now and in the Future?
Explore Tools
While some tools like Subquery, memory profiling, and Try Runtime are extensively documented, there are additional tools yet to be integrated into Substrate’s documentation hub.
Light Client Based
The light client allows for less resource-intensive interaction with the blockchain, making it suitable for browsers, mobile devices, and multiple platforms to power future decentralized applications.
Forkless Upgrades
Polkadot’s forkless upgrade option addresses concerns about delayed or ignored upgrade suggestions, allowing for secure runtime upgrades leveraging decentralized consensus.
Migration to Polkadot Parachain
Any blockchain built on Substrate can easily migrate to a Polkadot parachain, enhancing the speed and convenience of Substrate development through network effects.
We believe that Substrate is a versatile, modular, and open-source platform for building blockchain systems. Its user-friendly approach to development makes it a valuable tool for future technologies. Substrate has the potential to revolutionize the blockchain development process.
