Re-acquaintance with NEAR Protocol: blockchain operating system

"With more than 23 million accounts and thousands of projects on the NEAR platform, NEAR's transition to a blockchain operating system (BOS) will bring millions of accounts and enable billions of users to access Web3. This is because NEAR is building a Web3 stack that will integrate experiences from the open web, simplifying the discovery and onboarding experience for users and developers." - CoinDesk

What is an Operating System?

An operating system (OS) is an essential piece of system software that acts as a middleman between computer hardware and software applications. It is the core software that manages computer resources, facilitates communication between hardware and software, and provides various services for software applications. Without an operating system, most computers would be unmanageable and almost impossible for the average user to use effectively.

The global operating system market is expected to grow from USD 45.17 billion in 2022 to USD 49.10 billion in 2027, at a CAGR of 1.7%, encompassing several major players. Among the leading companies, traditional technology giants Microsoft, Apple and Google occupy important positions. With its widely used Windows operating system, Microsoft has a significant presence in the operating system market for desktop computers, tablets and game consoles. Apple has significant influence in the mobile and desktop worlds with its iOS and macOS operating systems, respectively. Google, on the other hand, is the creator of the Android operating system, the most widely used mobile operating system in the world, as well as Chrome OS, primarily for laptops and desktops.

The need for an operating system in the cryptocurrency space

While decentralization is one of the main attractions of cryptocurrencies, ironically, decentralization is also an obstacle that hinders the development of blockchains. The complexity faced in Web3 development, complex programming languages, binding the project to a specific blockchain without guaranteeing to find and solve problems, security vulnerabilities, compositional problems and poor user experience have brought developers Considerable barrier to entry.

These issues slow down the growth of cryptocurrencies and prevent more developers and users from participating. The upshot is that most people still don't use cryptocurrencies because the blockchain as a whole doesn't have enough practical applications.

Blockchain operating system introduction

In response to the challenges faced by developers and users, NEAR launched the Blockchain Operating System (BOS) on March 2, 2023. BOS is an open source platform on which developers can use familiar programming languages and most of the components, enabling it to be built on any blockchain. At the same time, it provides users with the opportunity to connect with various communities and applications while guaranteeing data privacy without having to own cryptocurrency at the beginning, thus greatly improving the onboarding process.

By providing a unified, interoperable platform, BOS addresses the complexities of Web3 and the limitations of centralization in Web2. The platform enables seamless interaction between blockchains, eliminating the complexities associated with token swaps, exchanges and multiple identity management. Its design emphasizes user accessibility, providing a straightforward onboarding process and improved application discovery.

Components of the blockchain operating system

BOS represents a comprehensive blockchain technology stack, serving as a comprehensive framework for developers and users. A core concept of its design is a decentralized, composable front end, a previously missing layer in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. These front ends are stored on the blockchain rather than on centralized data servers, making applications highly composable and censorship-resistant. Developers can fork these front ends in full or in part to create their own apps, similar to Google's Material Design for React, but with broader connectivity and functionality.

An important advantage of BOS is its potential to break the current factionalism that exists in the cryptocurrency space. By building a consistent experience across multiple blockchains using components that are easy to compose and fork, BOS opens the door for future open web developers. Developers can freely source the latest Web3 components from around the world, enabling them to create new projects, launch DAOs for community-based projects, and explore countless other possibilities related to NEAR. Essentially, the contribution of smart contracts to services, the front end in BOS is contributing to the realization of the same.

BOS also provides access to BOS functions from anywhere through its gateway function definition. While NEAR.org currently serves as the primary gateway, there are many others that are being developed and integrated with BOS. Essentially, BOS serves as a two-sided platform that meets the needs of both developers and users, taking full advantage of the advantages of decentralization while mitigating potential disadvantages through its innovative combination.

Main features of BOS

NEAR's BOS introduces innovative and powerful elements. It aims to improve the accessibility, discoverability and functionality of cryptocurrency applications while maintaining a user-friendly experience.

· FastAuth: Simplify the process for users to access Web3 applications by providing a familiar Web2-style experience. Users can quickly create free accounts using biometrics and email, without passwords or possession of passwords. It leverages NEAR's meta-transactions and zero-balance accounts for free user registration and sponsored initial interactions. Future improvements include extending relayers and FastAuth to other gateways, further decentralization, multi-chain compatibility, and two-factor authentication.

· Developer Support: BOS provides a set of tools and capabilities that simplify the development process and enable developers to quickly create and deploy applications. This not only enables rapid prototyping and deployment, but also facilitates a more inclusive environment for developers outside of the traditional Web3 space. Developers can code in Java, so there is no need to learn a new programming language to develop in Web3.

· Universal search: BOS integrates comprehensive search functions, enabling users to quickly find applications, components and connections within the ecosystem. This feature improves discoverability and usability in BOS, effectively improving the overall user experience.

· Gateway: The gateway acts as an entry point to access Web3 applications, fetching the front-end code directly from the NEAR blockchain. Gateways facilitate the addition of new functionality to applications, making BOS a more diverse and user-friendly platform. Gateways enhance application discoverability and availability by creating more application portals.

· Trusted and Safe Content Moderation: A scalable open source content moderation system. It provides users with a self-governing platform for content moderation, thereby promoting a healthier online environment. This decentralization of control ensures compliance with legal requirements and upholds the ethics of the Web3 platform.

NEAR Tasks: A freelance economy platform that allows users to earn NEAR by completing tasks. The feature adds another layer of user engagement, promoting understanding and adoption of cryptocurrencies.

Target customers and impact on them

The blockchain operating system is designed to serve three main types of users:

· Developers: BOS provides developers with a secure and highly distributed Web3 portal. It simplifies the process of building decentralized applications by providing pre-existing components and a familiar coding environment like traditional languages like Java. This lowers barriers to entry, enables rapid application development and deployment on multiple chains, and facilitates easy onboarding and discovery for users.

· Enterprises: For enterprises, BOS opens the door to innovative technological capabilities and business models. It allows for the creation and launch of products and experiences that enhance user engagement, potentially leading to new revenue streams.

· End users: End users have easy access to an improved digital world. BOS offers an easy onboarding experience, requires no cryptocurrency, has a robust app ecosystem and growing community. It maintains the experience users expect while providing privacy, control over personal data, and direct connections to other individuals and communities.

Development and Adoption Metrics

NEAR Social is a decentralized social network built on the NEAR blockchain as the social layer of BOS. It provides a peer-to-peer network for social interaction, content creation and distribution. Users own their data, developers can access public data to create applications, and customizable widgets foster innovation. Today, NEAR Social is a central hub of activity on BOS, so we'll take a deep dive into its development and adoption metrics.

Since launching on ETHDenver via NEAR.org on March 2, 2023, NEAR Social has shown a positive trajectory in terms of user adoption and activity. The platform has an average of 720 active accounts per week, with a cumulative total of 15,000 accounts. An account is classified as "active" if, within a certain period, it either signs at least one transaction with social.near or delegates at least one action to a relaying account.

NEAR's quarterly report demonstrates the importance they place on creating a developer-friendly ecosystem. To incentivize developers, NEAR tokens will be automatically allocated to developers, where 30% of the total fees from transactions will be allocated to the contract that initiated the transaction. Additionally, NEAR launched a Java SDK that enables developers to build in Java, in addition to Rust, Assembly, and Solidity. NEAR Social's developer base has grown in all areas since early March.

In addition to a growing developer base, NEAR's metrics show healthy growth in the amount of code written and widgets created. Widgets are the building blocks of the Near Social framework. They are reusable open-source components that can be used to build applications on top of the SocialDB contract. A widget can be a small component, such as a button, or a large component, such as a profile page, or even a complete application, such as a social network.

Future Development and Ecosystem Components

BOS will continue to be supported by significant attention and development resources. The NEAR Foundation, Pagoda, and other key developers are committed to its continued growth. However, BOS does not operate in isolation, it is part of a wider ecosystem where several NEAR components are already in operation and others are under active development. These elements further enhance the functionality of the BOS:

Nightshade: Nightshade is an important part of the NEAR ecosystem, achieving horizontal scalability through a sharding design. Phase 0 kicks off the process by introducing four data shards. With the recent launch of Phase 1, the network's validator capacity has been enhanced by introducing chunk-only producers. Upcoming phases aim to introduce full data and processing sharding as well as dynamic resharding.

Decentralized Funding: The NEAR Foundation is moving towards a more decentralized capital allocation model, delegating decision-making power to the community DAO. Each DAO has specific goals and tasks:

• Marketing DAO: Simplifies the allocation of funds for marketing-oriented initiatives, focusing on content creation and social media, and welcomes proposals.

• Developer Governance DAO: Aims to decentralize the NEAR developer ecosystem and foster broad innovation. Activities are currently being ramped up and proposals for technology ecosystem projects are being considered.

• Creative DAO: Provides artists and creators with a collaborative platform and the resources needed to make money and engage with their audience. It is actively soliciting funding proposals.

NEAR Digital Collective: The NEAR Digital Collective is a developing governance entity that aims to democratize decision-making within the network. The NEAR Digital Collective is made up of five main components: a voting body that includes every active NEAR account, a House of Excellence that represents the community in the voting and decision-making process, an advisory board that guides the House of Excellence, a Transparency Council that enforces checks and balances, and support A community treasury for the grassroots initiative of the NEAR blockchain.

NEAR Horizon: NEAR Horizon is a Web3 startup accelerator that provides founders with connections to resources and support to drive the scaling of their projects. The accelerator includes a large network of mentors, service providers and supporters, establishing a streamlined path for startups to grow and develop.

Summarize

In summary, NEAR's Blockchain Operating System (BOS) has the potential to transform Web3 by simplifying decentralized development and user adoption. BOS provides a familiar coding environment and a wide range of components, making it easier for developers to build applications. It increases accessibility, discoverability, and privacy for users, improving the onboarding experience.

Although BOS is still in its early stages, it has already achieved some success among developers, users, and projects. NEAR focuses on improving the capabilities of developers, attracting more and more developers and increasing the amount of code. NEAR’s decentralized social network, NEAR Social, is showing positive metrics in terms of user adoption and user engagement. Future plans include improved scalability, decentralized fund distribution through a community DAO, multi-chain functionality, and more. NEAR is BOS.

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Translation: YYT |