Following the success of CryptoKitties, builders Dapper Labs knew that for Web3 gaming to develop, an alternative choice to Ethereum was wanted: enter Stream.
Stream was the primary main competitor to Ethereum for video games, apps and experiences, and has powered lots of the most mainstream blockchain apps thus far.
Regardless of Ethereum Layer-2 blockchains taking off, and competing Layer-1 chains gaining traction, Stream remains to be on the prime of the trade – however what makes Stream stand out, and the way is it nonetheless the chain to beat?
Right here’s our full information to the Stream blockchain in 2024.
What’s Stream?
Created by Dapper Labs – the staff behind CryptoKitties – Stream is a Layer-1 blockchain designed to help high-traffic video games, experiences, and digital collectibles.
The recognition of CryptoKitties hit Ethereum’s velocity, reliability and consumer charges arduous, so Dapper Labs constructed Stream – a contemporary blockchain that would deal with the calls for of their widespread blockchain recreation.
Stream is powered by the $FLOW token, a local cryptocurrency that’s concerned in transactions, staking, and community governance
On prime of CryptoKitties, Stream is house to a few of the prime blockchain-based video games, apps and platforms – together with officially-licensed titles corresponding to NBA High Shot, NFL All Day, and UFC Strike.
While many of those are in-house merchandise, Stream has loads of documentation for exterior builders, and has partnered with third-party groups to create a full ecosystem of apps, instruments and platforms constructed on Stream.
Stream claims to be the “house of client Web3” – and its partnerships, merchandise and progress make {that a} legit declare to make.
How does Stream work?
Dapper Labs consider Stream not in its place resolution, however as a greater resolution.
Stream utilises a singular multi-role structure. As a substitute of splitting the community into shards, Stream divides the processing of transactions into 4 specialised roles:
Assortment Nodes: handle transaction dataConsensus Nodes: order, validate and sequence transactionsExecution Nodes: course of transactionsVerification Nodes: preserve the community in-sync and safe
This enables Stream to course of numerous transactions shortly, reliably, and securely – and it’s confirmed efficient, preserving the blockchain each developer-friendly and robust in efficiency.
As a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) community, customers can both run a node or delegate their $FLOW holdings to current nodes to earn rewards. While lots of Stream’s main merchandise come direct from Dapper Labs, governance of the blockchain is turning into more and more decentralized, with decision-making resting with token holders.
For builders, Stream makes use of a singular programming language referred to as Cadence, which is optimized for digital property and sensible contracts. It presents a variety of instruments and documentation to make constructing on Stream easier, with the hope that Stream would be the house for mainstream Web3 apps.
The Historical past of Stream
The thought for Stream adopted the success of CryptoKitties in 2017. Stream’s mainnet launched in 2020 – and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the chain exploded in reputation.
NBA High Shot grabbed mainstream consideration in 2021, being the primary main Web3 app to take action. This reputation led to short-lived partnerships with Instagram and Fb in 2022, and the launch of NFL All Day, UFC Strike and lots of extra officially-licensed merchandise.
Current years have seen Stream face elevated competitors from Ronin, Base and Avalanche – although no blockchain has but to match its mainstream success.
It hasn’t all been plain crusing. In June 2024, Dapper Labs reached a $4 million USD settlement with NBA High Shot holders over a lawsuit alleging that High Shot collectibles are securities – and it stays unclear what affect this might have on different officially-licensed titles on Stream.
Nonetheless, Stream continues to rise in reputation – and its current Crescendo replace, which introduced full EVM help, is simply the most recent in lots of successes for the Stream ecosystem at giant.
