The Graph

What is The Graph?

The Graph is a software that is available as open source and is utilized for collecting, processing, and storing data from different blockchain applications. Its main purpose is to facilitate the retrieval of information. It was initially launched on the Ethereum blockchain with the objective of assisting developers in leveraging relevant data to enhance the efficiency of their decentralized applications (dapps).

The Graph performs analysis and gathers data from the blockchain, which is then stored in various indices known as Subgraphs. This enables any application to send queries to The Graph's protocol and receive immediate responses.

Queries are made by dapps using GraphQL, a widely used language originally developed by Facebook for aggregating data for a user's news feed.

Users of The Graph, known as indexers and delegators, provide services to the network by processing the data and transmitting it to end-users and applications.

---

Recent Video Interview

Main points of the interview:

• Key Mission: Focus on making public data accessible and ensuring the future of the decentralized internet.
• Role Transition: Tegan will hand over reporting duties to Kyle and Max, experienced team members.
• Achievements: The Graph ecosystem has served over one trillion queries and launched 1,000 subgraphs.
• Challenges and Solutions: Addressing the need to transition queries from the hosted service to the decentralized network.

---

What is GRT Used for?

The native cryptocurrency of The Graph, called GRT, plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the data stored in its network. Users, including indexers, curators, and delegators, are required to stake GRT in order to carry out their respective responsibilities. In return for their contributions, they earn fees from the network.

Benefits of The Graph

The Graph offers:

• Accelerate development: Eliminate the need for servers entirely and create innovative applications without the hassle of maintaining databases, managing indexing infrastructure, or parsing raw data.
• Reduce expenses: Significantly lower monthly costs by 60-98%. Save money and time by leveraging The Graph's competitive data market, which eliminates the need for running expensive infrastructure.
• Enhance reliability: Achieve 99.999% uptime. Guarantee uninterrupted operation and seamless data flow for your application through a globally distributed network of contributors, ensuring continuous availability.

How Does The Graph Work?

The initial step in data aggregation for The Graph involves the Graph Nodes, which continuously scan network blocks and smart contracts to gather information.

When an application adds data to the blockchain through smart contracts, the Graph Node incorporates the data from these new blocks into the appropriate Subgraphs.

Once the Graph Node extracts the information, there are three types of users who contribute to organizing the data within the protocol.

These users include:

• Curators: They are Subgraph developers responsible for evaluating the quality of subgraphs and determining which ones should be indexed by The Graph. Curators can attach GRT to the subgraphs they believe in.
• Indexers: These are node operators who offer indexing and querying services for the selected subgraphs. Indexers are required to stake GRT in order to provide these services.
• Delegators: Delegators contribute to running the network by delegating GRT to indexers, without the need to install a node themselves.

All users receive a portion of the network fees based on their respective roles and contributions.

This data can be easily accessed by applications through queries, allowing them to retrieve the necessary information to enhance their software.

For instance, Decentraland utilizes The Graph's information to locate land, accessories, and collectibles from various applications, consolidating them in their marketplace. This enables users to conveniently purchase these items from a centralized location.

Who Uses The Graph?

The Graph is actively utilized by well-known Ethereum dapps such as Aave, Curve, and Uniswap. Users who want to stay informed about the latest developments of The Graph can save their official blog as a bookmark to access up-to-date information. In addition, Decentraland leverages The Graph's data to discover land, accessories, and collectibles from various applications. They integrate this information into their marketplace, enabling users to conveniently purchase these items from a centralized location.

The Graph Team Background

The original co-founding team is comprised of Yaniv Tal as the project lead, Brandon Ramirez as the research lead, and Jannis Pohlmann as the tech lead. With their engineering backgrounds, they have been working together for a span of 5-8 years. Tal and Ramirez both studied electrical engineering at USC and collaborated at MuleSoft, a company specializing in API developer tools that underwent an IPO and was eventually acquired by Salesforce.

Prior to The Graph, the founders had already co-founded a startup focused on developer tools. Throughout their careers, they have dedicated a significant amount of time optimizing the API stack. In their previous venture, they built a customized framework on an immutable database called Datomic. The concept of The Graph was born from their vision to create immutable APIs and data access using the GraphQL query language.

The Graph Project Development

As The Graph continues its mission to advance decentralization, an important aspect is decentralizing collaboration among teams working on core elements of the protocol. To facilitate seamless cross-functional collaboration for The Graph developers, R&D working groups have been established, each focusing on a specific area.

The roadmap for 2023 consists of five distinct working groups, each dedicated to a specific focus area:

• Data & APIs
• SNARK Force
• Protocol Economics
• Protocol & Network Operations _ Indexer Experience

By organizing into these working groups, teams within The Graph community can contribute to different aspects of the protocol simultaneously, allowing for more efficient coordination and scalability. Moreover, there are interdependencies among the working groups, where the outcomes of one group's efforts unlock opportunities for others.