What is a Framework in programming?
A framework is a platform used as a base on which developers can create software applications for a specific platform. This speeds up the development process, since programmers do not need to create new applications from scratch.
What is a blockchain framework
Today we are witnessing a growing interest in blockchain-based applications in all fields (finance, health, governance, security and many more).
Blockchain frameworks are a software solution that simplifies the development and implementation of technically complex products.
Normally a blockchain comes only with its Framework and its basic modules, so that later the developer can implement all the specific components.
Thanks to the use of a framework, a high development rate is achieved while maintaining the stability and performance of the final product.
Types of Blockchain
Blockchains can be divided into 3 types, depending on how they are managed by network participants:
- Public blockchain: these are blockchains that are open to a wide range of people. In this type of blockchain, anyone can join the public network. Users can read, add entries and participate in blockchain processes. The main characteristic of public blockchains is that they are decentralized systems. This means that they are not controlled by third parties.
- Private blockchain: these are open to a limited number of people, i.e. they allow only a limited number of participants to read the chain. This type of blockchain is typically used in a business environment where you do not want the content you store to be public.
- Hybrid blockchain: they are so called because they are between private and public blockchains, depending on their architecture or framework.
This type of blockchain is not open to all but still offers the typical features of integrity, transparency and security that characterize public blockchains.
Examples of Blockchain Frameworks
Below I will show you some examples of Blockchain Frameworks that are characterized by being very popular platforms that you have probably already heard of.
1. Bitcoin
It is the framework of the world’s first and most famous cryptocurrency. Launched in 2009 by a person or a group of people under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, the Bitcoin blockchain is the basis on which were created the first twenty cryptocurrencies in history: Litecoin, Dash, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV etc..
Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer, open source technology, created with the objective of operating without a central authority. Its network operates through a public blockchain and is responsible for managing transactions and issuing bitcoins.
Thanks to its many advantages, since its launch many programmers have been working on Bitcoin code to create unique and innovative solutions such as: Segregated Witness (SegWit), Lightning Network, etc.
2. Ethereum
Created and implemented in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum is a distributed open source framework with a full turing programming language that enables the development of smart contracts and decentralized digital applications (DApps) using blockchain technology.
Ethereum’s framework makes it possible to create and launch virtually any decentralized online service (DApp) that operates on the basis of smart contracts, with no downtime or third-party interference.
Ethereum provides a decentralized virtual machine called Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) that can execute scripts using an international network of public nodes.
Thanks to the Ethereum Virtual Machine, all DApps, written in different programming languages, can run on the same blockchain. This makes the Dapps development process more efficient and simple.
3. Hyperledger
Created by the Linux Foundation, Hyperledger is a blockchain project whose framework provides the necessary tools to create open source blockchains and related applications for use in various industries.
More than 100 companies participate in Hyperledger and use a variety of licensed blockchain platforms, enabling them to apply various modular blockchain solutions and services to significantly improve the performance of their operations and the efficiency of their business processes.
Here are some of the most popular Hyperledger frameworks:
- Fabric: created in conjunction with IBM as a plug-and-play technology, it enables the development of large-scale blockchain applications.
Fabric is one of the blockchain projects that offers all the features of a regular blockchain framework (ledger, smart contracts, system in which transactions are managed by participants), but differs from other frameworks because they are private and authorized.
Hyperledger Fabric’s smart contracts, called chaincode, are compatible with Golang (Go), Java and JavaScript, making them more flexible than regular smart contracts.
- Sawtooth: is a modular blockchain platform that uses an innovative Proof of Elapsed Time (PoeT) consensus algorithm. It is typically used to tokenize logistics and sales chains.
- Burrow: is an open source blockchain framework that handles transactions and executes smart contracts in a licensed virtual machine and can work with Ethereum specifications.
- Iroha: is an enterprise blockchain framework designed for infrastructure projects that require distributed accounting technology. It is a Japanese project based on Hyperledger Fabric, focused on the creation of mobile applications.
- Indy: is a project of the Sovrin Foundation, whose main function is digital authentication in systems based on distribution records.
4. EOS
The EOSIO protocol was created and launched in 2017 by Dan Larimer and Brenden Blumer. Eos is a platform for launching decentralized applications. Daniel Larimer, founder of cryptocurrency exchange BitShares and social network Steemit, is the chief architect behind the EOSIO software.
EOSIO is a blockchain designed to facilitate the operation of decentralized applications.
Its technology attempts to solve the blockchain congestion problem when running DApps, as these have clogged capacity even on larger blockchains such as Ethereum’s, creating performance and scalability issues.
EOSIO has achieved this through its architecture that allows it to confirm more transactions per second, while eliminating the fees charged to users making transactions.
Finally, EOSIO allows the development of DApps using WebAssembly languages such as C++, Java and Python.
5. Ripple
Created and launched by Ripple Labs Inc.in 2012, Ripple is based on a distributed open source protocol, which enables secure, instant and nearly free global financial transactions of any size, with no chargebacks. Its XRP token serves as an intermediary in the exchange of currencies, gross payments or money transfers.
One of the features of Ripple’s framework is the lack of a ‘traditional’ type blockchain, as it uses a distributed consensus ledger using a network of validation servers and cryptographic tokens called XRP. Ripple uses probabilistic voting to reach consensus among nodes.
In fact, its platform manages a network of several independent test nodes that compare transaction records. These test nodes can belong to individuals, banks, companies, states.
Click here if you want to know everything about Ripple.
Blockchain technology is a novel and disruptive technology that has gained strong momentum in recent years and continues to grow. This is why there are more and more platforms with additional features, which allow the creation of highly scalable applications.
However, the application of this technology is still in its infancy and there are still open challenges. In this context, the ability to create frameworks focused on the lifecycle of a blockchain-based project represents a necessity when it comes to identifying problems and offering a proven and reliable solution.
