Why language-agnostic blockchains like SparqNet are the future of Web3

7 min readDec 28, 2022

As of today, many blockchains have achieved considerable success while having one primary programming language that most developers use when writing code to be deployed in these ecosystems. But if Web2 already has developers building with several languages, then how is it that Web3 can increase inclusivity and accessibility if every blockchain emphasizes one language as the main building tool?

Numerous innovators contend that language-agnostic blockchains are the future of Web3 and since we’ve chosen to offer SparqNet as a language-agnostic SDK toolchain, let’s discuss the merits of this concept:

Reusability

For starters, if a blockchain allows you to code in various languages, you can easily reuse code written in another language. For example, say blockchain A has an open-source DEX largely built in C++. If you want to create a similar DEX on blockchain B that supports development in C++ and JS, you can easily use the C++ code for your project and modify it where necessary.

More importantly, reusability helps you get started quickly, but that isn’t the end game. When reusing open-source code, its originators could discover flaws or opportunities for improvement and share them publicly. By doing so, they help you keep your Web3 application updated, allowing you to focus on making discoveries that others haven’t.

This is particularly important in the blockchain world, where smart contract auditing is still developing, and malicious actors constantly find new ways to compromise systems. The unfortunate reality is that every programming language is a work in progress. Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) is continuous, so whether it’s buffer errors, validation issues, information leaks, etc., there’s plenty to look out for.

In a language-agnostic environment, there’s an ongoing conversation about the improvements in various programming tools relative to different Web3 development cases. So at any point in time, you know which tool will be better for creating a more secure, less glitchy application. There are constant lessons about the work done and the tools used.

On the contrary, if a blockchain constrains you to one language and you’re developing the bulk of the application from scratch, you’re limited to the input of a few other developers who also build in that language (if it’s not common). You’ll also have to be more proactive about seeking an alternate perspective on your work and hope that the person offering it is as proficient in the language as you are.

Multi-, cross- and off-chain operations

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Web3 application adoption will be better if these apps can run on multiple chains and communicate with each other. But in a setting where development on each blockchain leans toward a distinct language, this objective is harder to achieve.

A lot of application components have to be written afresh and while each chain will have its copy of the application, cross-chain communication remains challenging. Additionally, blockchains exist in context, meaning they eventually have to connect with Web2 applications at some point.

One example is the Oracle networks that fetch data from off-chain sources and bring it on-chain to inform smart contract operations. There are other cases, like crypto exchange software that initiates batch transactions and checks for matches between addresses and networks to be used, among other actions.

This vast web of communication includes numerous pieces written in different languages so it’s easier to set up integrations and collaborations if you’re building on a language-agnostic blockchain.

Talent mobility

A blockchain where most developers find it much easier to build in a particular language may fail to attract enough talent to innovate within their ecosystem. This is primarily because many developers will be thinking about the learning curve, especially if that language isn’t a derivative of a popular one or very similar to a familiar one regarding syntax rules and other aspects.

Consequently, fewer developers in your ecosystem could mean a lower inflow of good ideas and approaches to solving common and new problems. So as dApps on one blockchain go from v1.0 to v3.0 in a few months with a multitude of code commits bringing much-needed improvements, your ecosystem’s equivalents spend the same time crawling at a snail’s pace to v2.0 with fewer upgrades delivered.

With the advent of the token reward system, we are seeing more and more developers in the blockchain space contributing to multiple projects. So if you intend to tap into this wave to increase the rate of code commits in your Web3 project, it’s prudent to have attractive tokenomics and utilize a language-agnostic blockchain to entice a broader range of developers.

Versatile implementation

For many blockchains, one of the major goals is to get more participants on the network as miners or validators, which increases security and decentralization. However, this means different participants will eventually come in with machines of varying specifications. Accordingly, you should ensure that your Web3 project can be easily executed on an assortment of devices spanning a sizable range regarding processing power, RAM, storage and other computational resources.

So if you’re building on a language-agnostic blockchain, you’ll likely have more options to explore regarding procedural languages and other tools that produce more machine-friendly software. You can identify the elements required for a complete application, determine which ones have special computing needs, and then build them in the language that’ll create their best versions.

And the more languages you try out, the more you learn about different implementation concepts, especially those pertinent to blockchain networks. Consequently, your blockchain or dApp will run faster and use fewer resources. This makes more people eager to participate in your Web3 project. Remember that cryptography is a big part of blockchain technology and can be quite resource-intensive, so whatever you add on top should be as smooth as possible.

Self-service

A language-agnostic blockchain creates more opportunities for low- and no-code programming. Through user-friendly front-ends, ordinary end-users can dip their toes into software development. They may not always make an entirely new application but start by changing a few instructions to reflect the actions they want the application to take.

Another beauty of this approach is that it speeds up the rate at which everyday people can realize digital solutions to their problems. It also significantly reduces the cost of developing applications since you don’t have to rely on experts in real time.

The foundational behind-the-scenes blocks are provided by developers who sort out issues to do with compiling, libraries and other technicalities involved in communication between elements built in different languages. So when a less tech-savvy person wants to create a software solution that runs on a blockchain, they don’t have to worry much about what language to use.

Instead, they assemble a few presets representing complete tasks or functions to produce a coherent end-to-end process. And fortunately, the innovators behind such self-service platforms can develop mechanisms to govern and monetize them.

The revenue from increased usage motivates them to provide an even greater variety of tools and approaches. So while self-service can still be achieved through a product designed in one language, this product may have limited upside since its users only get new capabilities within the scope of what that language can achieve on the back end.

How the language-agnostic SparqNet toolchain benefits your Web3 project

The SparqNet SDK toolchain allows you to build in C++, Rust, JS, Go and many others. This comes with many advantages, starting with the base layer. Firstly, you can use SparqNet’s infrastructure to set up a new subnet that follows the foundational rules of the C-chain while blending in principles from other blockchains.

You can continue by examining the modules created in the same language to perform the same function on disparate blockchains. So, for example, you can check how a staking rewards distribution module was written in C++ for blockchain A and how another C++ user wrote this piece for blockchain B.

Later, you can search for a module created in Rust to perform the same function on another blockchain. These comparisons will help open your eyes to the numerous paths you can take to achieve the same goal within one language and how another language can help refine your methods.

From here, you can advance to the apps you want to build on top of the base layer. Suppose there are similar apps on other blockchains. In that case, you can identify the components written in your preferred language and assimilate them into your app’s architecture in whichever manner achieves the highest level of interoperability.

And if you build your own components, innovators across various subnets and other chains can utilize these pieces, bringing more traffic toward your Web3 project. With the underlying subnet supporting up to 400,000 TPS, many Web3 innovators would rather plug into your app than replicate it on a more congested chain. This also means more transactions, so if you’re validating/running a node on the network where your applications have been deployed, you earn additional rewards.

Ideally, this is how you want to participate since you’ll contribute to the security and decentralization of the ecosystem in which your applications operate and earn on two levels.

Wrapping Up

Language-agnostic blockchains help expedite development processes, reduce the number of unnoticed vulnerabilities and realize smoother end-user experiences thanks to more efficient implementation across most network devices.

If you want to achieve all this with your Web3 project, SparqNet facilitates language-agnostic development, so come build the future, come build on SparqNet!