Boson Protocol: Testnet release and roadmap update
Testnet is here! Boson enabling digital-to-physical transactions.
At the heart of Boson Protocol’s mission is the idea of becoming the world’s open public infrastructure layer for commercial transactions and their data. Boson Protocol is not intended to replace Web 2.0 legacy platforms with another platform monopoly. Instead, we aim to enable a vibrant ecosystem based around a minimally extractive coordinator of commerce, enabled by community developers creating their own applications and businesses using the protocol as a basis.
As part of this journey, the core development team has deployed the first version of the v0.1.0 protocol to the Ethereum Rinkeby test network for community feedback. It enables users to develop test dCommerce applications and services using this sandbox.
To support this, a peer-to-peer marketplace reference application has been released, as well as an update to the Boson Protocol developer documentation, to assist in onboarding and understanding developers to the protocol’s key functionality.
Protocol roadmap and testnet deployment
In June we gave an overview of the Boson Protocol roadmap, including this structure for the protocol roll out.
We are now in a position where we are able to deploy v0.1.0 on the Ethereum testnet, and reveal a demonstration “reference app” entitled “Leptonite Marketplace.”
This is the culmination of several months of work and the first step in the release of the Metaverse Commerce strategy with our partners at Decentraland and a number of digital-to-physical retail partners planned for later in the year.
For more information about the overall plan for development in the coming months, please refer to our Road Ahead blog from last month.
Leptonite: a p2p marketplace demo. Connected by Boson Protocol
Last month, we released this demonstration video:
A crash course, as it were, of Boson’s protocol and how it functions, which was based on the in-progress Leptonite system.
Now we are pleased to announce that the Leptonite demonstration p2p marketplace is now live.
Deployed on Rinkeby test network, the application can be used as a training and onboarding tool for developers to get to grips with where we’re at with Boson Protocol.
The application is designed so that developers can learn the protocol’s key features and it demonstrates how to create a peer-to-peer marketplace powered by Boson. Users will be able to connect their wallets and list items as a seller, or browse items for sale as a buyer.
The application also demonstrates Boson’s novel game theoretic mechanism showing how the transaction lifecycle can be tracked and co-ordinated by both parties.
It provides developers with an example of a dCommerce application that can be built on Boson Protocol and how Boson’s core exchange mechanism is applied to coordinate, and automate, the exchange of monetary for non-monetary value with minimised arbitration, cost and friction.
The application is also entirely open sourced and developed in a composable manner that will make it easier for building on top of future versions of the protocol.
Please note: Leptonite is a Rinkeby testnet application only. Use at your own risk. Do not send Ethereum mainnet assets to Leptonite. Your assets will be lost and will be unrecoverable.
How does it work? Commitment NFTs in the Boson Protocol system
Boson’s commitment tokens are NFTs with an embedded incentive mechanism that represents a commitment to follow through with a particular transaction.
The NFTs can be understood as a promise from the seller to hand over a particular item under certain conditions and this means that they can be used in decentralized applications as an integral, composable element of the Web3 ecosystem.
They also demonstrate how the transaction lifecycle can be tracked by both parties:
- Commitment NFTs for physical items — sellers can create ERC1155 listings for physical items
- Minting NFT on commitment — Buyers can purchase items, which mints an ERC721 NFT on commitment and payment
- Automated escrow — The lifecycle of these commitment NFTs can be tracked by both buyer and seller, with each being incentivised to follow through to redemption (at which point payment is transferred and deposits are returned).
Visit our page for more information here.
Developer onboarding: Boson Protocol incentive design demo “Game Mode”
To enable a better understanding of the protocol, we have created a visual demonstration of the full user journey.
The Boson Protocol “Game Mode” is an interactive demonstration available on the project Developer Documentation hub, which illustrates the different steps and journeys available to users through the Boson Protocol.
The purpose of this demonstration is to provide a visualization of the incentive design in v0.1.0 of the Boson Protocol and the options open to both buyer and seller.
Building a core exchange mechanism
Boson’s Core Exchange Mechanism enables the buying and selling of real-world goods and services in exchange for digital value, without a highly expensive intermediary platform.
Smart contracts solved the trust problem for exchanges of on-chain assets, but the buying and selling of physical goods still requires both parties to trust one another, which means that these services have historically been heavily intermediated by the likes of large e-commerce giants and near monopolies.
We need your input. Get involved. Review and test the protocol
Boson is running a Bug Bounty Program and we need your feedback.
This is an opportunity for you to test our protocol code on the Ethereum network and to report back to us.
We at Boson know that our vision for a decentralized commerce ecosystem cannot function in a vacuum. We are building our protocol for you and we want to ensure it functions the way you need and want it to. That’s why we need your help and are keen to collaborate.
Grants: Build decentralized commerce with us
Last month we launched a $5m Grants Program designed to fund innovative approaches to decentralized commerce applications and projects extending the dCommerce stack.
These grants can range from user-facing front-ends to plug-ins onto existing ecommerce platforms and infrastructure enabling dCommerce applications and experiences.
We are particularly interested in potential partners who are looking for funding for the following areas:
- dCommerce applications & components
- Metaverse commerce
- Community and ecosystem
- Tooling and developer experience
Connect with and join the team
We are actively looking for both team members and partners who are interested in decentralised commerce. Join us on:
GitHub
Join our conversation here
Discord
We organise a number of groups and ongoing community calls in our Discord channel. Sign up here
Join the team
We have a number of vacancies across the team. For a full list of roles please review our Greenhouse board
About Boson Protocol
At Boson Protocol, we are creating a decentralized commerce ecosystem that everyone can use and anyone can trust.
Boson Protocol is a decentralized infrastructure for enabling autonomous commercial exchanges of anyThing, specifically off-chain items. Boson is a peer-to-peer system which replicates the benefits of a market intermediary, without the disbenefits of centralized systems.
Keen to learn more?
Enjoy the dCommerce Stack outlining the services we’ll need to build a dCommerce ecosystem.
Want to get involved?
- Apply for a Boson Ecosystem Grant today
- See our live job openings
Where are we going?
See our ROADMAP and embark with us.
Got more questions?
Our FAQs ought to have you covered.
