Join the API3 DAO Community

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) are an abstract concept. They’re organizations based on blockchain/Web3 principles such as being transparent, permissionless, and decentralized but one DAO can be very different from the next. Here we’ll discuss what it means to be part of the API3 DAO and community.

API3’s purpose is to make better blockchain oracles. Or rather, to replace the oracle problem, which is incredibly complex and not entirely solvable, with the API connectivity problem, which is well defined and practical - and solve it. Likewise, when it comes to DAOs, the API3 DAO is pragmatic.

For example, voting in the API3 DAO is open to all token holders but day-to-day operations are better described as federated than as democratic. The core functions of the DAO are managed by teams who have passed DAO proposals such as the core technical team, the operations team, the integrations team, the business development team, and the marketing team. These teams do work and make day-to-day decisions without having to vote on everything which is good for productivity. But these teams are beholden to the DAO and will lose funding if the DAO isn’t satisfied with their work.

Anyone who owns and stakes API3 tokens is able to vote on DAO proposals and is therefore a API3 DAO member.

We also have the API3 community. The community is more ambiguous as there is no precise definition of what it means to be an API3 community member. The community is made up of people who share a common interest in API3 and communicate with each other about it. You don’t have to be a DAO member to be a community member. You only need to have an interest in API3.

We want you in the API3 community

We want you to be a part of this. If you have something to say, say it. If you have a question, ask it. If you have something to contribute, share it. You are welcome in the API3 community.

That being said, it can feel intimidating to join a community. You have to put yourself out there, publicly, to a bunch of new people. You might feel like an outsider. You wonder if what you have to say will make sense. You worry that they’ll ignore or reject you. Those are valid fears but don’t let them stop you from jumping in. You won’t regret it. You’ll be welcomed and treated with respect.

Why should I join the API3 community?

Each community member’s reasons for participating vary. If you’re reading this, you probably have an interest in API3 for one reason or another. It’s probably a given that you see the potential in smart contracts, Web3, and the importance of connecting real-world data, services, and businesses before this potential will be realized.

Some examples of why you might join the API3 community are that you want to:

• Build something on Web3 that requires off-chain data or services
• Learn about Web3 and blockchain oracles
• Help make the project successful as an API3 token holder
• Earn a living by working on API3 and getting paid for it
• Develop valuable skills that can kickstart or boost your career
• Help improve, grow, and evolve a leading DAO
• Build your reputation as a Web3 leader
• Find a great topic for your university capstone project or thesis
• Expand your Web2 business into Web3
• Hang out with interesting people in an up-and-coming Web3 project

There are numerous reasons why you might want to join API3 and this list certainly doesn’t cover them all. Ask yourself why you have an interest in API3 and then take action to get what you’re looking for. We’re here to help.

How do I join the API3 community?

Start communicating with us. The best places to start communicating are the API3 Discord and the API3 Forum.

The API3 Discord is perfect for live chatting and real-time communication. This is the best place for regular conversation. Introduce yourself in the #introductions channel or jump right in to #general, #dao-support, or #dev-support. You can even talk with the community about unrelated topics in #lounge.
Click here to join the API3 Discord.

The API3 Forum is better for longer-form, more permanent communication. This is the best place to have persistent discussions that are organized into dedicated topics. Open support tickets in #support, share suggestions in #ideas, subscribe to receive updates in #updates, discuss DAO proposals in #governance-meta, and have general discussions in #general.
Click here to visit the API3 Forum.

The API3 community is active on Twitter, another great place to interact. This is the best place to share and discuss with the general public, including people who aren’t in the API3 community. Follow @API3DAO and watch for #API3 to stay in the loop. Twitter doesn’t allow numbers in financial symbols so the convention of $API3 doesn’t work and the community uses #API3 instead.

In addition to the primary community channels above, there is an API3 Telegram group and an API3 subreddit if you prefer those, but we recommend the primary channels for the best community experience. If you’re a developer, you can even open issues directly on API3’s Github.

What can I do to contribute to the API3 community?

See this FAQ. The beauty of it is you can participate and contribute however you want. But here are some examples of ways you can get started that we recommend.

• Participate in conversations on Discord and the API3 Forum.
• Start conversations on Discord and the API3 Forum.
• Ask questions. If you don’t understand something then there are others who also don’t understand it. Ask it publicly to help them.
• Answer others’ questions. The project is more robust when community members help each other.
• Share suggestions and ideas for improvement in the Ideas category.
• Discuss sentiment checks for proposals in the Governance Meta category to help shape them before they become official proposals.
• Stake API3 tokens and vote on proposals in the Official Proposals category. You can even delegate your vote to save gas.
• Participate in community initiatives and contests.
• Use API3 technology to build things (tests, examples, or even real dApps) and share them with the community.
• Read the code on Github and look for ways to contribute.
• Write about API3 and Web3. Share your thoughts and research with the world.
• Be an API3 Twitter hero. Help spread the word and educate others.
• Find Web3 projects that need oracles and share them with us so that we can reach out. Better yet, make an introduction.
• Speak a non-English language? Offer to run and moderate a Discord channel and a forum category in that language.

But don’t let this list of suggestions limit you from doing what you want to do. If you want to join the community, just jump in and start communicating with us. We’ll figure it out together.