Combining Cloud & Blockchain Tech
Reusing the proven, rethinking the broken & inventing the missing links
Cardstack is not purely a blockchain project — we combine cloud and blockchain technology. The big tech platforms (FAMGA) may have broken structures and business models, but they do provide us with many tools we can tap into, which have already proven their worth. Therefore, we approach cloud technology by reusing what is proven and rethinking what is broken. At the same time, we approach blockchain technology by integrating what is growing and inventing what is missing. Using Cardstack as a unified runtime, we are bringing together what we get from big tech platforms and decentralized networks, to create a sustainable ecosystem that becomes the catalyst for Web 3.0.
Cloud: Reuse what’s proven
Our approach is about
- reusing JavaScript (which you already know)
- to save data into a database (which you control)
- and host the combined application and data in a public cloud (which you can choose and change at any point).
Cloud: Rethink what’s broken
App silos vs card-based UI
What is the problem?
These days, people use so many different platforms every single day that it is very difficult to get things done. You use one platform to communicate, another one to share images, a third one to collaborate on work, a fourth one for payments, and probably at least five more. You may even use different apps for the same purpose, e.g. because you communicate with some people on this app and with other people on a different app. And all these different apps typically don’t interact with each other.
How is Cardstack solving this problem?
We want to replace app silos with card-based user interfaces, built on top of the Boxel design system, so you can mix & match countless features and workflows within one environment that you own and control. This way, all applications you need are tied together in one cohesive user experience.
Data lock-in vs git-based storage
What is the problem?
When you interact with a website, you have a great user experience. But what if you want to take your data out? Usually, that is either impossible or extremely difficult. Even if you are provided with a zip download, you can’t really do anything with that folder of JSON you are handed.
How is Cardstack solving this problem?
We use git-based storage as a backup mechanism, so you can retrieve anything from your Cardstack Hub — or even from other providers using Cardstack Hub as an infrastructure. You can then synchronize that to your computer and re-instantiate it to a new hub. Thus, we remove data lock-in through data portability.
Subscriptions vs Card Catalog
What is the problem?
In order to get all the tools you need for your daily workflows, you have to subscribe to numerous apps. Each of those apps usually comes with its own login and subscription fee — which you will keep paying, because the lock-in keeps you there, unable to take your data out and fully reliant on the apps to which you have subscribed.
How is Cardstack solving this problem?
With Cardstack’s composable framework, you pay one subscription only, for which you get all the tools you need. Meanwhile, the distribution of value to the designers, service providers, and developers is propagated through a decentralized ledger — a blockchain-enabled network built on top of a new value system that includes DeFi. Therefore, subscription overload is replaced by one catalog of all the cards you need and fair rewards for all contributors.
Blockchain: Integrate what’s growing
We tap into innovation that is growing:
Stablecoins
- Payments can be made in stablecoins, which are backed by fiat value (usually USD). We have a point system based on SPEND, with §1 SPEND = $0.01 USD, so that people can pay for products and services in a currency they understand.
- Stablecoins make it easier for merchants to price their products and services, because the price of the product won’t double or triple all of a sudden if the price of the volatile token changes.
- Instead of stablecoins, you can make payments with volatile tokens like Bitcoin or Wrapped Bitcoin as well, but the payment is settled at the time of the transaction, so the pricing is predictable.
DeFi liquidity
- Liquidity is currently growing for things that exist on the Ethereum blockchain.
- We are planning to bring this liquidity to layer 2, so that layer-2 DeFi payments can power the Card Pay network.
- We are tapping into innovations like Uniswap or Balancer, enabling you to pay with your preferred currency.
- And when you earn reward tokens, you can use them to make purchases at a discounted rate from the merchant who issued those tokens; but you can also cash out the tokens if you no longer wish to make purchases with that particular merchant.
Real-time chat
- A lot of business interactions happen via chat, where conversations take place in a chat system before a transaction is finalized.
- We are working on a workflow system that taps into secure, private communication — enabled by a protocol like Matrix — so as to give people a way to transact in a way they understand.
Blockchain: Invent what’s missing
Blockchain is something that is growing fast, with many missing pieces. Here are some problem statements we have heard and aim to solve.
“If we want to bring in more people — not only people who have spent three weeks, three months, or even three years learning about crypto — we’ve got to get those jargons out.”
– Chris Tse, Cardstack Founder
Cloud & blockchain: Build on Cardstack with real code or no code
- The Cardstack platform supports real-code and no-code use cases.
- Developers can use the Card SDK to create any functionality, business logic, or custom layout with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- Non-developers do not need to know how to code. They can assemble card-based applications using only drag-&-drop and point-&-click tools.
“When you drag and drop something within Cardstack Builder, and the Cardstack Environment brings it together, we are actually generating code for you. We’re compiling your configuration into code that a developer would otherwise write.”
– Chris Tse, Cardstack Founder
Learn More
If you would like to hear more about the Cardstack ecosystem, watch Chris Tse talk about the points mentioned above and much more in this video:
To get all our latest updates, star Cardstack on GitHub and join our Discord channel or our Telegram group and announcement channel.
