📊 Subgraphs and L2 Transfer Tools” 🔄🛠️: “A Comprehensive Guide 📖

Essential Reading for Every Subgraph Holder: Mastering L2 Transfers

Published in

Coinmonks

4 min readNov 3, 2023

The Graph has been a revolutionary tool in the world of decentralized applications, providing a way for developers to efficiently access blockchain data. With the introduction of L2 solutions like Arbitrum One, the need for efficient and seamless transfers has become paramount. This article focuses on the importance of Subgraphs and how developers can utilize the L2 Transfer Tools to ensure a smooth transition.

Check out more on the GRTiQ podcast regarding the move to Arbitrum: HERE.

What are Subgraphs?

Subgraphs are open APIs that developers create to index blockchain data. They allow dApps to fetch data from blockchains in a structured and efficient manner. With the increasing adoption of L2 solutions, it’s essential for Subgraphs to be available on these platforms to maintain the same level of efficiency and accessibility.

Why Transfer Subgraphs to L2?

Cost Efficiency: L2 solutions, like Arbitrum One, offer significantly reduced gas fees. Transferring Subgraphs to L2 means that developers and users can interact with them at a fraction of the cost compared to L1. For example, you may need to upgrade or publish your Subgraph, which requires payment of ETH gas. This can sometimes spike and be unpredictable, leading to expensive costs. This is not an issue on Arbitrum.

Speed: L2 solutions are designed to offer faster transaction times. This means that queries to Subgraphs on L2 can be processed more quickly, improving the user experience.

Using the L2 Transfer Tools for Subgraphs

The L2 Transfer Tools have been developed to make the transition of Subgraphs to L2 as seamless as possible.

Here is a step-by-step guide:

Initiate the Transfer: Start the transfer process on Ethereum mainnet. This can be done from the Subgraph Studio, Explorer, or any Subgraph details page.

Wait for Confirmation: After initiating the transfer, wait for approximately 20 minutes for the confirmation.

Confirm the Transfer on Arbitrum: This is a crucial step. Ensure that you confirm the transfer on Arbitrum within 7 days of initiation. If not confirmed within this period, the Subgraph may be lost.

Finish Publishing: Once the transfer is confirmed, finish publishing the Subgraph on Arbitrum.

Update Query URL: It’s recommended to update the query URL post-transfer for optimal performance.

Update Your Endpoints: After completing the Subgraph transfer, you will be provided with a new query URL. It’s essential to update your dApp with this new URL to ensure continued functionality.
Inform Others: If there are other users or developers relying on your old Subgraph endpoint, you should notify them about the change and provide them with the new endpoint URL.
48-Hour Grace Period: The old Subgraph endpoint will remain operational for 48 hours after the transfer is completed. After this grace period, the old endpoint will no longer be functional, so it’s crucial to make the necessary updates within this timeframe.
Potential Downtime: If the necessary updates to the endpoints are not made within the 48-hour grace period, there could be a disruption in service or data access for any dApps or systems relying on the old endpoint.

Once your Subgraph is up and running on L2, it is advised to deprecate your subgraph on the Ethereum network. Here are instructions on how to deprecate your old Subgraph here.

Video Tutorial

For those who prefer a visual guide, here’s an excellent video tutorial available that walks you through the process. The tutorial provides a hands-on demonstration, making the transfer process even more straightforward.

Graph tutorial on how to transfer Subgraph.

Any issues with your transfer? Contact The Graph with the link below and they will get back to you shortly: https://bit.ly/3PEvhsy

Conclusion

The transition to L2 is an exciting phase in the blockchain world, offering enhanced performance and reduced costs. For developers and users of The Graph, transferring subgraphs to L2 ensures that they can continue to benefit from efficient data access. With the L2 Transfer Tools and resources like the above video tutorial, the process is made simple and accessible to all.

Do you have any questions?

Graphtronauts is the largest, unofficial community for long-term GRT holders who believe in The Graph’s web3 vision for the future. Our goal is to educate the broader crypto community and help them become contributing members within The Graph ecosystem.

If you have any questions, or concerns, or want to submit feedback, you can reach out to us using our social channels: