How Do Decentralized Applications Work?

Gianluca Busato
Enkronos
Published in
5 min readSep 13, 2023

Unlike applications managed from a single center, DApps, or decentralized applications, began to emerge with the introduction of blockchain technology and later smart contracts. We’ve been hearing about these applications frequently lately, with Web 3.0 coming to the fore again. So what are DApps? What is the difference from centralized applications? What advantages and disadvantages does it have? If you want to find answers to these questions, let’s get started.

What are Centralized Apps? What are the Features of Central Applications?

Central applications are applications that entered our lives with the emergence of the internet and whose software is managed and programmed from a single source. Authentication in central applications is done by intermediary companies that offer the service. Today’s popular social media platforms, applications offered by banks and governments are closed source, secret applications.

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Central applications can be run on a single computer or distributed on computers in different locations. However, in both cases, one sticks to a single service provider.

What are DApps?

DApps (Decentralized Applications) are smart software that are not managed by a single institution, unlike traditional centralized applications, that are kept in open source and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. Dapp software, which entered our lives with blockchain technology, is different from normal centralized application software in many ways and has various advantages and disadvantages.

What Are the Features of DApps Applications?

  • It is distributed and decentralized. Therefore, it runs on multiple computers and the continuity of the system is ensured against various attacks.
  • It is open source. In this way, it can be coded and updated by software developers participating in the network.
  • No actual authentication is needed.
  • It prioritizes transparency and information security. In this way, the status of transactions can be monitored.
  • It has no power to censor. For example, information shared with the DApp application can be shared by the state, developers, platforms, etc. It cannot be changed by third parties.

Any technology can be used to develop the front end of the decentralized application. However, a P2P blockchain network software should be used as the back end.

What are the Advantages of DApps Applications?

Decentralized applications are programmed with smart contracts. Therefore, it brings the two parties together in a way that there is no need for an intermediary. Therefore, costs and time are saved. Since it is open source, all developers on the network can contribute to the software and the system can improve itself.

Since DApps applications are run on the blockchain network, they are decentralized and can be located on computers in different locations due to their distributed structure. Thus, damage to one or more computers does not pose a threat to the operation of the system and the security of the information. However, I need to remind you that increasing the number of users in the blockchain network is important at this point. Because the increase in the number of users on the network means that the blockchain spreads over a wide area and reduces the possibility of a 51% attack.

What are the Disadvantages of DApps Applications?

Decentralized (DApps) applications have many advantages as well as being the product of a new technology, the Blockchain, so it is experimental and the information we have gained is not sufficient.

We have stated that it is an advantage for decentralized applications to be open source. When we look at it from a different perspective, the situation changes slightly. For example, imagine that a malicious programmer is on a decentralized application’s (DApp) network and can inspect all the software from start to finish. By using the vulnerabilities it finds, it can harm users in the network financially and morally, and it can deeply shake the trust between the application and users.

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It is very difficult to edit the codes of DApps software after they are published. For this reason, developers need to plan and code carefully for the first version and think about it in the long term. Otherwise, finding solutions to security vulnerabilities and errors in the application may be tiring.

What Are DApps Examples? Some of the Decentralized Applications

  • Cryptokitties is a DApp that allows virtual cats to be fed, produced and sold by players on the network.
  • Zedrun is the first horse racing game on the blockchain network. The game progresses as players on the network build a barn, buy animals, feed them, breed them and race them. Prizes won as a result of races are paid to players in crypto on decentralized networks.
  • Aave is an open source decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol. It aims to be the national lending practice.
  • Zapper.fi is an interface application that connects different decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. It allows you to make various transactions with your connected crypto wallet. In a way, we can compare it to a banking application.
  • Rarible is an interface application that allows users to buy, sell and create NFT (non-fungible tokens).
  • WhiteboardCrypto is an educational interface that explains the principles of the crypto finance world in a simplified, narrative way.

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The number and availability of decentralized applications is increasing day by day. Since DApps are the product of a new technology, they are experimental and may encounter different problems from time to time. (As in the case of Cryptokitties application slowing down the Ethereum network) Beyond similar problems, the trust and freedom it provides to users in its network shows that the priority given to decentralized applications is not far away. With the experience gained in this experimental process, the disadvantages of decentralized applications will be further reduced.

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