Substrate Ecosystem Newsletter- — August Issue
Substrate Monthly — Ecosystem Technical Newsletter, produced by OneBlock+, summarizes the technical progress of the top projects in various areas in the Polkadot ecosystem each month to get the community updated on the status of the ecosystem. Areas include DeFi, infrastructure, smart contracts, privacy, GameFi, etc. Items include critical technical submissions, modifications and releases, technical discussions, and references.
The following is the August issue. Enjoy~
DeFi
01.Acala Network
Acala is building the liquidity layer for web3 finance that is captive and sustainable. It aims to provide infrastructures for HyFi (DeFi+CeFi) solutions with crypto and real-world assets. Acala offers a Universal Asset Hub that hosts multichain liquid staking token (LST) protocols (such as liquid DOT — LDOT), an AMM decentralized exchange, and an app platform that is EVM-compatible and highly customizable (based on Substrate). Acala is secured by Polkadot, and is the liquidity gateway of Polkadot parachains and L1/L2 blockchains.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
Added EVM tracing functionality
https://github.com/AcalaNetwork/Acala/pull/2784
Added Earning precompile
https://github.com/AcalaNetwork/Acala/pull/2776
Updated Polkadot SDK to the latest stable version 2407
https://github.com/AcalaNetwork/Acala/pull/2782
Technical Solution Discussion
Improve general node
https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/issues/5210
Technical Documentation Reference
02.Bifrost
Bifrost is the Polkadot Ecological DeFi basic protocol. It is committed to becoming an infrastructure for staked assets to provide liquidity. Bifrost launched derivatives vToken for Staking and Polkadot Parachain Slot (Crowdloan). It has obtained $2.15M in fund-raising from NGC, SNZ, DFG, CMS and other institutions and Web3 Foundation Grant. It is also a member of Substrate Builders Program and Web3 Bootcamp.
vToken can optimize transactions in multiple scenarios such as DeFi, DApp, DEX, CEX, and realize the transfer channel of stake rights such as staking and Crowdloan through vToken, realize the risk hedging of stake assets, and expand scenarios such as vToken as collateral for lending, its staking reward part of the interest can be offset to achieve low-interest loans.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
Runtime 0.13.0
• Optimized the flexible logic in the EVM environment.
• Aligned the EVM to Substrate derived address conversion algorithm with the future AssetHub algorithm.
• Added burn logic to the BNC buyback module.
• Enhanced the feeShare module with cumulative revenue logic.
• Updated the target address for bbBNC redemption penalty fees.
• Automated optimization of the bbBNC reward distribution logic.
• Introduced the vBNC convert function on Bifrost-Kusama.
• Refactored the SLP vASTR functionality.
• Enabled vBNC participation in governance.
Dapp 1.9.1
• Added support for the universal Ledger app.
• Included relevant tips for using Ledger.
• Discontinued the Collator testnet.
Technical Documentation Reference
Smart Contract
03. Moonbeam Network
Moonbeam is a developer-oriented blockchain that strives to provide compatibility with the existing Ethereum developer toolchain and network. It does this by providing a full EVM implementation, a Web3-compatible API, and bridges that connect Moonbeam to existing Ethereum networks. This allows developers to deploy existing Solidity smart contracts and DApp frontends to Moonbeam with minimal changes.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
Moonbeam client v0.39.1
- This client release affects tracing nodes only
- Fix a bug for EVM tracing for old runtimes
Technical Solution Discussion
Moonrise campaign and how to participate in it
Technical Documentation Reference
Storage
04.CESS
CESS is a blockchain powered decentralized storage and CD²N (content decentralized delivery network) infrastructure for Web3. Users and creators alike use the platform for on-chain data sharing, whilst builders can develop and deploy DApps.
Offering the most optimal Web3 solution for storing and retrieving high-frequency dynamic data, CESS reshapes the value distribution and circulation of data assets whilst ensuring data sovereignty and user privacy. By utilizing a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) model, CESS drives mass deployment of network nodes globally through incentives.
CESS network consists of four layers: Blockchain Layer, Distributed Storage Resource Layer, Distributed Content Delivery Layer, and Application Layer. CESS’s R²S consensus mechanism coordinates the network resources and network load, guarantees data security and integrity through proprietary technologies with data ownership protection, technologies such as Proof of Data Reduplication and Recovery (PoDR²), Multi-format Data Rights Confirmation (MDRC), and decentralized proxy re-encryption. CESS aims to be the first decentralized storage network that supports large-scale commercial applications.
CESS is also compatible with EVM and WASM, and the underlying development framework Substrate is also friendly to cross-chain applications. Its technology stack can support most Web3 applications and the development needs of enterprise-level applications.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
Consensus Nodes [ Venus (v0.7.8) ]
- Fixed the loss of the evm-account-mapping pallet in the upgraded CESS testnet version.
- Addressed the issue preventing CESS blocks from being properly produced due to malfunctioning CESS Nodes.
- Upgraded nodeadm programs and related configuration files.
- Deployed 10 new CESS Nodes to ensure the stability of the testnet.
- Fixed a naming conflict in the CESS Node territory module caused by the lack of uniqueness checks during renaming.
- Reduced CESS Node transaction gas fees to prevent significant account balance depletion from frequent transaction submissions.
- Added a feature to reduce space declarations, preventing storage nodes from being frozen due to declaring excessive space.
- Completed an online upgrade of the consensus nodes, increasing the frequency of random challenges for storage nodes.
- Optimized the TEE Node management module for consensus nodes to ensure expired TEE Nodes are promptly removed.
- Adjusted the reward calculation ratio for random challenges, setting the reward ratios for idle and service computing power to 5% and 95%, respectively.
Storage Nodes [v0.7.13]
- Completed testing of file upload and download functionality for storage nodes based on the territory module in the new version.
- Fixed issues with configuring a designated TEE Node in the mineradm multi-node operation program.
- Resolved issues preventing storage nodes from starting properly due to SDK version mismatches with the CESS chain.
- Fixed issues preventing Docker images from being properly packaged.
- Corrected an issue where failing to convert token units prevented the effective increase of staking.
- Fixed problems increasing storage space when the staking account differed from the signing account.
- Upgraded the P2P file transfer mechanism to provide more efficient data transfer services.
- Resolved issues where staking increases failed due to mismatches between signing and staking accounts.
- Addressed probabilistic failures in generating idle random challenge proofs when storage nodes were in certain states.
- Fixed issues preventing storage nodes from prioritizing custom TEE Nodes for idle authentication acceleration.
- Resolved issues causing significantly increased transaction fees due to repeated submission of failed transactions by storage nodes.
TEE Nodes [ Venus (v0.7.8) ]
- Added security level checks and update functions to prevent potential key leakage.
- Fixed issues preventing proper block validity verification.
- Addressed issues where the codebase was not updated, causing signature failures in effective parsing and validation.
- Fixed issues preventing the rapid synchronization of blockchain states.
- Added distributed deployment for DCAP remote attestation servers.
CESS is a blockchain powered decentralized storage and CD²N (content decentralized delivery network) infrastructure for Web3. By utilizing a DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure network) model, CESS drives mass deployment of network nodes globally through incentives. The first of its kind, DeOSS (decentralized object storage services) by CESS has significantly contributed to the gradual enrichment and flourishing of the product ecosystem within the CESS network, DeShare (online file sharing tool), and public chain snapshot storage services have been incubated. The developments for this month are as follows:
Decentralized Object Storage Service (DeOSS)
- Completed the deployment of the new official DeOSS node cluster.
- Added data fencing features to meet users’ special requirements regarding the geographical location of data storage.
- Completed the documentation introducing the CD²N working principles and incentive mechanisms.
- Fixed issues preventing the proper upload of user files due to network connection anomalies.
- Resolved issues preventing user file fragments from being correctly downloaded from remote storage nodes.
- Fixed issues preventing lightweight caching nodes from interacting with work protocol smart contracts.
- Addressed issues preventing proper file uploads due to incorrect node selection module usage in DeOSS.
- Updated the DeOSS documentation to accommodate the latest features after version updates.
- Completed the Rust SDK upgrade and documentation writing.
- Fixed issues preventing user videos from being properly played due to inconsistent return status codes.
- Addressed issues causing high failure rates in uploading user file fragments to storage nodes.
- Completed architectural upgrades for CESS CD²N caching nodes, equipping them with basic parallel computing capabilities.
- Completed testing and fixes for the static resource distribution function of CESS CD²N caching nodes.
Online File Sharing Tool (DeShare)
- Fixed issues preventing the transfer of files larger than 100MB.
- Created a DeShare cluster for storing node Docker images to resolve issues with downloading images.
- Completed the new version launch and migrated old version user files to the new testnet.
- Fixed issues preventing DeShare from properly downloading user-uploaded files.
CESS Website (cess.network)
- Completed UI optimizations for the introduction of CESS network modules on the homepage.
- Completed the new website, user documentation, and token collection service.
- Enhanced the display details on website pages and updated reference links.
Technical Documentation Reference
GitHub：http://github.com/CESSProject
WiKi：https://github.com/CESSProject/cess/wiki
CIPs：https://github.com/CESSProject/CIPs
05. Crust Network
Crust Network is essentially an IPFS incentive layer protocol and a substrate-based blockchain that builds a decentralized storage network of Web3.0 ecosystem. It is designed to build a decentralized cloud ecosystem that values data privacy and ownership.Crust Network is essentially an IPFS incentive layer protocol and a substrate-based blockchain that builds a decentralized storage network of Web3.0 ecosystem. Funded by DCF (Decentralized Cloud Foundation), it is designed to build a decentralized cloud ecosystem that values data privacy and ownership. The Crust mainnet was launched on September 1, 2021, and now has 7000+IPFS nodes and 2000+Pb storage capacity.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
Crust Mainnet
- All historical network file computation has been fully activated, with the current total network computing power at 110 PB. New files will be automatically computed and activated when the set conditions are met.
- Performance optimization for on-chain spower computation has been completed to prevent block-stalling issues.
- The Polkadot Crust Parachain slot renewal was successful, extending the Lease Period to 24 terms.
- Kusama Crust Shadow Coretime renewal was successful.
- Crust Apps now support Polkadot Crust Parachain and Kusama Crust Shadow.
Others:
- EIP-7588 has entered the Last Call phase, accepting final community review.
- CrustBags
- Contract and storage manager development is complete and has been deployed on the TON Testnet for testing.
- TG Bot and miniApp have been launched on Telegram.
- The crustbags-sdk (https://www.npmjs.com/package/@crustnetwork/crustbags-sdk) has been released.
- Development documentation has been updated (https://wiki.crust.network/docs/en/tonBuildOverview).
Technical Documentation Reference
Infrastructure
06.Deeper Network
Deeper Network is committed to building a truly decentralized Internet and security gateway. It aims to bring a better Internet experience for every family and become the gateway for users to Web 3.0 applications. Deeper’s vision is to combine network security, network sharing, and blockchain technology to create a safer, freer, and faster decentralized network.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
GUI-Frontend:
- User Interface Migration and Modernization:
Successfully migrated the user interface from an older version to a newly designed version, enhancing visual appeal and intuitive user interaction through updated color schemes, typography, and layouts.
Integrated new functionalities such as auto-fill and dynamic content updates to ensure smoother user experiences and increased operational efficiency.
2. Component Development and Integration:
Developed and deployed the BackupMnemonic component, providing users with a secure and user-friendly solution for mnemonic phrase backup.
Introduced the ProgressBar component to accurately display file upload progress, optimizing the user experience during data transfers.
Implemented the ImportViaKeystone component, enhancing wallet compatibility and data recovery capabilities with support for Keystone file imports.
3. Frontend Performance Optimization and Resource Management:
Performed performance optimizations on core frontend components like WalletDashboard, reducing response times and speeding up data loading.
Streamlined and optimized frontend resources, organizing icons and image files to reduce application load times and improve operational efficiency.
GUI-Backend:
- BTC Functionality Expansion and API Optimization:
Added features for retrieving BTC fees and executing BTC transactions, including support for various address types of UTXO transfers, enhancing the system’s flexibility in currency operations.
Optimized APIs for processing BTC transactions, improving transaction execution speed and stability to ensure performance in high-concurrency environments.
2. System Error Handling and Log Improvements:
Enhanced error handling mechanisms and logging functionalities, optimizing the system’s capability to diagnose and address issues swiftly and accurately.
Conducted code reviews and refactoring, fixing several potential security vulnerabilities and performance bottlenecks to ensure stable application operation.
Proxy-Wallet:
- BRC20 Transaction Support and Network Security:
Implemented and optimized BRC20 inscription retrieval and transfer functionalities, enhancing transaction execution efficiency and security for specific scenarios.
Updated and verified network configurations, including Unisat testnet and mainnet keys, to ensure the security and stability of network interfaces.
HD-Wallet:
- Introduction of New Technological Libraries and Feature Testing:
Integrated the new Rust library ord-rs for data processing and sorting, enhancing the system’s capability to handle complex data structures.
Developed and tested BRC20 functionalities, including inscription and transfer operations, achieving 60% progress and addressing technical challenges in signature algorithms and transaction script generation.
2. Transaction Signature and Verification Enhancements:
Completed optimization of BRC20 transaction signature functionalities, particularly correcting tweaks in Taproot signatures, ensuring the accuracy of transfers and speed of on-chain confirmations.
Addressed issues in fee rate settings and multi-UTXO input handling, ensuring transaction cost accuracy and efficiency.
Technical Solution Discussion
- GUI-Frontend: Advanced Component Development and Performance Optimization
- Component Architecture and Data Binding: In the new GUI-Frontend, leveraging the Vue.js framework has enabled more efficient data state management and reactive binding between components. This architecture allows UI components such as BackupMnemonic and ImportViaKeystone to achieve seamless data synchronization, enhancing application responsiveness and data consistency.
- Dynamic Loading and Frontend Resource Optimization: Implemented code splitting and lazy loading techniques based on Webpack to optimize the resource loading strategy, reducing initial load times. Additionally, the introduction of Service Workers has improved the capability for offline operation, enhancing user experience in unstable network conditions.
2. GUI-Backend: High-Concurrency Transaction Processing and Enhanced Security
- Microservices Architecture and API Gateway: In the GUI-Backend, adopting a microservices architecture has separated transaction processing from data services, with containerization managed by Kubernetes enhancing system scalability and fault isolation. The API gateway layer, incorporating OAuth 2.0, has strengthened secure communication and authentication between services.
- Optimized Transaction Execution Process and Error Management: The BTC transaction execution process has been restructured to include an asynchronous message queuing mechanism, addressing the transaction pressure during peak periods. Integration of the Circuit Breaker pattern reduces the risk of system overload, while enhanced detailed logging and monitoring of errors ensure stable system operation and rapid fault recovery.
Technical Documentation Reference
- https://github.com/deeper-chain/deeper-chain
- https://deeper-network-inc.gitbook.io/deeper-connect-knowledge-base/
- https://doc.deepernetwork.org/
07. Darwinia Network
Darwinia is the community-run technology and service powering the cross-chain capabilities of decentralized applications.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
Protocol Updates
- Enable async backing on the Crab/Darwinia networks. link
- Delete the EthereumXCM pallet. link
- xAPI Aggregator. link
- DIP-7 testing & audit & update. link
- Update deposit precompile interfaces. link
Darwinia Ecosystem Applications and Infrastructure Updates
- Darwinia Bootcamp lesson 1, 2.
- RingDAO based on the AragonDAO. link
- Msgport docs: add integrate guide. link
- KtonDAO staking app new design. link
- Paralink new design. link
Technical Documentation Reference
- Darwinia Genepaper: https://darwinia.network/Genepaper_v4.pdf
- Darwinia Network GitHub: https://github.com/darwinia-network
- Darwinia Docs: https://docs.darwinia.network/
- Msgport Github: https://github.com/msgport
- Msgport Docs: https://msgport.xyz
Wallet
08.SubWallet
SubWallet is the comprehensive non-custodial wallet solution for Polkadot, Substrate & Ethereum ecosystems. With the mission of bringing users closer to Web3, we envision a Web3 multiverse gateway through which users can enjoy multichain services with utmost ease and absolute security. Connecting and using blockchain-based applications is smoother than ever with SubWallet Browser Extension & SubWallet Mobile App.
Important Technological Improvement and Advances
SubWallet has been developing the Chain-Abstraction-oriented wallet for the Polkadot & Ethereum ecosystems, with several improvements to make users’ multi-chain experience easier:
- Aggregate multi-chain assets
- Aggregate balances from multiple use cases
- Abstract cross-chain liquid staking
- One click cross-chain swap
SubWallet team members participated in AMAs, talks & events hosted by partner projects in the Polkadot ecosystem:
- “AIWeb3 PolkaTalk — Opening the New Era of Multi-Chain” — Twitter Space by AIWeb3DAO on August 3
- “SubConnect: Most comprehensive Polkadot & EVM wallet connector” workshop — organized by OneBlock+ on August 10, as part of the 2024 Polkadot Hackathon
- Twitter Space hosted by Avail China on August 15
- The Research Lead of SubWallet will join the Polkadot Decoded Asia 2024 in Singapore on September 16–17
SubWallet released Extension 1.2.25 and Mobile 1.1.77 (426) on August 19:
- SubWallet Extension v1.2.25: supported Avail on Ledger, added new XCM channels for MYTH from Mythos to Hydration and from Mythos to Polkadot Asset Hub, integrated Exosama, Aura Network, Cere Network, Aleph Zero EVM Testnet & Mainnet, added 8 new tokens, and added DOTphin Proofs NFT & Avail OG NFT.
- SubWallet Mobile v1.1.77 (426): supported new dApps — Avail Staking Dashboard, Avail Space, DOTphin, REAL, Zenlink, Deq & Turtle, added swap on Polkadot Asset Hub, and released new View account on explorer feature.
SubWallet nomination pools reached the milestone of 8M+ AVAIL staked in two weeks after Avail mainnet launch.
Technical Documentation Reference
About OneBlock+
OneBlock+ is the first and the largest blockchain developer community in China. At OneBlock+, we provide full support for developers with their substrate studies and further set off their career paths. We host Polkadot Hackathons every season to attract top-notch developers to build and innovate for the prosperity of the ecosystem. As a greater China technology resource integrator, OneBlock+ also partners with developers, communities, business elites, and key media who have business insights and experiences in the blockchain industry to provide educational events, such as technical courses, webinars, AMAs, and offline events for the industry. Want to shape the crypto world together? Come and join us today!
