Komodo has announced that Antara, an end-to-end ‘Smart Chain’ development framework, has gone live. Antara enables developers to break from many of the limitations of a single-chain blockchain platform architecture by enabling the creation of scalable, modular Smart Chains. These are secured using the Bitcoin network through Komodo’s Delayed Proof of Work (dPoW) feature.
Komodo CTO, Kadan Stadelmann said, “One of Komodo’s primary missions is to give blockchain developers sovereignty. Developers and enterprises that build on modern blockchain platforms are largely at the whim of the single-chain model, meaning they have little to no control over platform development (including scalability solutions), network congestion (including high fees), or smart contract complexity (including gas fees). With Antara, we’re giving builders the choice to instead launch their own Smart Chains, which are viable, independent blockchains that can leverage the security of the Bitcoin network.”
The Antara framework – overall
Komodo’s Antara framework comprises three layers:
- the Antara Smart Chain
- Antara Modules
- the Antara Integration Layer.
Smart Chains are completely independent blockchains with their own:
- consensus rules
- decentralised network
- currency.
Smart Chains
Antara Smart Chains are purpose-built solutions that should be applicable to any specific enterprise use cases, be these (for example):
- gaming
- fintech
- remittances
- supply chain
- or another purpose.
Smart Chains are customisable, with more than 15 different customisation options at launch, including:
- consensus rules
- hashing algorithm
- pre-mine supply
- block time
- block rewards
- privacy settings.
Antara grants all Smart Chains access to Komodo’s famed “Delayed Proof of Work” feature, which is a battle-tested security mechanism that notarizes a chain’s block history onto the Bitcoin network, providing new, smaller networks with ironclad defenses against dangerous attacks.
Users pay Smart Chain transaction fees in each individual Smart Chain’s native coin. This means there are no gas fees and no imposed reliance upon Komodo’s KMD coin in any way.
Module library
The second layer of the Antara framework is the Antara Module library. Developers choose from a selection of plug-and-play Antara Modules in order to adapt Smart Chains to suit specific business needs.
At launch, Antara’s Module library features a number of pre-built modules, including:
- stablecoin solutions
- data oracles
- instant micropayments
- rewards programs
- multi-sig functionality.
An additional attraction is that experienced developers can contribute their own custom modules to the open library.
Integration layer
The third layer of the Antara framework is the Antara Integration Layer. This enables developers to build-blockchain-based apps without having to interact directly with the underlying blockchain technology.
Developers write Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs) into programs and applications. These run natively on independent Smart Chains.
The Integration Layer also gives developers access to ‘White Label Products’, such as:
- multi-coin wallets
- a mobile DEX powered by atomic swaps
- a custom block explorer
- SPV server integration.
Stadelmann again:, “As has always been the case with Komodo, Antara is an open ecosystem for all sorts of developers. On top of letting businesses avoid tying their cart to platform technologies that have been slow to adapt to changing business demands, Antara’s open ecosystem will appeal to blockchain-savvy contributors as well as stakeholders new to the space looking for simple, secure solutions for their businesses.”
Enterprise Times: what does this mean
Komodo says it is an open, composable multi-chain platform. With blockchain development roots from 2014, Komodo operates as a pioneer of multi-chain architecture in the blockchain space. This is, in the blockchain world, relatively uncommon – despite the fact that proven blockchain interoperation is probably one of the most significant, to enterprises, brakes on blockchain adoption.
Komodo’s Antara framework offers the tools for end-to-end blockchain development. That the Antara framework is layered matters for it is this which, arguably, enables its customisable, application-specific Smart Chains. The modules plus the open API (for building blockchain-based applications) add, probably, the icing to the Smart Chain cake.
With Antara, Komodo seeks to enable developer independence from single-chain architectures (for example, Ethereum). Instead of ‘leasing’ a capability to build on a chain, with Antara anyone can:
- spin up an independent (and scalable) blockchain network
- ‘create’ its own coin
- pick pre-made and open-source module which fit specific needs
- secure all this by notarising onto the Bitcoin network.
Yet herein lies a danger. This becomes a cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) -secured enterprise blockchain….
