Elastos: Building a Decentralized SmartWeb
Elastos is a next-generation Web 3.0 platform committed to building a decentralized SmartWeb powered by blockchain technology.
Leveraging a main-chain and side-chain architecture, multi-layer consensus, and smart contract consensus computing, Elastos provides a secure and trustworthy foundation for its platform. Upon this foundation, it constructs decentralized services for identity, communication, storage, and computing, aiming to offer a robust system platform for supporting distributed applications. This platform prioritizes user privacy and data security, positioning itself as a driving force in the data asset revolution.
I. Project Overview
Elastos envisions a blockchain-driven SmartWeb with four distinct layers:
1. Elastos Blockchain and Smart Contracts:
The Elastos blockchain provides the foundation for trust and transactions within its ecosystem. It utilizes a main-chain and side-chain structure. The main chain supports a limited set of smart contracts for digital currency transactions, minimizing the computational resources required for contract execution. Side chains can support a wider range of smart contracts with independent functionalities, allowing DApps to run on dedicated side chains. This structure ensures scalability and efficiency, while the main chain provides security and facilitates asset transfer between chains. The blockchain employs a merged mining mechanism with Bitcoin, allowing miners to contribute to the security of both networks without expending additional computational power.
2. Elastos Carrier (Decentralized P2P Network):
Elastos Carrier provides the decentralized internet infrastructure for the Elastos ecosystem. This includes decentralized domain name services, decentralized computing services, and decentralized storage services. Carrier utilizes UDP-based transparent NAT traversal technology and auxiliary mechanisms, enabling direct connections between any two nodes.
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UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless protocol that ensures data transfer without interception.
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NAT (Network Address Translator) translates private network IP addresses into globally unique public IP addresses, facilitating routing and user transmission.
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By combining UDP's security with NAT's routing capabilities, Elastos Carrier achieves secure and reliable P2P communication.
Essentially, Carrier acts as a P2P communication framework encompassing network protocols, P2P storage interfaces, and node connections. It defines its own network communication protocol and permissions to ensure secure and authenticated P2P communication. The provided APIs for storage and application integration offer a robust framework for developing decentralized applications, fostering further innovation within the ecosystem. The Elastos Carrier SDK provides libraries for various programming languages and operating systems, enabling easy integration and authentication for both traditional apps and operating systems.
3. Elastos OS and Runtime:
Elastos OS is a mobile operating system designed for security and native support for the Elastos ecosystem. It can be installed directly on hardware, providing convenient access to the Elastos Carrier network. To enhance security, Elastos OS restricts applications from directly creating processes and accessing TCP/IP. It isolates user permissions and relies on system-managed microservices for network communication, mitigating risks associated with third-party applications and network attacks.
Elastos Runtime provides a sandboxed execution environment for DApps, isolating them from the native OS environment. It can be likened to a C++ equivalent of the Java Virtual Machine and its framework, offering developers a familiar environment for developing, testing, and running decentralized applications on Elastos without modifying the underlying operating system. Elastos Runtime is planned for Android, iOS, and GNU/Linux, ensuring broad compatibility for developers.
4. Elastos SDK:
Traditional applications can leverage the Elastos SDK to integrate blockchain functionalities like identity authentication and trusted record keeping. This SDK allows developers to easily integrate Elastos Carrier functionalities and authentication mechanisms into their applications, regardless of the programming language or operating system.
Consensus Mechanism:
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Elastos Main Chain Consensus:
The main chain adopts a hybrid consensus mechanism combining Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) and Proof of Work (PoW) through merged mining with Bitcoin. This approach leverages the robust security of the Bitcoin network, as miners validate both Bitcoin and Elastos blocks simultaneously, earning dual rewards.
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Elastos Side Chain Consensus:
Side chains have the flexibility to choose their own consensus mechanisms. Currently, Elastos supports PoW-based side chains that can leverage the main chain's hashing power through elected arbitrators for block validation. Additionally, DPoS-based side chains are being developed, where arbitrators elected on the main chain act as delegates, offering faster block confirmation times while maintaining security through the main chain's oversight.
Cross-Chain Transfers:
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Main Chain to Side Chain:
Transfers from the main chain to side chains utilize Simplified Payment Verification (SPV). Side chains integrate the SPV module to synchronize main chain block headers and identify transactions directed to the side chain.
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Side Chain to Main Chain:
Transfers from side chains to the main chain are secured by the main chain's arbitrator mechanism. Elected arbitrators on the main chain verify and sign withdrawal transactions from side chains, requiring a majority signature for execution. This ensures the integrity and security of asset transfers between chains.
Elastos Blockchain:
The Elastos blockchain utilizes a main-chain and side-chain architecture, allowing each application to operate on its own independent side chain while sharing the security and hash rate of the main chain. This structure fosters scalability and avoids the energy inefficiency of separate mining processes.
Key Features:
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Transaction and Block Design:
The Elastos blockchain borrows from established cryptocurrency systems, incorporating elements like block headers, Merkle trees, nonces, timestamps, and difficulty targets. This design ensures secure and transparent transaction recording while supporting the side-chain architecture.
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Merged Mining:
Elastos employs merged mining with Bitcoin, enabling miners to contribute to both networks using the same computational power, increasing efficiency and security.
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Token Allocation:
Elastos utilizes ELA (Elastos Coin) as its native token for transactions, supporting digital assets, and paying network fees. The smallest unit is Satoshi ELA (Sela). To maintain a healthy ecosystem, ELA has a fixed annual inflation rate of 4%, distributed among the Elastos Foundation and miners for the first two years.
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Side Chains:
Besides supporting third-party side chains, Elastos will develop its own side chains for essential services like ID management, token issuance, fast payments, and digital asset trading.
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Smart Contracts:
To optimize resource utilization, complex smart contract execution is primarily handled by side chains. This allows for specialized functionalities while maintaining the main chain's efficiency.
Elastos Carrier: Decentralized P2P Network:
Elastos Carrier utilizes UDP-based NAT traversal technology to enable direct P2P connections between any two nodes, regardless of network environment. This forms the foundation for decentralized services like DNS, computing, and storage, empowering users with data ownership and privacy.
Elastos OS: Secure and Universal Operating System:
Elastos OS is a secure operating system designed for IoT devices, embedded systems, and mobile devices. It provides native support for the Elastos ecosystem and features a robust security model that isolates applications and prevents unauthorized network access, mitigating common security threats.
Token Utility:
ELA serves multiple purposes within the Elastos ecosystem:
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DApp Services:
Used for domain registration, search engine services, digital asset management, and bandwidth/storage fees.
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Ecosystem Collaboration:
Partner projects contribute a portion of their tokens to support the Elastos Foundation and reward ELA holders.
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User Participation:
Used for ID registration, service purchases, and participation in token sales.
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Developer Incentives:
Rewards developers for building and contributing to the Elastos ecosystem.
II. Review
Elastos is essentially an operating system that utilizes the internet as its underlying infrastructure. By separating network communication from application computation and restricting direct network access for applications, Elastos significantly reduces the risk of internet-based attacks. Its blockchain employs a main-chain and side-chain structure to build trust and security, with all side chains inheriting the security of the main chain. Through Elastos OS/Runtime and Elastos Carrier (a decentralized P2P network), DApps run in isolated sandboxes with restricted communication channels. All network data transmission requires secure and authenticated identity verification provided by the blockchain's ID system.
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