Architecture & Tech Glossary

XION prioritizes dependability, flexibility, security, and speed

Overview

The purpose of XION is to revolutionize Web3 adoption by addressing the functional and cultural barriers that have hindered its widespread acceptance. By focusing on user experience, accessibility, and scalability, XION aims to create an ecosystem that empowers developers and users alike, unlocking the full potential of Web3.

Secure

XION is built on the industry's most dependable and secure consensus framework (Comet BFT), inter-chain communication protocol (IBC), and developer toolkit (Cosmos SDK). This battle-tested infrastructure secures over $50 billion in assets, supports millions of transactions, and has stayed steady in extreme market turbulence. It is also trusted by some of the industry’s biggest projects, such as the Binance Chain (BNB), Crypto.com (CRO), Injective (INJ), and DyDx (DYDX) recently transitioning to its own standalone network.

Interoperable

The Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol employed by XION is objectively the industry's most secure, permissionless cross-chain communication protocol. It allows any combination of blockchains to exchange data and value between them, and serves as a cornerstone to XION’s interconnectedness. In addition, the Comet BFT (previously known as Tendermint) consensus framework allows XION to boast instant finality, fast confirmation times, and high throughput.

Modular

XION makes full use of the CosmosSDK modularity. It is this modularity that allows XION to be a chain purpose built for consumer adoption, while still remaining interoperable across the entire industry. Through its unique implementation of core modules combined with its own custom-built ones, XION offers developers a robust and comprehensive toolkit upon which to build the next generation of retail-facing apps.

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Tech Stack Glossary Terms

XION utilizes Comet BFT (previously known as Tendermint), the Cosmos SDK, IBC, and CosmWasm, offering developers a robust and comprehensive toolkit to build their dApps.

Comet BFT (Previously known as Tendermint)

Comet BFT is the battle-tested consensus framework used by the XION chain, which allows it to have instant finality. It secures over $50 billion in assets and has never suffered a security breach.

How does it work? First, a validator proposes a new block. Other validators vote on the block in two rounds. If a block receives a two-thirds majority or greater of yes votes in both rounds, it gets added to the blockchain. Validators are chosen to propose based on their staked weight. Check out the Tendermint official documentation for more information.

IBC

The Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol employed by XION enables different blockchains to exchange information and transfer data while upholding their independent governance and security characteristics. Such communication serves as a cornerstone for a strong Web3 infrastructure.

IBC exhibits the flexibility to link any combination of blockchains, be they public, private, permissioned, or permissionless, as long as they adhere to the IBC protocol. This capability for cross-chain interoperability facilitates the movement of any data type or asset across distinct chains, thereby establishing an extensive network of interconnected blockchains.

CosmWasm

CosmWasm operates as a smart contract platform, tailored to offer developers a secure and efficient medium for crafting smart contracts in Rust and converting them into WebAssembly (Wasm) binaries. Utilizing the robust typing and memory-safeguarding capabilities of Rust, CosmWasm fortifies contract security while also optimizing WebAssembly's efficiency. Inherent compatibility with the Cosmos SDK allows CosmWasm to seamlessly interact with blockchains constructed with it, while its congruity with the IBC stands out as a significant feature. Security and efficiency are further reinforced through Rust's stringent typing and memory safety features, supplemented by the agility and versatility of WebAssembly.

Cosmos SDK

XION employs the Cosmos SDK, a versatile foundation designed to construct secure, interoperable, and tailorable blockchains. This focus on modularity and interoperability by the Cosmos SDK allows XION to modify diverse features of the blockchain and maintain effortless interaction with other chains that are also founded on the Cosmos SDK.