How JAM Changes the Future of Web3
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At Sub0 Reset 2024, Shawn Tabrizi delivered a transformative session titled “How JAM Changes the Future of Web3.” This discussion outlined how JAM, an innovative paradigm for Web3 application development, is reshaping the way developers interact with the Polkadot ecosystem. Moving beyond blockchain-specific solutions, JAM positions Polkadot as a comprehensive Web3 cloud platform, capable of hosting diverse applications and services with unparalleled scalability, flexibility, and resilience.
Speaker Spotlight: Shawn Tabrizi
Shawn Tabrizi, a prominent figure in the blockchain community, brings a wealth of experience from his time at Microsoft Azure and his pivotal role in launching Polkadot at Parity Technologies. Now contributing independently as a Polkadot Fellow, Tabrizi focuses on open-source software development for the decentralized web.
The Vision: From Blockchain Hosting to Web3 Cloud
Redefining Polkadot’s Role
Tabrizi began by redefining Polkadot’s identity. While traditionally seen as a blockchain network, Polkadot is, at its core, a platform with a broader mission: enabling a world with less trust and more truth. JAM extends this vision by evolving Polkadot from a blockchain-specific infrastructure to a versatile cloud platform for Web3 applications and services.
Original PresentationThe JAM Paradigm
JAM introduces a groundbreaking approach to application development on Polkadot, leveraging a new execution environment called the Polkadot Virtual Machine (PVM). JAM eliminates the need for developers to grapple with blockchain-specific constraints, enabling seamless deployment of Web3 applications with features akin to Web2 cloud environments.
Understanding JAM: Core Innovations
The Polkadot Virtual Machine (PVM)
The PVM is the heart of JAM, offering an actor-based execution model optimized for high performance and scalability. Built on RISC-V architecture, the PVM ensures near-native speeds, robust tooling, and compatibility with traditional programming environments. Developers can now run standard applications, even those outside blockchain contexts, on Polkadot’s decentralized infrastructure.
Key features of the PVM:
- High-speed execution.
- Cost-efficient gas metering.
- Compatibility with legacy architectures like x86.
Continuations: Overcoming Blockchain Limitations
One of JAM’s standout innovations is its use of continuations, a method to save and restore program states across blockchain blocks. This allows complex applications to run uninterrupted, breaking free from the traditional limitations of block size and execution time.
How it works:
- Save state: Application data and memory are saved to a data availability layer.
- Resume execution: The program continues seamlessly in the next block.
- Completion: Applications run as though uninterrupted, simplifying developer workflows.
The Polkadot Cloud: A Web3 Revolution
Cloud-Like Services for Web3
JAM transforms Polkadot into a fully-fledged Web3 cloud, offering decentralized alternatives to traditional cloud services:
- Decentralized Execution Service: Comparable to AWS EC2, providing scalable compute resources.
- Object Storage: Decentralized storage akin to Amazon S3.
- Serverless Smart Contracts: Functionality similar to AWS Lambda for seamless execution of smart contracts.
Specifications of the Polkadot Cloud
The JAM-powered Polkadot Cloud boasts an impressive architecture:
- Over 1,000 validators.
- 341 cores for decentralized execution.
- 2 petabytes of data availability.
- More than 1 million transactions per second (TPS).
These specifications position Polkadot as the premier platform for scalable, resilient Web3 applications.
Why Choose JAM for Web3 Development?
Advantages Over Traditional Blockchain Development
Historically, blockchain-based application development has been a specialized, cumbersome process. JAM eliminates these barriers by abstracting blockchain complexities, allowing developers to focus on creating applications, not wrestling with infrastructure.
Old Paradigm:
- Specialized blockchain programming.
- Applications constrained by block size and gas limits.
JAM Paradigm:
- Build applications like in Web2.
- JAM handles execution continuity and scalability.
JAM vs. Web2 Cloud Services
While JAM’s decentralized nature may introduce slightly higher costs compared to Web2 clouds, it offers unparalleled benefits:
- Resilience: Applications are censorship-resistant and globally accessible.
- Direct Access to Ecosystem: Developers retain control over transactions and user interactions, bypassing centralized intermediaries.
A Modular Future: Decoupled Services
JAM supports a modular architecture, allowing developers to use individual services as needed. For example:
- A project can leverage only the data availability layer for specific applications.
- Another might deploy complete blockchain hosting services.
This flexibility mirrors Web2 cloud service models, providing developers with tailored solutions without compromising the cohesive Polkadot experience.
Real-World Applications and Use Cases
Gaming and Beyond
One of the most striking demonstrations of JAM’s capabilities is its ability to run standard applications, such as the classic game Doom. This example underscores JAM’s potential to host a wide range of Web3 applications, from gaming to enterprise-grade solutions.
Stateless Applications
JAM supports stateless applications that rely solely on data availability layers, enabling lightweight, ephemeral services that reduce blockchain footprint.
Challenges and the Path Ahead
Addressing Supply-Demand Imbalance
Tabrizi acknowledged that JAM’s infrastructure is far ahead of current demand in the Web3 space. However, this overcapacity positions Polkadot to support exponential growth as the ecosystem matures.
Educating Developers
Transitioning to JAM requires a mindset shift for developers accustomed to traditional blockchain or Web2 paradigms. The Polkadot ecosystem must invest in education and tooling to drive adoption.
Conclusion: JAM as the Future of Polkadot and Web3
JAM represents a paradigm shift for Polkadot and the broader Web3 landscape. By reimagining Polkadot as a Web3 cloud, JAM empowers developers to build decentralized applications with the simplicity and scalability of traditional cloud platforms.
For developers, JAM offers an unprecedented opportunity to redefine what’s possible in Web3. As Tabrizi aptly concluded, the future of decentralized applications lies not in blockchains but in the cloud.