What Is Golem Base?
“I just can’t wrap my head around blockchain.”
Maybe you’ve heard this before. Maybe you’ve even said it. It’s not an unreasonable thing to say. Blockchain technology is often regarded as fairly dense, complex, and difficult to understand.
However, as technical as it is, blockchain technology really just relies on a few core concepts that are, individually, not very complicated. One of those ideas (one you don’t need to break down all of blockchain to understand) is called data availability. This refers to the ability of everyone in a network to access and confirm the data in each block of a chain.
What’s a “block” and why are they in a chain? A block is a digital box for a series of validated data transactions. Each of these blocks links up to others, creating a chained set. A better way to think of it might be pages in a book – each page contains unique information, but they make more sense in a sequence.
When you have a blockchain, you’re creating a system where information is shared between different blocks of information that, together, with replication, verify that the information they contain is true and accurate. But how can we trust that, when a new block is produced, all of the information it contains will be reflected in the rest of the chain?
Failures in data availability can create security vulnerabilities and can make it difficult to scale a network.
This is where Golem Base comes in.
Golem Base is a network built on top of Ethereum (called a “Layer 2” network). It’s a decentralized, open-source blockchain network. Golem Base serves as a bridge between traditional Web2-style data systems and decentralized Web3 protocols.
Web2 is what we’re all used to with the internet. Web3 is a newer, more decentralized version where people have more control over their data.
Golem Base’s core purpose is to provide what’s called a Data Availability Layer, a reliable, censorship-resistant place to store and retrieve data, while preserving familiar database interactions and giving users full ownership and control over their information, while still being able to access it easily.
Let’s break down how Golem Base works and why it’s a critical step in creating a modern, functional Web3.
The Core Components of Golem Base
Golem Base is made up of a few core pieces that work together to create the overall system. On their own, each is important, but not enough to power the Base to its full potential.
Consensus Layer
Imagine a large concert venue. You want to trust that everyone attending a concert is supposed to be there and will be safe to be around. A security team may be present to help with that. This team checks tickets, IDs, and may search bags or have attendees go through metal detectors. These checks exist so that attendees can meet the requirements for being at the concert, to keep everyone secure.
A consensus layer is a lot like a security team.
In blockchain systems, the consensus layer refers to the rules and processes by which elements in a distributed network agree on the exact sequence and content of updates. They provide and maintain a consensus – every block in a chain agrees on the information contained within, both in terms of the validity of the information and the order in which it is stored and shared.
Golem Base uses a series of lightweight, pluggable protocols for different trust models. Ethereum Layer 2 (the larger system upon which Golem Base is built) has extremely strong cryptographic security guarantees, which helps Golem Base stay secure.
Storage Engine
Picture a large warehouse full of items. You can have a messy warehouse where things are chucked in at random. But that makes it difficult to find anything. The best warehouses, on the other hand, have regular and predictable storage systems and complex, nuanced processes they use to make sure everything is in its proper place and can be found quickly and easily. They might use labelled grids for shelves and then have both physical directions and digital systems to pinpoint where every item is at any time. And the organizational system for one warehouse may not be the best system for another.
A storage engine is the best kind of warehouse.
Storage engines are software components that write, read, index, and manage data, either in the Cloud or in a physical location. This is critical for many different kinds of software, but is especially necessary when working with huge amounts of data like you see in blockchain systems.
In Golem Base, the storage engine is unique. You can, at any point in the chain, use a domain specific storage engine, meaning a storage system built for a particular purpose. So if the data is better managed with one system compared to another you can pick and choose the best fit. This makes entering and accessing information extremely user-friendly while still getting all the benefits of blockchain.
Indexing & Retrieval
If you need to look up a specific piece of information, you might talk to a librarian. When you do, you may not expect them to know the exact answer to your question, but you can expect them to know how to start looking for it. They might be able to provide you with an area to research, and might even show you the exact place in the library where you want to look.
Think of the indexing and retrieval process as working with a great librarian.
In a traditional database, indexing is the system of structuring data in a predictable way so that retrieval of information is fast and efficient.
This is very closely related to the storage engine, where the data is kept. By combining blockchain consensus with a pluggable storage engine and standard indexing, Golem Base enables trustless, censorship-resistant data storage and efficient querying. The best part is that Golem Base lets you have these benefits without giving up the performance and ease of use of modern databases.
Economic & Incentive Layer
As much as computers can and do interface with one another, for now there is still a very human component to all of this. Human involvement is needed to give Golem Base both power and purpose.
We achieve this via the Golem Network – a decentralized computing-power-sharing exchange program. Requestors are people who request additional computing power, often for large-scale research or technical projects. Providers are the people who give their unused computing power to make it happen. Providers are paid in Golem Coins (GLM), a functional Ethereum token, as a reward for their shared power.
The Golem Base and Network systems are made to support one another, and ignoring this fundamental social layer would be missing out on a huge part of the Golem vision.
How the Pieces Fit
If someone wanted to use Golem Base, how might these different components work together?
Let’s say Grace is using a Golem Base system to get a ticket to an event.
Step 1: Grace uses her crypto wallet to send a “create” call to the blockchain, containing her ticket order with the event ID, seat number, and expiry timestamp. The consensus layer takes that transaction and runs an algorithm to agree on including that information in the next block.
Step 2: The database gathers up all of the ticket orders for the event, including Grace’s, and orders them into batches. It then periodically publishes a state root – a single cryptographic number (called a hash) that summarizes the current state of the database chain – to the Ethereum Mainnet for security. That way, even if there’s an issue validating data within the chain, this anchored stat root prevents any tampering with data.
Step 3: With the consensus finalizing the block, the chain hands off Grace’s ticket record to its given storage engine. The storage engine writes the information and updates the system’s indexes to reflect the new entry. In this case, that might be the owner of the ticket and Grace’s seat number.
Step 4: When Grace attends the event, she’s able to check in using the blockchain. The indexing helps the information be retrieved quickly from the storage engine, while the consensus layer proves that the ticket is rightfully hers.
Step 5: Once Grace has used her ticket, the chain’s expiration logic discards the old ticket during routine processes, freeing up space for more and preventing fraud.
Golem Base’s blockchain system allows Grace’s ticketing process to be user-owned, high trust, and easy to use all at once.
Different ticket providers for other events could use this process, but customize it to their unique needs. Maybe they want a faster consensus system or need an alternate storage engine. Perhaps they have specialized use cases that call for additional plug-ins, like for long-term archival storage. They may even choose to make trade-offs, like being willing to use a more expensive system for more redundancies. Golem Base can support these needs, too.
Who is Golem Base for?
As this example shows, Golem Base doesn’t need to be limited to highly technical use cases! A wide variety of different individuals, teams, and industries can benefit from a secure, user-friendly, trustless system.
Event Ticketing
As in Grace’s example, you might manage tickets on a Golem Base system so that each ticket is recorded, can be verified and tracked, and automatically expires after use – without needing to run huge servers to support the volume.
Serverless Websites and Newsletters
Static content such as blog posts, newsletters, or status pages, can be hosted in Golem Base instead of on a web server. Instead of writing content separately and uploading it to a content management or web hosting system, creators can write directly into the Base and readers can access them right from that same Base. No downtime, no shared content ownership, and no fear of hackers coming in and altering the text.
Digital Marketplaces
You might use this system to create a digital goods marketplace, like an e-book store. Listings, sales records, and ratings would all be part of the information stored in the Base, while users would access the base via traditional Web2 interfaces such as web browsers or apps.
Public Knowledge Archives
A highly complex business might want to run a knowledge base or archive of information using Golem Base. Indexing makes lookups fast and easy, while the consensus layer ensures that the information remains accurate.
And that’s just scratching the surface of the many ways Golem Base can be used to share and store vital information.
How To Get Started With Golem Base
We believe that people should have access to and control over their data. And it doesn’t have to be daunting. Fusing the best elements of Web2 and Web3, Golem Base is designed to empower people to have an easy way to handle their data.
If you’re interested in getting started with Golem Base or just want to learn more, read our Litepaper to get a sense of the vision behind Golem Base, or check out more articles.