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over 3 years ago

Did you know?! Fun Hack Fact Friday

Did you know?!

Throughout the hackathon and when reading documentation, you may have noticed Polkadot being referenced with the Kusama Network - don’t worry, you are in the right place! Kusama is a network built as a risk-taking, fast-moving ‘canary in the coal mine’ for its cousin Polkadot. Kusama has an advanced governance process that moves at a rapid pace and gives all community members agency over the future of the network.

Building a blockchain in Hackusama? Let’s explore what parachains will be on Kusama:

Parachains are individual chains containing their own runtime logic that benefit from the shared security and the interchain messaging provided by the Kusama Relay Chain (as well as Polkadot). Parachains permit a high degree of flexibility and customization but will require more effort to create. Parachains offer developers the ability to create application-specific blockchains, unlike legacy networks that force builders into a one-size-fits-all solution.

Parachains grant creators more space to build the monetary system and other aspects of the chain from the ground up. They allow for more succinct and efficient execution of complex logic than could ever be offered by a smart contract platform. Parachains also offer more flexibility in the form of governance and can perform complete upgrades in a less controversial way than the current process of hard-forks.

Some examples of features you can have on a parachain:

  • Custom fee structure (for example, pay a flat fee for transactions or pay per byte).
  • Custom monetary policy for the native token and local economy.
  • Treasury to be funded through transitions in your state function.
  • A governance mechanism that could manage a DAO that is responsible for allocating your on-chain treasury.

Read the full Polkadot & Kusama Builders Starter's Guide for more information on building a blockchain for your Hackusama hackathon project!

Don’t forget - Submissions are due August 14th at 11:45pm UTC. (Find out what time this is in your city)

Good luck and happy building!

Questions?

If you have any questions about the hackathon, please post on the discussion forum.