Interpretation of Gavin Wood's latest speech in vernacular: Polkadot under the new paradigm

Original Author: Solaire, YBB Capital

Introduction

“The only true voyage of discovery, the only fountain of Eternal Youth, would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes.”

This is a famous quote from the French writer Marcel Proust, from his novel "Remembrance of Things Past". The Chinese meaning of this sentence is that the real journey of discovery is not to find new continents, but to see things from a new perspective.

At the Polkadot Decoded conference on June 28, Polkadot founder Gavin Wood took this sentence as the core of his speech, looking at Polkadot from a new perspective. He suggested that Polkadot should be regarded as a multi-core computer, focusing on providing lower-level resources for the blockchain, that is, the computing core, not just the original parachain and relay chain.

This article will use Gavin Wood's latest speech to interpret Polkadot under a new paradigm in an easy-to-understand way.

Polkadot under the traditional paradigm

Before understanding Gavin Wood's thoughts on Polkadot's new direction, we need to review the current Polkadot network composition and slot auction.

Polkadot's network structure consists of several main parts:

**1. Relay Chain: **The heart of Polkadot, responsible for ensuring the security of the entire network, handling cross-chain transactions and sharing security;

**2. Parachains (Parachains): **Multiple independent chains connected to the relay chain. Each parachain has its own on-chain logic and functionality, and can be designed to perform any specific purpose, such as data storage, identity verification, or financial transactions;

Allows the Polkadot network to communicate with external blockchains (such as Bitcoin and Ethereum) to achieve cross-chain interoperability.

Its composition can be understood as the following figure

In Polkadot's network, different blockchains (called parallel chains or Parachains) can be connected to a unified relay chain (Relay Chain). This relay chain is responsible for securing the entire network and handling cross-chain transactions. This means that different parallel chains can communicate and interact with each other, achieving cross-chain interoperability.

In Polkadot's network, the resources of the relay chain are limited, which means that only a limited number of parallel chains can be connected to the relay chain at the same time. These connectable locations are called "slots" (Slots). In order to fairly decide which parachains can get these slots, Polkadot introduces a mechanism called "slot auction". In this auction, parachains wishing to get a slot need to bid, and the parachain that offers the highest bid will get the slot. Bidding is done in DOT, Polkadot's native token. Once a parachain wins the auction, it can use the slot for a period of time (say, two years). During this time, the parachain can perform its operations and interact with the relay chain as well as other parachains. When this period ends, the parachain needs to participate in the auction again to keep its slot, or give it up to other bidders.

A simple understanding of the Polkadot network is like a lot of Lego blocks. Each building block is like a small network ("parallel chain"). Each network has its own tasks and functions. For example, some may be used to record people's names, and some may be used to store game data. score, and so on. These little networks can all work independently and do their own thing. However, these small networks sometimes need to communicate with each other, for example, one small network needs to know the game score of another network. At this time, a large network ("relay chain") is needed to help them communicate with each other. This big network is like a super building block connector, connecting all the small building blocks (small networks) together so that they can pass information to each other. The so-called parachain slot auction means that the connector interface of this super building block has an upper limit. In order to decide who can use these interfaces (that is, slots) fairly, the interface needs to be auctioned before it can be rented.

Although this composition method is safer and more interoperable than Cosmos' IBC standard, the high threshold of slot auctions is a pressure for both the community and developers, which leads to the diversity of the Polkadot ecosystem. It is far less scalable than Cosmos, and the current main usage scenarios of Polkadot tokens are only to participate in slot auctions, governance, or security mortgages. In these usage scenarios, DOT is only pledged and not irretrievable, so DOT is currently almost non-existent. In the consumption scenario, the product form provided is only a parachain slot auction, and there are also problems in the economic system. And Gavin Wood's latest speech reminds everyone to look at Polkadot from a new perspective, and how to solve the current pain points of Polkadot in this way.

Polkadot multicore computer

As mentioned above, the current Polkadot relay chain is like a super building block connector. Its primary responsibility is to ensure the security and interoperability of the parachain. From this perspective, Polkadot is more like a blockchain hosting platform , and from Gavin Wood's new perspective, Polkadot can be seen as a multi-core computer that can run for a long time. Developers can build applications through this computer, and users can use applications through this computer. In this computer, each core can run at the same time to complete different tasks. The blockchain running on one core is a parachain. , a parachain is a chain that runs continuously on a reserved core. This is like our computer, different programs can run on different processors without affecting each other. Under this new understanding paradigm, the concept of relay chain disappears and is replaced by core and parachain.

Multi-core computer performance

According to Wood's description, the Polkadot computer currently has about 50 cores running continuously, and they can operate in parallel. According to benchmarks, and Wood's thoughts on optimization, the number of cores will reach several hundred (500-1000) in the next few years. For these cores we can think of it as a multi-core CPU, they have bandwidth (the total amount of data in and out of the core) and computing power, the current performance bandwidth is 1 Mb/s, computing power in Geekbench 5 (a popular cross-platform A benchmarking tool that benchmarks a computer's central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU)) with a score of 380 and a latency (time interval between execution of two consecutive blocks of work) of 6 seconds. With the development of hardware, bandwidth and computing power will continue to increase.

Imagination under the new paradigm

These cores are not limited to running parallel chains. By changing the perspective and thinking paradigm, we can imagine running smart contracts directly on the core in the future. Compared with running on smart contract chains (such as Ethereum), whether it is cost or computing power , multi-core computers can do better. Their versatility is very good. As a continuously operating world computer, Polkadot has more room for imagination than the chain.

From blockchain to block space (Block Space) - core time (Core Time)

Let's first use the following picture to briefly understand what is nuclear and nuclear time

As shown in the figure, you can see that there are five rows of parallel squares with different colors, each row is a nucleus, and each square can be called nuclear time (this kind of evolution from chain to space), and the color on each row It represents different parallel chains, such as blue parallel chains and green parallel chains. There are a total of 5 parachains on the graph, each of which uses a core. The usage on the picture is also the current usage of Polkadot, but in fact the kernel can be used in many ways.

For example, parachains can be shuffled across any available core without affecting performance. According to this characteristic, there are many ways to use the core, which Wood calls exotic scheduling.

range split

As shown in the figure, each core has 11 core times (hypothesis), we can divide them into ranges, for example, the first line of core orange parachains runs six core times, when it does not need to process transactions, it can let Give the blue parachains time to run the remaining five cores. The fourth line of cores demonstrates the situation where three parachains run on one core. Of course, it can be more complicated, such as five or six parachains running on one core. superior.

scope layering

Wood calls it layering here. Our understanding can be simpler. This is a way to change the ordering of core time usage. The first and second lines demonstrate that two parachains take turns on one core. In the case of use, the third row is the case of running the light blue parachain for two-thirds of the time and the yellow parachain for one-third of the time, and the fourth row demonstrates that the three parachains share the usage time equally on one core Case.

core compression

Core compression means that the same core processes or verifies multiple blocks at the same time. In other words, it's like a super-efficient factory that simultaneously produces multiple products on one production line to increase production efficiency and reduce waiting time.

multi-core allocation

Multi-core allocation, this part is somewhat similar to the combination of elastic server and fixed server or the parallel computing of CPU, which is used to deal with complex situations (Wood exemplifies the situation where the same paraID and the same task are assigned to multiple cores), such as Figure blue or orange parachains, they have a core for long-term fixed use and cores for intermittent use, so as to process two blocks in a period of time. The pink color is a combination of intermittent use of cores and additional allocation of cores, which can be used to deal with high transaction throughput.

Multi-chain one core

Different from layered operation, in the future, multi-chain one-core will put two or three parallel chains on one core for complete use, so as to share the cost of one core.

combination

All the above-mentioned methods can be combined, just like Lego assembly, by combining different forms of cores, parachains with different needs can form countless usages, forming an extremely flexible and ubiquitous computing power.

Kernel Time Economy under Elastic Polkadot

By understanding the usage of the kernel, we also understand that the kernel has multiple elastic usages. According to the needs of different parachains, they can be combined freely, so Polkadot’s previous high-threshold slot auction can be transformed into a nuclear auction. This method is like choosing a server on Amazon Cloud today. You can adjust the lease term and the number of servers according to your needs. The performance of Polkadot can also be better utilized through flexible selection methods.

Based on this, Gavin Wood proposed two possible models, batch purchase and instant purchase, and also introduced some new concepts: nuclear time assets and Axiom (broker).

nuclear time asset

• No need to deploy or distribute directly
• Nuclear time is essentially homogeneous, but can be divided into different non-homogeneous assets (can be directly compared to NFT)
• It can be traded and can be assigned to one or more parallel chains

Axiom (Broker)

• A proprietary broker parachain system
• The broker parachain system can purchase a large block of core time and divide it into multiple smaller core time
• Broker parachains can expose these non-homogeneous assets on other parachains for trading
• Small blocks of core time after purchase are consumed on broker parachains to allow owners to allocate computing resources on Polkadot's cores

After understanding the above two concepts, let’s take a look at bulk purchase and instant purchase. The form of bulk purchase is to sell once a month, and sell one month’s nuclear time assets at a uniform price each time. The sale target is set at 75% of the available cores, which may fluctuate, and the price will be adjusted up and down according to the deviation from the target. Unleased cores will enter the immediate market, and there may be special care for existing parachain tenants. After bulk purchase, the remaining cores will enter the instant market and be sold through brokers. The goal is to achieve 100% utilization of the core time. Small blocks of core time in the instant market can be used to increase transaction throughput and reduce latency (the current parachain One block every 12 seconds, can be compressed to 6 seconds through multi-core allocation), and more things can be done such as core contracts. For those who want to use a core for a long time, the broker will record the past purchase price for reference in the next month. Buyers can choose to purchase core time or more core time at the same or similar price. In this way, they can budget well cycle costs and risks.

For the impact of existing parachains, leases remain as usual, and nuclear time purchase pricing is determined by governance. Wood believes there should be a very low starting price to lower barriers to entry, and that existing tenants have the right of first refusal, with a reserve price (floor price) for the main price, which will ensure a guarantee of long-term availability. Wood also mentioned that parachains have a more flexible block generation time. In order to better understand this passage, I put Wood’s usage of nuclear time in the middle of the article. Now we have understood the flexible usage of nuclear time , It is also easy to understand what is a more flexible delivery time.

At present, Polkadot's output time is fixed at about 12 seconds, and it may reach 6 seconds after further optimization. In the future, the flexible fast time method combined with the nuclear time usage may have the following situations:

• Multiple chains and one core: multiple parallel chains share one core, and a block is generated every 12 or 18 seconds, which has the advantage of sharing costs.
• Multi-core allocation: When multi-tasking or high transaction throughput calculations are required, the parachain can automatically enter the instant market to purchase additional core time.
• Core compression: Combine multiple parallel chain blocks into the core, and the same core processes or verifies multiple blocks at the same time. Compression can reduce latency, but the cost of bandwidth will increase, and it needs to be a block The opening and closing payment fees.
• Combination: Combination has a variety of situations. Wood here gives an example that two cores perform operations at the same time, which can reduce the delay exponentially. For example, 12 seconds is reduced to 6 seconds, and 6 seconds is reduced to 3 seconds. Essentially this is a usage of multi-core allocation.

The Core-Centric Era

Many aspects of Polkadot have been controversial in the past, and the multi-core computer under the new paradigm described by Gavin Wood in the first part of his speech solves Polkadot's past problems in a new way, such as fixed slots. Resource allocation and lease, nuclear time provide options for parachains with different needs. The most criticized slot auction threshold can also be greatly reduced, thus bringing ecological diversification. By cutting nuclear time, a different way of playing with just-needed assets, Polkadot tokens and Polkadot’s economic system can be given more vitality. The different uses of cores and the multi-core computers produced after combination have given us quite a lot of room for imagination. Perhaps all controversy stems from the fact that we only see things from one angle. In fact, some problems can be solved only by changing the angle. Gavin Wood has made a perfect demonstration. Let us wait and see the new Polkadot era centered on the core.