Core +: Developing Software to Run on EOSIO
Better tooling, documentation, SDKs, and libraries for simplifying and improving the developer experience on EOSIO.
EOS runs on the best blockchain technology in the world but making it easy for applications to run on it remains a problem. This is what the Core+ Working Group is setting out to solve.
One of the core strengths of EOSIO is its speed and performance. It was touted from the very beginning as a developer’s dream because it is faster and more powerful than other rival blockchains. Indeed, one of the main reasons EOSIO developers have given for not migrating to other blockchain stacks is simply because it wouldn’t be possible to deliver their projects and run their applications on anything else. We firmly believe that the more applications and the more developers which use EOS, the faster this network can grow.
The key, though, will be making EOSIO accessible and developing software which can allow applications to run on the EOS blockchain. It’s an “if you build it, they will come” type scenario, in which creating the functionality to facilitate accessibility will bring more people into the ecosystem.
Simplifying the developer experience with better tooling, documentation, SDKs, and libraries will undoubtedly make EOS and other iterations of EOSIO more attractive for onboarding new dApps and developers.
About the Working Groups
The aim of the ENF sponsored working groups (WG+) is to give EOS what it has lacked since the launch of the EOS whitepaper back in 2017 — roadmap(s) for laying out the future vision and the direction of the chain moving forward. For stakeholders coming to the network there is currently nothing to look at which shows them what’s being done on EOS and where it intends to go in the future.
The working groups will play a major part in putting that in place. Collaborating with some of the most experienced people and organizations who have been working with EOS over the past three years, this will be a chance to assess what’s happening within the ecosystem, identify any potential issues, and set roadmaps for what needs to happen next.
As things stand, there are currently five ENF sponsored working groups with several more in the pipeline that will be announced in the near future:
- API+: Works on software which provides data from EOSIO for external applications.
- Core+: Development of software which allows applications to run on EOSIO.
- Wallet+: Work with software to integrate EOSIO into external applications.
- Audit+: To provide an overall framework for security analysis tooling and contract audit for EOSIO-based applications.
- EVM+: Development for EVM compatibility and economic incentives for viability on EOS.
Next Level Collaboration on EOS with Sponsored Working Groups
Introducing Core+
The goal of Core+ is to provide research and development that focuses on the developer experience and tooling which allows applications to run on EOS. This will be crucial in making the network as accessible as possible. Without this in place, it’s a bit like having the world’s best highway which is only open to a few types of cars.
As with the other working groups, leading experts from within the community are pooling their collective expertise towards a common goal. Leading the working group is Zaisan — a blockchain solutions company with outstanding experience in producing enterprise solutions, development, and security across many different blockchain ecosystems. It is the product of a formal business collaboration across EOS Amsterdam, EOS Dublin, EOS Barcelona, and Cryptolions. They already have an outstanding track record and are the core developers behind the legally compliant EOSIO based EuropeChain, my.D identity solution. They have also partnered and worked on many other projects across a wide range of blockchain platforms and work as consultants and advisors for enterprise blockchain solutions and technical educators with expertise in blockchain training and workshops.
Their extensive experience across many different blockchains make them perfect for identifying existing challenges and developing solutions for applications looking to run on EOS.
The group was initially called Docu + and took much of its inspiration from the Truffle Suite and Hardhat on Ethereum which serve as testing frameworks and developer environments. There has been a clear need within EOSIO to have similar tools available as a way to help developers automate their testing processes and make it easier for them to build applications on EOS.
The full scope of Core+ focuses on three key areas:
- Documentation and communication: Providing information and support to make it easier for people to get involved with EOS.
- Core Development: Creating a roadmap to address issues such as scalability.
- Tools: Creating tooling for the development of the EOS ecosystem.
Each of these, in different ways, will be crucial in demonstrating the value of EOS to those who will use it and giving them the tools and support they need to develop outstanding applications which will help EOS fulfil its potential.
Documentation
The first task for this group will be to create what they are calling an ‘infosphere’ evolution. As things stand, if you’re a business or developer who is new to this space and want to get involved, there is very little information telling you how you can do this and what benefits EOS brings to you.
For key decision makers, such as CEOs or managers looking at EOS, there is very little information available, such as tutorials which give them the basics of what EOS offers and what it can give them. There are a few highly generic videos from B1 which barely scrape the surface, but nothing specific.
Core+ is working on a number of initiatives to bring information which is scattered across the internet into one place. For example, there is a need for the ecosystem to aggregate all this data and to create the material which is currently missing. This will provide information and guides on issues such as how people can do specific tasks, what are the steps involved, how it works and why EOS is used.
The roadmap for the infosphere currently has two topics:
- Creating more content directed towards decision makers like CTOs and CIO level managers to understand how things work and what kind of benefits it brings for them and their business.
- Organizing tutorials, guides and even documentations on the why, into a coherent structure interactionand making it a searchable resource so people can find this information.
They will also be suggesting content for video tutorials, although they do not possess the expertise in house to produce them. However, the principal is that such videos should be developed in a way which is as accessible as possible and in which information is presented in a way which will prevent people becoming bored or disengaged. EOS Costa Rica has been identified by the working group as a team that could potentially lead on this front.
Core Development
The Core+ working group had already begun writing the material for their upcoming blue paper when Dan Larimer and the Clarionos team made their recent announcement of Mandel. The Core+ roadmap has a considerable amount of overlap with Mandel and includes a number of goals and targets — some of which are easy to achieve and others which will require more research. It is also important to note that there is an EOSIO+ working group being finalized that is comprised of principals from many other EOSIO iterations that will also be involved in guiding the EOSIO roadmap rather than core development falling under just one team such as Clarionos.
One of the major issues Core+ has identified is in scalability. For example, they currently need more research on scaling up the blockchain, especially in a horizontal way. The current EOS data size is around 21 gigabytes in size and growing — with millions of accounts and gigabytes of smart contract data. If EOS even begins to fulfil a part of its potential, these numbers will scale up which creates a burden for the blockchain. It needs solutions to scale up horizontally and find a standard way to spin off a side chain for specific jobs that are efficiently interoperable. Meanwhile, there is a considerable amount of low hanging fruit, which can make progress in the short term, such as contract pays. In this structure, application owners pay for user resources.
Tooling
An additional part of this proposal comes in tooling. There are currently three testing frameworks available — two of which were put on hold for testing due to a lack of funds. One of them is an open source project — the Hydra Testing framework — which has already existed for a couple of years, but development has stagnated due to lack of funding or compensation. Projects like this are examples of public goods that the working groups have identified as crucial infrastructure that could be built upon with a proper allocation of resources.
Core+ will also outline a number of interesting initiatives including smart contracts developed on Golang and smart contracts in RUST. These kinds of projects need to be aggregated so we know about them and how much money they need to keep running. The aim is to recognize what has already been done, what projects are in development and to make sure they don’t do anything which kills the progress which has already been achieved.
Increase EOS Awareness for Business and Enterprise
A big part of our development aims with these projects is to make EOS and EOSIO more business friendly. As things stand, awareness of the blockchain technology is sporadic among businesses and enterprises.
The reality, as anyone already working in the ecosystem knows, is that EOS can have enormous benefits for businesses. Indeed, in terms of technology it is probably the best blockchain in the world. This is a difficult barrier to cross and there is a lot of resistance. However, for EOS to move forward, we have to get the message out that EOSIO is an excellent blockchain architecture which can be immensely beneficial to businesses of all kinds. Success for EOS comes not only from being the best technology available, but by educating potential users about what it can offer and making it as easy as possible for them to develop new applications on the blockchain.
🚨#EOS Roadmap(s)🚨
For the first time since genesis, we’ve got the greatest minds funded to work together to consolidate knowledge, collaborate, research, and innovate towards a unified vision to enable $EOS to deliver on its full potential! 📈
— Yves La Rose (@BigBeardSamurai) November 19, 2021
What’s Next
The Core+ blue paper draft is nearly finalized at the time of this publication. The blue paper will be a 50+ page compilation of 12 weeks worth of research across the EOSIO and wider blockchain ecosystem that will serve as a compilation of the ecosystem’s needs and a roadmap for where we go next. Following the blue paper’s publication in late January, the EOS community will have the opportunity to review and discuss the materials to help determine where to prioritize funding to execute on the needs outlined by the Core+ working group.
Stay tuned for more deep dives into the rest of the ENF sponsored working groups!
EOS Network
The EOS Network is a 3rd generation blockchain platform powered by the EOS VM, a low-latency, highly performant, and extensible WebAssembly engine for deterministic execution of near feeless transactions; purpose-built for enabling optimal web3 user and developer experiences. EOS is the flagship blockchain and financial center of the EOSIO protocol, serving as the driving force behind multi-chain collaboration and public goods funding for tools and infrastructure through the EOS Network Foundation (ENF).
EOS Network Foundation
The EOS Network Foundation (ENF) is a not-for-profit organization that coordinates financial and non-financial support to encourage the growth and development of the EOS Network. The ENF is the hub of the EOS Network, harnessing the power of decentralization as a force for positive global change to chart a coordinated future for EOS.
