On-chain Analytic Infrastructure for the EVM Pallet

Astar Astar Initiatives
1

Hi everyone, we are Protofire.

We recently deployed an on-chain data analytic infrastructure for the EVM pallet on the Astar network. It’s called Astar Subgraph Hosted Service .

This project brings The Graph protocol services, the #1 open-source data indexing standard for all three Astar Networks: Astar, Shibuya & Shiden.

Motivation

To onboard developers, networks must provide developers with essential building blocks. We call them a “Minimum Viable Infrastructure.” Without offering essential services, the unique capabilities of Astar are not fully available to consume. The Graph is one of these essential blocks!

The goal of this project is to:

  • Provide a secure, timely & accurate on-chain data service to the network users & Dapps.
  • Have a scalable platform in a fast-growing ecosystem.
  • Rely on a robust decentralized infrastructure and simultaneously access high-availability data service.
  • Implement an infrastructure in the cloud based on the best practices.

About Protofire

ProtoFire helps decentralized protocols and developer platforms accelerate the growth of their ecosystems. By delivering hands-on coding and contributions, Protofire specializes in supercharging developer adoption and network usage.

We are an active member of The Graph ecosystem, the second-largest indexer on the public network. We also expand The Graph infrastructure where is unavailable or special requirements or dedicated support are needed.

About The Graph

The Graph is a decentralized protocol for indexing and querying blockchain data. The Graph makes it possible to query data that is hard to query directly.

Projects with complex smart contracts store data in such a way making it difficult to read anything other than basic data directly from the blockchain.

The Graph solves this with a decentralized protocol that indexes and enables the performant and efficient querying of blockchain data. These APIs (indexed “subgraphs”) can then be queried with a standard GraphQL API.

Developers build subgraphs and publish them to The Graph infrastructure. Then, they query live subgraphs with GraphQL to power their applications.

Project

During two months Protofire’s DevOps team worked hard to implement a thegraph cluster to index and query EVM-pallet from all three Astar networks.

To have a scalable, automated & flexible infrastructure we used Kubernetes to run the service, Terraform to automate all services and deployments, and GitHub to automate all your software workflows with world-class CI/CD.

Now we are providing the maintenance to keep these services running. This service includes the following activities:

  • Support regarding any incident related to The Graph Cluster.
  • Specific infrastructure tasks required by Astar.
  • Upgrades for any application running in the cluster like Datadog, Index and queries nodes, etc.
  • Infrastructure advisory service & updates about the infrastructure ecosystem.

With this infrastructure, the Astar community can deploy subgraphs for their smart contracts and provide query services to their applications.

Screenshot 2023-08-30 at 09.36.25
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Here is the landing page to perform these actions: https://sub.graph.astar.network/

To learn more about subgraphs you can come to the TheGraph Academy or read this tutorial.

You can also reach us by email at contact@protofire.io

Being a part of the dApp Staking program would be an honor and the rewards will be a great mechanism to incentivize our node members to keep committed in order to proactively improve Astar’s ecosystem.

1 Like
2

It’s amazing to witness applications like The Graph integrated into the Astar ecosystem, showcasing the platform’s evolution and the potential to significantly expedite the network’s development process. Congratulations to the team.

I would like to ask:

  1. What specific challenges did Protofire encounter while implementing The Graph cluster to index and query EVM-pallet from Astar network, and how were these challenges overcome through the infrastructure setup?

  2. I would like a more detailed explanation of how the revenues from dApp staking will be utilized and how the team plans to attract more stakers to their dApp, thereby increasing their potential earnings?

3

Thank you very much for your interest in dApp staking. in general, I like the idea of support the Astar eco. A few questions on my side:

  1. I would like to hear some more details about “Minimum Viable Infrastructure”
  2. Could you please share what are the expected benefits for Astar network users from this project? So that we can attract more users to stake Astar and support your dApp.
  3. How many developers/projects used your service for now? and any plan to attract more developers/projects?
  4. When I tried the : https://sub.graph.astar.network/ and select Astar network, it seems nothing is happened, is that expected?
    Screen Shot 2023-10-09 at 12.41.24 PM
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4

Hi Diego,

Thanks for the proposal. I think this is the second time you’re submitting this proposal if I’m not wrong. However, it shows commitment and readiness to improve and deliver.

Regardless, there are some things that are still not clear to me.

  1. You mentioned that the project "brings the Graph protocol services for all three Astar Networks: Astar, Shibuya and Shiden. How ? Are you in collaboration with them or you’re just using their API, how exactly are you working with the Graph protocol?

  2. You recently deployed an On-chain data analytic infrastructure for EVM pallet on Astar, what about WASM, is it compatible with WebAssembly or only EVM ?

  3. Show us your metrics so far since your deployment on Astar?

Of course, data is crucial for web3 protocols because that’s what smart investors and entrepreneurs look at before they make investment decisions.

Thanks.

5

Hello Distrupto1,
I want to express my appreciation for your warm comment. Integrating various technologies is always a demanding task. In this particular situation, our prior experience as an Indexer & Integrator has instilled a great deal of confidence in our technical capabilities. However, the real challenge lies in the community aspect.
Simply offering tutorials and learning materials isn’t enough to motivate the community to harness this technology. To address this, we plan to conduct talks and technical sessions to demonstrate how easy it is for anyone to deploy a subgraph within this infrastructure. Additionally, we will maintain an open line of communication to address any questions or provide support.
Regarding the DApp Staking Program, our initial funds allocation will be directed towards infrastructure and service maintenance. Beyond that, we intend to allocate resources for further development initiatives, such as integration with the contract pallet.

1 Like
6

Hello Cmalize,

I want to express my gratitude for giving us a second chance!

We have been part of The Graph’s journey from the very beginning, establishing ourselves as one of the original contributors. Today, we proudly stand as the second-largest Indexer, with the trust of over 3000 delegators. Our extensive experience has equipped us with the expertise to operate The Graph’s infrastructure in a hosted fashion and extend this service to networks that have yet to integrate with them. Specifically, we are deploying dedicated infrastructure for Astar.

Regarding your second point, we are indeed planning to incorporate integrations, including the one you mentioned, into our roadmap. Our initial allocation of funds will primarily focus on infrastructure and service maintenance. However, we are committed to dedicating resources to further development initiatives, such as integrating with the contract pallet.

As for the metrics you requested, I don’t have them readily available at the moment. However, I will promptly reach out to our team to provide you with the requested information!

7

Hi DrCAO,

“Minimum Viable Infrastructure” is a concept that refers to all the minimum components that blockchain, L1 or L2, should have to be eligible by protocols to deploy. Without offering these essential services, the unique capabilities of a Network are not available to consume. Oracles, multi-sigs, on-chain data analytics like The Graph, are the obvious components.

The main benefits are:

  1. No need to deploy your own infrastructure to feed on-chain data.
  2. Rely on a standard & proven technology to feed on-chain data.
  3. Reduces the barry of entry for protocols & EVM developers.
  4. Makes Astar Network closet to one of the main protocols in web3.

This service has just launched on Astar, so we don’t have many developers onboard yet. But globally, it’s huge, hundreds of protocols & thousands of developers use it every day. +1000 subgraphs are been indexed in mainnet.
To attract Astar Developers, we plan to give talks and technical sessions to demonstrate how easy it is for anyone to deploy a subgraph within this infrastructure. Additionally, we will maintain an open line of communication to address any questions or provide support.
Finally, we had a credential problem in the last webpage upgrade. Working on that now! The page will be online anytime!
Thanks!
Diego

8

Hello @DiegoTowers,
As developer, I regulary use SubQuery and Subsquid.
These products use The Graph technology as well and are available on Shibuya/Shiden/Astar with the support of substrate, evm contracts and wasm contracts.
What is your plan to bring developers to your platform knowing that SubQuery and Subsquid already provide very good products, a hosted service, with quality documentation and support?
For developers, what is your added value compared to these “competitors”?

9

Thank you for your question! I believe it touches on several important aspects.
Firstly, redundancy and competition are fundamental principles of a free market. Introducing additional tools to an ecosystem consistently enhances its value, promotes decentralization, and bolsters its robustness. For instance, having more than one software client in a network serves as a backup and a means to prevent centralization, among other benefits.
Secondly, one could make the argument that providing EVM protocols with the familiar stack they are accustomed to, lowers the barriers to entry for them to join the Astar ecosystem.
Thirdly, even though SubQuery and Subsquid are great tools, we also use them in some of our solutions, The Graph is a BlueChip Protocol with an extensive track record and a huge community that is working daily to improve the protocol and spread adoption!
Lastly, having been connected to a The Graph Hosted Service, in this case provided by Protofire, makes Astar closer to being eligible for the The Graph Public Network.

Diego

10

Protofire’s proposal to deploy The Graph on the Astar network is a promising move. It improves data services and query capabilities, aligns with the network’s goals, and offers incentives for node members, promoting ecosystem growth. Looking forward to hear more from you!

1 Like
11

Thanks Matt! We are eager to bring adoption & functionality to the Astar ecosystem!

12
Join Astar dApp Staking
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters
1 Like
13

Hey guys, If I’m not mistaken, your team is making some kind of SC wizard for WASM? Is that right?

14

The project looks pretty good. I would like to ask some additional questions.

  1. Who are the target users of the project? What benefits will users receive from this project?

  2. Can you give me some examples of the project’s past work? How was the performance or feedback?

  3. Who are the direct competitors of the project? What are the pros and cons of the project?

15

Voted yes!

Protofire’s hands-on contributions and expertise in supercharging developer adoption for decentralized protocols, especially evident in their collaboration with The Graph, demonstrate a commitment to overcoming complex blockchain data challenges, enabling efficient querying, and empowering communities like Astar with scalable solutions.

1 Like
16

Hey!!
Yes, you are not mistaken.
Now we are working on the second release, which I hope will come by this month’s end!
Here is the current version link: https://contractwizard.xyz/

1 Like
17

Hi BloomBLB, thanks for the questions!

About the target, there are two sides. From the development side, we aim to attract full-stack developers, and data analytic developers from two very different places: first Astar’s current developers and second EVM developers who are familiar with this technology! So we not only bring a tool for the current community but also ease the process of onboarding foreign developers.
The Graph tech is well-proven in the Ethereum ecosystem. It is the main source of on-chain data in EVM ecosystems, most of dapps rely on this technology to show analytics to its users.
For Protofire, I can say that we are OGs in this technology not only as a provider but also developing +50 subgraphs for protocols.
We can state that the graph competes with SubQuery and Subsquid, but I firmly believe that they complement in the sense multiple alternatives to perform the same action is a strength and makes the whole ecosystem more robust.

1 Like
18

I believe that making the data more accessible will benefit us. I am a supporter of decentralisation and it is very good that the utilities you use are like this (such as grapf)

I Vote Yes

1 Like
19

Glad to support this proposal :smiley:

1 Like
20

Congrats!! The voting is passed. To proceed with the registration, please do the following:

  1. Have a native substrate account with transferrable 1001 ASTR. Share the address here.
  2. Have a verified smart contract and share the contract address here.
  3. Add #astar-network, #dAppStaking tags to your GitHub repo.
  4. Fill the form to be added to the Ecosystem Page on the Astar Network website. Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIYRpuj2sTT22cJyP7CFfXkIwKmhwJvCGEO96-Bq2S2lKi_g/viewform

We will whitelist the addresses.

1 Like