Lava Network, the first protocol for decentralized blockchain RPC and APIs, has launched its public testnet following over seven months of private testnet monitoring. They are addressing a longstanding problem in web3, using decentralization to offer high-uptime and scalable service. The protocol represents a one-stop shop for decentralized access to any chain. 

Lava Network already includes support for over 15 networks including the likes of Cosmos Hub, StarkNet, Polygon, Ethereum and Juno. Although omnichain by design, it is also focused on providing Remote Procedure Call (RPC) to underserved and emergent blockchain ecosystems such as Cosmos and Ethereum Layer 2s. Anyone is able to easily propose new chains; in the future, support for these specifications will be implemented by open-source contributors and serviced by incentivized providers.

Yair Cleper, CEO of Lava Network said: “To interact with a blockchain, you need to access nodes via a client-server communication protocol called RPC. Especially if you want to build on different chains, RPC service is a fragmented experience - developers either use rate-limited public endpoints, run their own nodes or, as is typically the case, rely on centralized providers. Lava powers the open standard for RPC and APIs on any chain. 

We are building the best API tools for blockchain access, including a protocol which connects apps peer-to-peer with a decentralized network of RPC providers. Support for new chains can quickly scale to meet market demand, and providers are incentivized to offer service as soon as new specifications are introduced. We also reduce reliance on any single authority, maximizing privacy and data integrity. Decentralization is the means to a higher quality of service than any individual centralized provider can offer.”

Using cryptographically-signed messages and token-aligned incentives for service accountability, Lava Network removes trust assumptions with blockchain APIs. The protocol coordinates a decentralized network of top-tier API providers that developers can subscribe to for access to any blockchain. Providers are rewarded for their quality of service and incentivized to offer maximum speed, data integrity and uptime. Session pairings are regularly changed according to quality of service, so anyone can query or send transactions on-chain without being profiled or frontran. The protocol, paired with the Lava Blockchain which is built using the renowned Cosmos SDK, together create a peer-to-peer, decentralized network for blockchain read/write.

Gil Binder, CTO of Lava Network said: “When I was working on MEV, it struck me that all the blockchain data I consumed emanated from only a small handful of node providers. These entities have full visibility into your queries, and users are expected to rely on trust-based data that can’t be verified as originating from the blockchain. Scalability is also an issue, as relying on one or two providers or even your own nodes is often impractical for large volumes of traffic. Lava coordinates apps and providers into an open network for blockchain access, where each provider is rewarded according to their quality of service and any chain can quickly bootstrap their RPC access for developers.”