Polkadot Wiki
Explore in-depth information on Polkadot’s technical principles and key components powering its ecosystem Polkadot Wiki
Polkadot Ecosystem
Polkadot Ecosystem Atlas
All the Polkadot Ecosystem Curated in One Place
The hottest dApps, solution providers, enterprises, and ecosystem enablers — guilds, VCs, accelerators, and incubators — in one place.
Ecosystem Growth at brightest glance
Dive into key growth metrics showcasing the Polkadot ecosystem's rapid evolution.
100+
Projects Deployed
10+
DAOs Created
1000+
Developers Community
Polkadot Tools
Esential infrastructure for interacting with and building on the Polkadot network:
- From secure wallets to manage digital assets to block explorers for detailed insights into network activity.
- Developers can kickstart their journey with robust frameworks and APIs under the Development section, while DAO tools empower communities to effectively govern their projects.
Polkadot Dapps
The Polkadot ecosystem features a vibrant array of decentralized applications (DApps) catering to diverse industries. DeFi platforms redefine financial systems, while NFT marketplaces and gaming DApps offer immersive digital asset and entertainment experiences. DePin projects advance decentralized physical infrastructure, and social DApps foster community engagement. Additionally, storage solutions, smart contract ecosystems, and cutting-edge AI DApps underline the adaptability and innovation thriving within the Polkadot ecosystem.
Polkadot Community
The Polkadot Ecosystem Hub highlights the collective strength and innovation driving the network’s growth. Explore impactful DAOs and collectives, discover organizations shaping the future of Web3, and connect with key initiatives advancing the ecosystem. For newcomers, the hub offers a comprehensive library of resources to learn, grow, and actively contribute to Polkadot’s vision of a decentralized internet.
ELI5: What is the Polkadot ecosystem?
Polkadot is a network of blockchains. A central relay chain provides shared security; specialized parachains plug in to add capabilities (DeFi, identity, gaming, etc.). XCM is the native messaging standard for moving assets and instructions across chains. Asset Hub is a system chain for issuing and managing tokens/NFTs that other chains can use; some networks support paying fees in non-native assets via asset-conversion pools.
How the ecosystem is organized
- Relay Chain: Security & coordination; not for dapps.
- System Chains:
- Asset Hub for assets/NFTs and fee-payment features via conversion pools.
- Bridge Hub for connecting Polkadot to external ecosystems via light-client or verified bridges.
- Parachains: App-specific chains for DeFi, identity, gaming, compute, storage, social, RWA/DePIN, etc.
- Routing: XCM for intra-Polkadot transfers/instructions; bridges for external chains.
- Portals & Tools: Wallets, explorers, OpenGov dashboards, SDKs, APIs, indexers, oracles.
Ecosystem growth at a glance
Use these as placeholder metrics for your monthly snapshot (update cadence: monthly).
- 100+ projects deployed (active parachains, appchains, dapps).
- 10+ DAOs created and coordinating via OpenGov or on-chain collectives.
- 1,000+ developers across tooling, runtimes, smart contracts, and analytics.
Core user tools
Wallets
Purpose: Account creation, key management, transfers, staking, governance, dapp connections.
- Talisman: Extension/mobile; multi-chain UX; portfolio & DeFi views; NFT support; strong Polkadot + EVM coverage.
- SubWallet: Extension/mobile; Polkadot-first UX; broad parachain coverage; staking & governance flows; open-source ethos.
- Nova Wallet: Mobile-first; non-custodial; staking and governance built-in; crisp mobile UX for Polkadot/Kusama users.
Selection notes:
- Want a dashboard feel inside the wallet? Try Talisman.
- Want Polkadot-centric UX with wide parachain support? Try SubWallet.
- Prefer mobile-first with strong staking/governance? Try Nova.
Block explorers
Purpose: Verify transactions (extrinsics), events, accounts, balances, asset origins.
- Subscan: Broad multi-network coverage (relay chain, Asset Hub, many parachains); familiar UI for quick lookups.
- Statescan: Open-source explorer; self-hostable; developer-friendly for custom deployments and integrations.
Pro tip: Cross-check important transactions on two explorers when in doubt.
Governance & OpenGov portals
Purpose: Discover proposals (referenda), discuss, delegate, and vote.
- Polkassembly: Proposal pages with on-chain data + discussion; delegation & notification features.
- Subsquare: Alternative portal with stats dashboards, track views, alerts.
- Polkadot Wiki (concepts): Clear explanations for tracks, convictions, time-locks, and delegation approaches.
- Polkadot.js apps (advanced): Power-user interface for direct extrinsics and governance calls.
Getting started: Use a portal to delegate per track (e.g., Treasury vs. Root) to different trusted voters before you vote directly.
Developer stack & infra
Runtime & chains
- Polkadot SDK (formerly Substrate): Rust framework to build parachains/appchains. Flexible pallets, FRAME, off-chain workers.
- Runtime pallets: Assets, balances, staking, democracy/gov, XCM, custom domain logic.
Smart contracts
- ink! (Wasm): Rust-native smart contracts on Substrate-based chains.
- EVM / PolkaVM paths: Deploy Solidity using Foundry-Polkadot or Hardhat integrations; or target EVM-compatible parachains.
APIs & clients
- polkadot.js API (TS): Query chain state and submit extrinsics programmatically.
- RPC & indexing:
- Subsquid and SubQuery for indexing/graph layers.
- Full nodes via multiple providers; GeoDNS and multi-provider endpoints are common for production.
Bridges & interop
- Snowbridge (Ethereum↔Polkadot): Light-client, trust-minimized bridge approach.
- Message bridges via parachains: Additional routes to external ecosystems depending on chain integrations.
Oracles & data
- DIA, Band, API3 (availability varies by parachain).
- On-chain randomness via VRF on chains that expose it.
Contributing to the Ecosystem?
List your project
Empower your vision and showcase your impact. List your project to gain visibility, connect
with collaborators, and contribute to the growth of the thriving blockchain ecosystem.
Submit Project
Dapps: what you’ll actually use
DeFi
- Hydration (ex-HydraDX): Cross-chain AMM/DEX focus; deep liquidity pools; routing for Asset Hub assets; portfolio of pools/omnipools.
- Bifrost: Liquid staking derivatives and cross-chain DeFi utilities; supports staking flows and yield strategies.
- Moonbeam: EVM smart-contract hub with DeFi protocols, routing and bridges to Ethereum ecosystem.
What to know: Asset origin matters. Assets issued on Asset Hub vs a parachain can behave differently for fees, transfers, and routing.
Liquid staking & yield
- Bifrost: vDOT and other LSDs; cross-chain yield strategies.
- Lido-style providers on parachains (varies): Some chains expose staking derivatives with parachain-specific mechanics.
- Native staking: Solo nominating or pooled staking options through wallets or portals.
NFTs & marketplaces
- Unique Network: NFT-specialized parachain with features like nested NFTs, collections, and flexible ownership models.
- RMRK-style standards (varies by chain): Multi-resource NFT compositions where supported.
- Moonbeam / Astar marketplaces: EVM-style NFT markets and tooling in their ecosystems.
Gaming
- Ajuna / Astar / Moonbeam gaming ecosystems: Mix of EVM and Substrate tooling for in-game assets, marketplaces, and auth.
- Randomness & oracles: Some games leverage on-chain VRF or oracles to prove fairness.
Identity & credentials
- KILT Protocol: Self-sovereign identity with verifiable credentials; common for KYC-light access and reputation models.
- Web3 identity primitives: On-chain identities, off-chain attestations tied to addresses, decentralized identifiers.
Social & content
- Frequency / decentralized social protocols: Data portability and user-owned social graphs; messaging & content layers.
- Creator tools & media DAOs: Community-run media, grants, and curation initiatives forming around the ecosystem.
RWA & DePIN
- Centrifuge: On-chain financing rails for real-world assets (credit, invoices, etc.).
- Phala Network: Decentralized compute with privacy-preserving execution and off-chain workers.
- Storage/Data (varies): Crust (IPFS persistence), CESS-style networks (storage + delivery), DA layers used by rollups (where applicable).
- Energy/IoT: Emerging projects connecting devices and energy assets; models vary by parachain and compliance needs.
Feature comparison tables
Wallets
| Wallet | Platforms | OpenGov voting/delegation | Security model | Multi-chain scope | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova | iOS, Android | Yes | Ledger, watch-only | 100+ networks | Mobile-first UX; staking; WalletConnect |
| Talisman | Browser ext + web | Via portals | Ledger; Vault integration | Polkadot + EVM + Solana | Clean UX; DeFi/staking; portfolio |
| SubWallet | Extension, Mobile | Yes | Ledger (Generic app) | Polkadot/Substrate + EVM | Broad coverage; desktop + mobile |
| Polkadot Vault | iOS/Android (offline) | Via QR with connected UI | Air-gapped signer | Substrate family | High-security signing for teams |
Block Explorers
| Explorer | Scope | Open source | Strengths | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscan | Substrate ecosystem | Partial | Deep chain data, events/extrinsics, APIs | Daily driver for accounts/extrinsics |
| Statescan | Polkadot/Kusama + parachains | Yes | Asset-centric views; system chains | Asset tracking, uniques, Asset Hub |
| XCSCAN | Cross-chain (XCM) | Yes | Visualizes full XCM paths | Debugging cross-chain transfers. |
Governance portals
| Tool | Role | What it adds | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polkassembly | Forum + voting/delegation UI | Proposal creation, threads, turnout/threshold UI | Drafting, discussing, voting on referenda |
| Subsquare | OpenGov portal | Visual vote bubbles, tally history, identity search | Side-by-side analysis and voting |
Mini-guide: 0→1 setup in 15 minutes
- Install a wallet Choose Talisman (dashboard feel), SubWallet (Polkadot-centric), or Nova (mobile). Create a new account; store the seed offline.
- Enable networks Toggle Polkadot, Asset Hub, and 1–2 parachains you’ll actually use (e.g., a DeFi chain and an identity chain).
- Fund your account Obtain a small amount of DOT for fees. Some actions may allow fee payment in a supported asset when conversion pools exist—but don’t rely on it.
- Bookmark an explorer Paste your address into Subscan or Statescan; learn to read extrinsics (transactions) and events (state changes).
- Try OpenGov (read-only → delegate) Review referenda; delegate by track to a trusted voter before direct voting.
- Do a safe first transfer Move a small amount between Asset Hub and a parachain. Note any fees and the reported asset origin.
- For builders Decide runtime vs contracts: Polkadot SDK (Rust) or ink!/Solidity. For Solidity, test Foundry-Polkadot or Hardhat paths and set up Subsquid/SubQuery indexing if needed.
Common pitfalls & tips
- Asset origin confusion: An asset minted on Asset Hub vs on a parachain may route and charge fees differently. Always check origin in your explorer.
- Fees in any asset ≠ universal: Fee conversion depends on pools and chain support. Keep DOT handy.
- One explorer isn’t enough: Cross-check significant transfers on two explorers.
- Governance overwhelm: Start with per-track delegation to reputable voters; escalate to direct voting later.
- Runtime vs contracts: Building a parachain offers maximal control but higher complexity; contracts are faster to ship but bound by chain limits.
- Bridges: Treat as production infra; start with test amounts, monitor confirmations, and document your playbooks.
+Ecosystem Resources:
Polkadot Website
Discover Polkadot’s vision, innovative ecosystem, and its role in the future of decentralized technologies.
Polkadot.com
FAQs
1) What is Asset Hub and why should I care? A system chain for creating and managing tokens/NFTs used across Polkadot. It can also enable fee-payment in supported assets when conversion pools exist.
2) How does OpenGov differ from typical governance? Proposals are grouped into tracks with different risk profiles. You can delegate per track to different experts instead of a single all-purpose delegate.
3) Which wallet should I start with? Talisman for a dashboard feel, Nova for mobile-first usage, SubWallet for Polkadot-centric workflows.
4) What’s the canonical explorer? There isn’t one “official” for all chains. Subscan covers many networks; Statescan is open-source and self-hostable.
5) How do I move assets to/from Ethereum? Use trust-minimized routes where available (e.g., light-client bridges). Always test with small amounts and document your steps.
6) Can Solidity developers deploy on Polkadot? Yes. Use Solidity→PolkaVM/EVM paths (Foundry/Hardhat integrations) or build with ink! on Wasm chains.
7) Is Hydration the same as HydraDX? Yes—HydraDX rebranded to Hydration; you may still see both names referenced.
Conclusion
Polkadot’s power comes from specialization + composition: app-specific chains working together through shared security and XCM. With the right wallet, explorer, and governance portal, power users can move assets across chains, pay fees efficiently, and help steer the ecosystem. Builders can ship faster by choosing the right path—runtime (Polkadot SDK) or contracts (ink!/Solidity)—and plugging in indexing, oracles, and bridges as needed.
Next steps:
- Explore the Tools, Dapps, and Community directories.
- List your project to boost discoverability and collaboration.
- Delegate in OpenGov to align outcomes with what you value.