Network
Launch Date
Consensus
Note
Sepolia
Oct 2021
PoW
Like-for-like representation of Ethereum
GĂśrli
Jan 2019
PoA
Proof-of-Authority
Kiln
Mar 2022
PoS
Post-Merge (for ETH2), shadow fork of the mainnet
Kintsugi
Dec 2021
PoS
DEPRECATED, use Kiln; post-Merge (for ETH2)
Ropsten
Nov 2016
PoW
DEPRECATED, use Sepolia; the Merge to happen on Jun 8, 2022
Rinkeby
Apr 2017
PoA
DEPRECATED, use GĂśrli and GĂśrli Faucet
Kovan
Mar 2017
PoA
DEPRECATED, use Sepolia or GĂśrli
List of active and deprecated Ethereum testnets, including Kintsugi.
Features
Optimistic rollup 
ZK-rollup 
Proof
Uses fraud proofs to prove transaction validity. 
Uses validity (zero-knowledge) proofs to prove transaction validity. 
Capital efficiency
Requires waiting through a 1-week delay (dispute period) before withdrawing funds. 
Users can withdraw funds immediately because validity proofs provide incontrovertible evidence of the authenticity of off-chain transactions. 
Data compression
Publishes full transaction data as calldata to Ethereum Mainnet, which increases rollup costs. 
Doesn't need to publish transaction data on Ethereum because ZK-SNARKs and ZK-STARKs already guarantee the accuracy of the rollup state. 
EVM compatibility
Uses a simulation of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which allows it to run arbitrary logic and support smart contracts. 
Doesn't widely support EVM computation, although a few EVM-compatible ZK-rollups have appeared. 
Rollup costs
Reduces costs since it publishes minimal data on Ethereum and doesn't have to post proofs for transactions, except in special circumstances. 
Faces higher overhead from costs involved in generating and verifying proofs for every transaction block. ZK proofs require specialized, expensive hardware to create and have high on-chain verification costs. 
Trust assumptions
Doesn't require a trusted setup. 
Requires a trusted setup to work. 
Liveness requirements
Verifiers are needed to keep tabs on the actual rollup state and the one referenced in the state root to detect fraud. 
Users don't need someone to watch the L2 chain to detect fraud. 
Security properties 
Relies on cryptoeconomic incentives to assure users of rollup security. 
Relies on cryptographic guarantees for security. 
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Wallets
WALLETCONNECT OVERVIEW

What is WalletConnect?(And How to Use It)

Use This Open Source Protocol to connect to Your Wallet
Last Updated:
April 30, 2022

WalletConnect is a single-integration, open-source protocol. Developers can use WalletConnect to enable users of over 300 wallets to log into decentralized applications they’ve created. These applications, also known as dApps, are apps hosted on decentralized networks like Ethereum. 

This article will explain the important role WalletConnect plays in the ecosystem, the technical details of the protocol, and how to use the app.

Why use WalletConnect to connect to your wallet?

Ethereum developers used to create individual integrations for each Web3 crypto wallet so that wallet users could log into their applications. However, this centralized the Ethereum ecosystem around MetaMask because developers were unlikely to code integrations for niche wallets with small user bases, punishing the first adopters of new wallets. 

WalletConnect changed this by allowing users to access over 300 different wallets for the cost of a single integration. Today, over 3000 dApps offer WalletConnect as a login option, including some of the biggest dApps in the ecosystem, such as Uniswap, OpenSea, and Rarible.

WalletConnect has enabled an explosion of creativity in wallet design and features by making it effortless for developers to open their apps up to users of all kinds of wallets. This protocol symbolizes cryptocurrency’s ethos in decentralizing power and enabling new user experiences.

What chains does WalletConnect support?

WalletConnect supports a wide range of chains, including but not limited to Ethereum, Cosmos, Polkadot, Near, Solana, Celo, and the Binance Smart Chain. For a complete list of known compatible blockchains, please consult the WalletConnect documentation.

What wallets are compatible with WalletConnect?

WalletConnect is compatible with over 300 different wallets on different platforms. Some of the most common compatible wallets include the following:

  • Metamask
  • ‍Rainbow
  • ‍Crypto.com DeFi Wallet
  • ‍Argent Wallet
  • ‍Gnosis Safe MultiSig Wallet
  • Trust Wallet
  • Ledger
  • Coinbase Wallet

How to use WalletConnect?

This section provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to use WalletConnect to connect your wallet to a decentralized application (dApp). By following the instructions outlined here, you can easily establish a connection between your wallet and any dApp compatible with WalletConnect, allowing you to interact with the dApp seamlessly.

1. Connect to a dApp with WalletConnect

Navigate to a dApp that is compatible with WalletConnect. This tutorial will use Uniswap, a decentralized finance application, and Rainbow as our dApp and wallet of choice, respectively. However, these instructions apply to any WalletConnect-compatible dApp and wallet. To begin, click on the ‘Connect Wallet’ button.

2. Select WalletConnect

Next, select WalletConnect from the options shown. A QR code will appear on your screen. By default, WalletConnect assumes users want to log in using a mobile wallet. However, if you use a desktop wallet, click the ‘Desktop’ label.

3. Scan the QR Code with Your Mobile Wallet

Take out your phone and open your mobile wallet application. In most wallets, you will find an icon that looks like a hollow square, as shown on the right side of the image below. By tapping this icon, your camera will be activated to scan the QR code. If you cannot find this icon, go to the settings menu and search for the ‘Scan QR code’ option.

4. Grant Permission to Connect 

After scanning the QR code, the dApp will request permission to connect to your wallet. This standard security measure ensures that you control your wallet and that the dApp is authorized to access it. You must confirm the connection by following the prompts on your mobile wallet. Once the connection is established, you will be able to interact with the dApp using your wallet.

5. Successfully Log in the dApp

Congratulations! You have now successfully logged into the dApp through your wallet. You can now interact with the dApp using your wallet and perform various actions such as trading, staking, or transferring funds. Remember always to follow best security practices when using your wallet and interacting with dApps to ensure the safety of your funds.

Is WalletConnect safe?

WalletConnect is safe to use. The information sent between dApps and wallets is encrypted symmetrically with a key that only these two entities possess.

The key is sent directly to the wallet from the dApp. Whether users scan through the QR code or choose deep linking with a desktop wallet, there are no intermediaries.

While a public bridge server handles information between the two, the server does not receive the key needed to decrypt the information. Furthermore, developers can host their bridge servers for full protection.

The beauty of this design is that WalletConnect does not need your seed or recovery phrase to log in to a dApp. Below is a diagram that shows the flow of information between the dApp and wallet, mediated by the bridge server.

Source

Inside the QR code is WalletConnect’s URI scheme, shown below, along with a table that explains what the variables represent.

‍

Source

WalletConnect’s Codebase

You can find WalletConnect’s codebase on the WalletConnect Github. 

How to Implement WalletConnect

For the most up-to-date instructions on implementing WalletConnect, please refer to the official documentation.

WalletConnect Alternatives and Competitors

WalletConnect does not have any direct competitors. The comparison between WalletConnect and MetaMask is a false dichotomy, as MetaMask uses WalletConnect as a login option for its mobile wallet.

Conclusion

Like WalletConnect, we at Alchemy push the ecosystem forward by making life easier for developers through our products. 

When developers stop self-hosting nodes and switch to Alchemy Supernode, they take advantage of the most widely used API for node management. Supernode provides a powerful suite of analytics and developer tools, which can speed up the debugging process and provide simple API calls for important requests. 

Explore the suite of products that support over $100 billion in transactions and some of the most popular dApps like OpenSea and NBA Top Shot at Alchemy.com.

Want more? Learn how API3 uses Alchemy in various ways, including powering WalletConnect integration on their DAO dashboard.

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Wallets
WALLETCONNECT OVERVIEW

What is WalletConnect?

Use This Open Source Protocol to connect to Your Wallet
Last Updated:
April 30, 2022
Last Updated:
August 24, 2022
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Table of Contents

WalletConnect is a single-integration, open-source protocol. Developers can use WalletConnect to enable users of over 300 wallets to log into decentralized applications they’ve created. These applications, also known as dApps, are apps hosted on decentralized networks like Ethereum. 

This article will explain the important role WalletConnect plays in the ecosystem, the technical details of the protocol, and how to use the app.

Why use WalletConnect to connect to your wallet?

Ethereum developers used to create individual integrations for each Web3 crypto wallet so that wallet users could log into their applications. However, this centralized the Ethereum ecosystem around MetaMask because developers were unlikely to code integrations for niche wallets with small user bases, punishing the first adopters of new wallets. 

WalletConnect changed this by allowing users to access over 300 different wallets for the cost of a single integration. Today, over 3000 dApps offer WalletConnect as a login option, including some of the biggest dApps in the ecosystem, such as Uniswap, OpenSea, and Rarible.

WalletConnect has enabled an explosion of creativity in wallet design and features by making it effortless for developers to open their apps up to users of all kinds of wallets. This protocol symbolizes cryptocurrency’s ethos in decentralizing power and enabling new user experiences.

What chains does WalletConnect support?

WalletConnect supports a wide range of chains, including but not limited to Ethereum, Cosmos, Polkadot, Near, Solana, Celo, and the Binance Smart Chain. For a complete list of known compatible blockchains, please consult the WalletConnect documentation.

What wallets are compatible with WalletConnect?

WalletConnect is compatible with over 300 different wallets on different platforms. Some of the most common compatible wallets include the following:

  • Metamask
  • ‍Rainbow
  • ‍Crypto.com DeFi Wallet
  • ‍Argent Wallet
  • ‍Gnosis Safe MultiSig Wallet
  • Trust Wallet
  • Ledger
  • Coinbase Wallet

How to use WalletConnect?

This section provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to use WalletConnect to connect your wallet to a decentralized application (dApp). By following the instructions outlined here, you can easily establish a connection between your wallet and any dApp compatible with WalletConnect, allowing you to interact with the dApp seamlessly.

1. Connect to a dApp with WalletConnect

Navigate to a dApp that is compatible with WalletConnect. This tutorial will use Uniswap, a decentralized finance application, and Rainbow as our dApp and wallet of choice, respectively. However, these instructions apply to any WalletConnect-compatible dApp and wallet. To begin, click on the ‘Connect Wallet’ button.

2. Select WalletConnect

Next, select WalletConnect from the options shown. A QR code will appear on your screen. By default, WalletConnect assumes users want to log in using a mobile wallet. However, if you use a desktop wallet, click the ‘Desktop’ label.

3. Scan the QR Code with Your Mobile Wallet

Take out your phone and open your mobile wallet application. In most wallets, you will find an icon that looks like a hollow square, as shown on the right side of the image below. By tapping this icon, your camera will be activated to scan the QR code. If you cannot find this icon, go to the settings menu and search for the ‘Scan QR code’ option.

4. Grant Permission to Connect 

After scanning the QR code, the dApp will request permission to connect to your wallet. This standard security measure ensures that you control your wallet and that the dApp is authorized to access it. You must confirm the connection by following the prompts on your mobile wallet. Once the connection is established, you will be able to interact with the dApp using your wallet.

5. Successfully Log in the dApp

Congratulations! You have now successfully logged into the dApp through your wallet. You can now interact with the dApp using your wallet and perform various actions such as trading, staking, or transferring funds. Remember always to follow best security practices when using your wallet and interacting with dApps to ensure the safety of your funds.

Is WalletConnect safe?

WalletConnect is safe to use. The information sent between dApps and wallets is encrypted symmetrically with a key that only these two entities possess.

The key is sent directly to the wallet from the dApp. Whether users scan through the QR code or choose deep linking with a desktop wallet, there are no intermediaries.

While a public bridge server handles information between the two, the server does not receive the key needed to decrypt the information. Furthermore, developers can host their bridge servers for full protection.

The beauty of this design is that WalletConnect does not need your seed or recovery phrase to log in to a dApp. Below is a diagram that shows the flow of information between the dApp and wallet, mediated by the bridge server.

Source

Inside the QR code is WalletConnect’s URI scheme, shown below, along with a table that explains what the variables represent.

‍

Source

WalletConnect’s Codebase

You can find WalletConnect’s codebase on the WalletConnect Github. 

How to Implement WalletConnect

For the most up-to-date instructions on implementing WalletConnect, please refer to the official documentation.

WalletConnect Alternatives and Competitors

WalletConnect does not have any direct competitors. The comparison between WalletConnect and MetaMask is a false dichotomy, as MetaMask uses WalletConnect as a login option for its mobile wallet.

Conclusion

Like WalletConnect, we at Alchemy push the ecosystem forward by making life easier for developers through our products. 

When developers stop self-hosting nodes and switch to Alchemy Supernode, they take advantage of the most widely used API for node management. Supernode provides a powerful suite of analytics and developer tools, which can speed up the debugging process and provide simple API calls for important requests. 

Explore the suite of products that support over $100 billion in transactions and some of the most popular dApps like OpenSea and NBA Top Shot at Alchemy.com.

Want more? Learn how API3 uses Alchemy in various ways, including powering WalletConnect integration on their DAO dashboard.

WalletConnect is a single-integration, open-source protocol. Developers can use WalletConnect to enable users of over 300 wallets to log into decentralized applications they’ve created. These applications, also known as dApps, are apps hosted on decentralized networks like Ethereum. 

This article will explain the important role WalletConnect plays in the ecosystem, the technical details of the protocol, and how to use the app.

Why use WalletConnect to connect to your wallet?

Ethereum developers used to create individual integrations for each Web3 crypto wallet so that wallet users could log into their applications. However, this centralized the Ethereum ecosystem around MetaMask because developers were unlikely to code integrations for niche wallets with small user bases, punishing the first adopters of new wallets. 

WalletConnect changed this by allowing users to access over 300 different wallets for the cost of a single integration. Today, over 3000 dApps offer WalletConnect as a login option, including some of the biggest dApps in the ecosystem, such as Uniswap, OpenSea, and Rarible.

WalletConnect has enabled an explosion of creativity in wallet design and features by making it effortless for developers to open their apps up to users of all kinds of wallets. This protocol symbolizes cryptocurrency’s ethos in decentralizing power and enabling new user experiences.

What chains does WalletConnect support?

WalletConnect supports a wide range of chains, including but not limited to Ethereum, Cosmos, Polkadot, Near, Solana, Celo, and the Binance Smart Chain. For a complete list of known compatible blockchains, please consult the WalletConnect documentation.

What wallets are compatible with WalletConnect?

WalletConnect is compatible with over 300 different wallets on different platforms. Some of the most common compatible wallets include the following:

  • Metamask
  • ‍Rainbow
  • ‍Crypto.com DeFi Wallet
  • ‍Argent Wallet
  • ‍Gnosis Safe MultiSig Wallet
  • Trust Wallet
  • Ledger
  • Coinbase Wallet

How to use WalletConnect?

This section provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to use WalletConnect to connect your wallet to a decentralized application (dApp). By following the instructions outlined here, you can easily establish a connection between your wallet and any dApp compatible with WalletConnect, allowing you to interact with the dApp seamlessly.

1. Connect to a dApp with WalletConnect

Navigate to a dApp that is compatible with WalletConnect. This tutorial will use Uniswap, a decentralized finance application, and Rainbow as our dApp and wallet of choice, respectively. However, these instructions apply to any WalletConnect-compatible dApp and wallet. To begin, click on the ‘Connect Wallet’ button.

2. Select WalletConnect

Next, select WalletConnect from the options shown. A QR code will appear on your screen. By default, WalletConnect assumes users want to log in using a mobile wallet. However, if you use a desktop wallet, click the ‘Desktop’ label.

3. Scan the QR Code with Your Mobile Wallet

Take out your phone and open your mobile wallet application. In most wallets, you will find an icon that looks like a hollow square, as shown on the right side of the image below. By tapping this icon, your camera will be activated to scan the QR code. If you cannot find this icon, go to the settings menu and search for the ‘Scan QR code’ option.

4. Grant Permission to Connect 

After scanning the QR code, the dApp will request permission to connect to your wallet. This standard security measure ensures that you control your wallet and that the dApp is authorized to access it. You must confirm the connection by following the prompts on your mobile wallet. Once the connection is established, you will be able to interact with the dApp using your wallet.

5. Successfully Log in the dApp

Congratulations! You have now successfully logged into the dApp through your wallet. You can now interact with the dApp using your wallet and perform various actions such as trading, staking, or transferring funds. Remember always to follow best security practices when using your wallet and interacting with dApps to ensure the safety of your funds.

Is WalletConnect safe?

WalletConnect is safe to use. The information sent between dApps and wallets is encrypted symmetrically with a key that only these two entities possess.

The key is sent directly to the wallet from the dApp. Whether users scan through the QR code or choose deep linking with a desktop wallet, there are no intermediaries.

While a public bridge server handles information between the two, the server does not receive the key needed to decrypt the information. Furthermore, developers can host their bridge servers for full protection.

The beauty of this design is that WalletConnect does not need your seed or recovery phrase to log in to a dApp. Below is a diagram that shows the flow of information between the dApp and wallet, mediated by the bridge server.

Source

Inside the QR code is WalletConnect’s URI scheme, shown below, along with a table that explains what the variables represent.

‍

Source

WalletConnect’s Codebase

You can find WalletConnect’s codebase on the WalletConnect Github. 

How to Implement WalletConnect

For the most up-to-date instructions on implementing WalletConnect, please refer to the official documentation.

WalletConnect Alternatives and Competitors

WalletConnect does not have any direct competitors. The comparison between WalletConnect and MetaMask is a false dichotomy, as MetaMask uses WalletConnect as a login option for its mobile wallet.

Conclusion

Like WalletConnect, we at Alchemy push the ecosystem forward by making life easier for developers through our products. 

When developers stop self-hosting nodes and switch to Alchemy Supernode, they take advantage of the most widely used API for node management. Supernode provides a powerful suite of analytics and developer tools, which can speed up the debugging process and provide simple API calls for important requests. 

Explore the suite of products that support over $100 billion in transactions and some of the most popular dApps like OpenSea and NBA Top Shot at Alchemy.com.

Want more? Learn how API3 uses Alchemy in various ways, including powering WalletConnect integration on their DAO dashboard.

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