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Decentralized application (dApp)

Definition

The term decentralized application (dApp) refers to applications that run on a distributed computing system, such as a blockchain network.

Understanding the term

In a dApp, smart contracts are executed on a decentralized network rather than on a centralized server. The majority of dApps run on the Ethereum network and for a variety of purposes, such as finance, gaming, marketplaces, social media, and entertainment. 

A decentralized application’s frontend representing its user interface is often hosted on decentralized storage networks such as Swarm or IPFS. In the backend, the business logic is carried out by smart contracts that interact with the underlying blockchain. The backend is written in Ethereum-specific languages such as Solidity and Vyper. The decentralization capabilities of Ethereum Dapps make Web 3.0 a platform for providing a more accessible Internet, free of any central point of control, to facilitate information and web services.

Blockchain technology also allows for innovation through dApps. These applications allow developers to solve network safety, efficiency, and speed issues quickly on the blockchain. In addition, users enjoy benefits like resistance to censorship, increased privacy, zero downtime, and data integrity. 

Takeaway

dApps run on blockchains or peer-to-peer networks that help users engage in direct transactions without relying on a central authority. In a dApp, transactions are made using consensus mechanisms and data is processed through distributed networks. With DApps, automation, blockchain transparency and privacy, and transaction security will be taken to a next level in the future.

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