Hyperweb, a comprehensive TypeScript ecosystem for decentralized application development, has released a whitepaper outlining a new blockchain platform. The initiative aims to enable JavaScript developers to create onchain applications using familiar tools. The document elaborates on the Hyperweb Virtual Machine (HVM), a system designed to execute TypeScript, which serves as an extension of JavaScript.
HVM facilitates JavaScript execution onchain, addressing a gap in blockchain development. Currently, the number of blockchain-focused developers is relatively small, estimated at around 24,000. In contrast, approximately 20 million programmers utilize JavaScript for web and application development. The need to master specialized web3 programming languages has posed a challenge to innovation in decentralized applications. Hyperweb seeks to mitigate this issue by allowing developers to leverage TypeScript for blockchain-based projects.
Advancing Cross-Chain Smart Contracts
Beyond simplifying development, the HVM introduces a novel approach to cross-chain smart contracts. Similar to how JavaScript functions across various web platforms in the traditional internet, Hyperweb enables seamless execution across different blockchains. This innovation allows smart contracts to be written in a single language that operates within multiple blockchain ecosystems, such as Ethereum, Solana, and Cosmos. Hyperweb is positioned to act as the Interchain JavaScript Hub, providing developers with greater control over cross-chain interactions and streamlining decentralized application development.
The initiative builds on a collaboration between Confio and Hyperweb, formerly known as Cosmology. These two organizations have played a pivotal role in the interchain ecosystem. Confio, under the leadership of its Managing Director, has been responsible for developing and maintaining CosmWasm, a smart contract platform that supports over 100 blockchain networks. Meanwhile, Hyperweb’s suite of development tools and infrastructure underpins more than 200 blockchain networks. Their combined expertise has supported major blockchain platforms such as dYdX, Celestia, and Osmosis, which collectively process billions of dollars in transactions each month. This comprehensive ecosystem, spanning from client-side tools to smart contract platforms, underscores the companies’ significance in the blockchain space.
Insights from Industry Leaders
According to Hyperweb’s founder, the organization’s extensive experience in interchain development has enabled thousands of developers to create applications that facilitate substantial financial transactions. The newly released whitepaper provides insights into how these lessons are being applied to enhance accessibility in blockchain development.
Additionally, Confio’s Managing Director emphasized that working on CosmWasm and observing its widespread adoption across leading blockchain networks highlighted the complexities of developing a robust virtual machine and a thriving ecosystem. The HVM builds on these experiences to streamline the development process for JavaScript programmers.
Contributors to the Whitepaper
The whitepaper features contributions from several prominent industry figures, including:
The founder of Hyperweb, who also previously established Brandcast, later acquired by TIME.
The Managing Director of Confio, recognized for maintaining CosmWasm, the primary smart contracting framework for the interchain ecosystem.
A former Ecosystem Lead at Agoric and co-founder of Behold.ai.
The inventor of Starship, previously an engineer at Persistence and an IIT alumnus.
A former security specialist at Certik, who also serves as Director of Blockchain at Coreum and has held protocol engineering roles at 3Box Labs, R&D positions at State Farm, and developer relations roles at Agoric.
Integration with Existing Blockchain Ecosystems
The Hyperweb platform is designed to integrate seamlessly with other blockchain networks through the Cosmos SDK. This integration enables efficient message passing between different blockchain ecosystems, leveraging the extensive infrastructure established by Confio and Hyperweb. Their combined efforts currently support hundreds of blockchain networks within the interchain ecosystem, reinforcing the platform’s potential to streamline blockchain development and adoption.
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