Flow (FLOW) is a decentralized, permissionless Layer 1 blockchain platform developed by Dapper Labs, the creators behind CryptoKitties, designed to serve as the foundation for a new generation of games, applications, and the digital assets that power them.
Launched in 2020, Flow aims to address the scalability and user experience issues prevalent in earlier blockchain systems, facilitating high transaction throughput, composability, and decentralization, without sharding.
Flow has a multi-role node design, segregating the tasks of consensus, execution, verification, and collection into different node types. Through its horizontally scalable network, Flow’s division of labor allows the network to optimize speed and efficiency, enabling scalable decentralized applications (dApps) and digital assets without compromising on decentralization or network security. Its approach to scalability maintains a user-friendly environment, supporting smooth and responsive experiences within dApps.
The native utility token of the Flow network is FLOW, which can be utilized for network fees, staking, and participating in the protocol's governance mechanisms. FLOW is also used to compensate node operators for their role in maintaining the network's infrastructure, including transaction processing and data storage.
Flow's infrastructure is designed to support significant user bases and complex computations, offering a robust platform for mainstream adoption of blockchain technology. Flow’s Cadence programming language simplifies the development of secure smart contracts and provides security and safety features for the prevention of attacks, while enhancing the end user experience by reducing complex, multi-step interactions to a one-click experience.
