Decentralized applications (dApps) have been gaining popularity as businesses and developers aim to harness the potential of decentralized networks like blockchain. However, the development process can be complicated and time-consuming. To simplify the process, developers use frameworks that offer tools and functionalities to test, compile, deploy, and debug their dApps. The Cardano ecosystem is particularly interesting because of its smart contract framework: the Plutus programming language.
Developed specifically for creating smart contracts on the Cardano blockchain, Plutus is based on the Haskell programming language, which is known for its mathematical precision and high reliability. One unique feature of Plutus is its robust support for formal verification, enabling developers to mathematically verify the correctness of smart contracts prior to deploying them on the blockchain. Eliminating vulnerabilities and bugs through formal verification improves the security and reliability of smart contracts, thus reducing the chances of experiencing loss of funds or hacks.
To address the differences between Ethereum’s account model and Cardano’s eUTXO model, developers must utilize a Plutus Application Backend (PAB). PABs handle everything from querying the blockchain state to executing smart contracts and ultimately submitting signed transactions to the network. By providing the necessary functionalities to interact with the Cardano blockchain and execute smart contracts that govern the behavior of the application, PABs play a crucial role in the dApp development process.
Four significant PAB solutions currently serve the Cardano ecosystem: IOG PAB, Atlas, Lucid, and Mesh. IOG PAB is a Haskell-based monolithic framework developed by one of Cardano’s founding entities. Although it offers native interoperability with Plutus primitives, its complex architecture and lack of modularity can be challenging for developers. On the other hand, Atlas – developed in collaboration with MLabs, Well-Typed, and Plank – improves on IOG PAB’s limitations by offering an intuitive type system and modular data providers. It also provides a testing framework for debugging applications in simulated environments.
Lucid, developed by SpaceBudz, is a JavaScript-based PAB compatible with web development. It is particularly appealing for developers unfamiliar with Haskell, as it lowers the barrier to entry and offers flexibility and ease of use. Similarly, Mesh, developed by Martify, is a web-friendly, JavaScript-based PAB that focuses on simplicity and ease of use, particularly for React frontends.
Constructing a personalized PAB can be challenging, as it requires extensive technical knowledge of UTxOs, Plutus, and other Cardano primitives. The availability of four open-source PAB solutions for developers significantly lowers the barrier to entry into the Cardano ecosystem.
In conclusion, PAB frameworks are essential for handling and executing smart contracts on Cardano, providing developers with the tools needed to streamline dApp development. With the Cardano developer ecosystem maturing significantly over the past year, there are now several PAB solutions available for building and deploying dApps on Cardano, offering developers increased flexibility and choice.
Source: Cointelegraph
