The Graph

The Graph Website Review

• The Graph (GRT) is an open-source, decentralized network that works as an indexing protocol intended for the process of querying blockchain data within networks.


• The protocol aims to organize data onto the blockchain so that developers can run operations in a way that is a lot more efficient.


• The protocol offers numerous other features, such as accessibility to decentralized applications (dApps) through leveraging the power of subgraphs and much more.


• The co-founder and Chief Executive Officer behind The Graph are Yaniv Tal.


• GRT is the native cryptocurrency that serves the role of a utility as well as a governance token for the indexing protocol provided by The Graph.

The Graph (GRT) is an indexing protocol that is seen by many as a search engine intended for use on top of blockchains. Its main purpose is to essentially provide developers and users with access to an easy way through which they can organize as well as access data.

It works with numerous different blockchains and utilizes subgraphs as a means of creating datasets, which can then be shared across numerous applications.

The Graph is a project that was originally founded in 2018. However, GRT as a cryptocurrency was launched in 2020.

Today, we are going to go over everything you need to know surrounding The Graph website as we go over everything it has to offer.

The Graph Website

When you visit the official The Graph website for the very first time, you are showcased quite a lot of information initially.

On the top navigation bar, you will find the official logo for the project first.

Then there’s the “Products” category that you can click on.

This will take you to numerous sub-pages, including:

• Graph Explorer - here, you can essentially explore subgraphs and interact with the protocol.


• Subgraph Studio - here, you can create, manage as well as publish subgraphs and Application Programming Interface (API) keys.


• Hosted Service - here, you can essentially create as well as explore subgraphs on the hosted service.

Next, you have the blog page, the security page, jobs, the ecosystem, and docs.

Once you click on "Ecosystem," you will be provided with the opportunity to essentially connect to a large variety of different sub-pages, including:

• MIPs Incentivized Program - Bootstrap Multi-Chain Support.


• Advocates - become a Graph Advocate.


• Governance - Participate In The Graph governance process.


• Grants - Learn about the Grants and Open RFPs.


• Learn - Learn more surrounding The Graph.

As we move further down the page, we are greeted by information surrounding what The Graph is.

The website describes this protocol as an indexing protocol for querying networks such as Ethereum (ETH0 and IPFTs. Anyone can also build as well as publish open APIs, called subgraphs, and ensure that data can be easily accessible.

Then there's a button that lets people "Explore Subgraphs."

Then there's information surrounding the global GraphQL API. In other words, subgraphs can be composed into a global graph of all of the world's public information, and this data can, later on, be transformed, organized, and even shared across applications for anyone to essentially query with just a few keystrokes.

As we move down the page, the website showcases information surrounding how Web3 is a new stack for a better internet.

There are also explanations of what is getting built on top of Web3, where the featured products and services include:

• Decentralized Finance (DeFi)


• Governance


• Grants and Philanthropy


• Marketplaces


• Entertainment


• Social

Then there's information about the shared neutral foundation, including agency, reliability, interoperability, money, security, and governance.

The website, later on, goes over the supported networks. In addition to Ethereum, The Graph consistently adds support to the network with NEAR and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible blockchains. Subgraphs can be built across chains, and developers have a lot of variety in terms of where they want to deploy their smart contracts.

In the hosted service and The Graph network, Ethereum is featured. However, the Hosted Service supports XDAI, NEAR, POLYGON, BNB, CELO, AVALANCHE, POA, ARBITRUM, FANTOM, FUSE, OPTIMISM, MOONRIVER, AURORA, MOONBEAM, BOBA NETWORK, HARMONY, ZKSYNC and, COSMOS HUB.

Then, there's information about The Graph network, which is defined as an open network that produces the fastest, cheapest as well as most reliable way through which users can access the crypto economy.

Here, people can join in numerous ways, including:

• Developer - can create subgraphs or use existing subgraphs within a decentralized application (dApp)


• Indexer - Operate a node to index data as well as serve queries.


• Curator - Organize data through signaling on subgraphs.


• Delegator - Responsible for securing the network through the process of delegating GRT to indexers.

Furthermore, the page goes on to explain the numerous products on offer, including:

• The Subgraph Studio - create, manage as well as publish subgraphs and API keys.


• The Graph Explorer - Explore subgraphs and interact with the protocol.


• The Hosted Service - Create as well as explore subgraphs on the Hosted Service.

As you move further down the page, it goes over the “recommended learning” section, where you are invited to learn more about The Graph's design and the future of decentralization.

Then there's the "Live Products" section, which showcases projects that are utilizing The Graph, and the list includes Uniswap, Synthetix, Decentraland, and Aragon as featured projects.

Then there's the "Word of Mouth '' section, which goes over some information surrounding the protocol from people with real experience using it.

In the “Backed By” section underneath, there are numerous companies listed, including Framework, ParaFi Capital, DTC Capital, Multicoin, Coinbase Ventures, Digital Currency Group, CoinFund, Collider, Lemniscap, Reciprocal, Compound, 122 West, Tally Capital, South Park Commons, Stakefish, JD Capital and Reciprocal Ventures.

Near the bottom, there is the “Where we’re going” section, where the pages go over the plans for the future of the project.

This is followed by a "Subscribe to our newsletter" button alongside the footer of the page.

Here, users can access Home, Blog, Security, Jobs, Docs, Past Events (Graph Day 2022, Graph Hack 2022), the Graph Foundation, Forum, Testnet, Partnership Requests, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Then there are links to the GitHub page, Twitter, Discord, Telegram, Reddit, Email, and a language selection button.

History of The Graph

The Chief Executive Officer behind The Graph is Yaniv Tal.

The idea behind the project originally began in 2017 by Yaniv Tal, Jannis Pohlmann, and Brandon Ramirez.

The native cryptocurrency that is used as a utility, as well as a governance token for the indexing protocol known as GRT, was launched in December 2020.

The main goal for the development of this project was to make it a lot easier for developers to build powerful software, and they were introduced to Ethereum in 2017; that was a point in time where they sparked interest in building decentralized applications (dApps).

The Graph Functionality

The Graph is essentially a decentralized protocol specifically created for the procedure of indexing as well as querying data from blockchains, and this originally began with the Ethereum (ETH) network.

Projects that feature complex smart contracts store data on top of the specific blockchain, which makes it difficult to read anything other than the basic data directly from the blockchain.

The Graph works by learning what and how to index Ethereum data based on the subgraph directions, which is known as the subgraph manifest.

First, subgraphs are utilized to extract data from a blockchain, after which they process it and store it in a way that can get easily queried by GraphQL.

Now, the subgraph description defines the smart contracts that are of interest for a subgraph, the events within these contracts which need to be paid attention to, and how everything is mapped, all of which gets stored in the database.

Once a subgraph manifest has been written, the Graph CLI can be utilized to store the definition in IPFS and tell the indexer to essentially start indexing the data for that specific subgraph.

This diagram then gives additional details surrounding the flow of data at the point in time when a subgraph manifest is deployed, dealing with Ethereum transactions.

The Graph Functions

This is what happens, step-by-step, in order to enable The Graph to function the way it does.

A decentralized application adds data to Ethereum through the utilization of a transaction that occurs through a smart contract.

Then, that specific smart contract can emit one or more events whilst also processing the transaction.

The Graph Node then continuously scans Ethereum (ETH) for new blocks and the data for the subgraph that they might contain.

Then, the Graph Node finds Ethereum events for the subgraph within these blocks and runs the mapping handles that are provided.

The mapping is a WASM module, which creates or updates the data entities that Graph Node stores as a response to the Ethereum events.

Then, the decentralized application queries THe Graph node for data indexed from the blockchain and utilizes the GraphQL endpoint.

The Graph Node then translates the GraphQL queries within queries for the underlying data store as a means of fetching it, which makes use of the store's indexing capabilities.

The decentralized application displays this data in a filled user interface for the users, which they can utilize to issue new transactions on Ethereum, after which this cycle gets repeated.

The Graph Participants

The Graph network features numerous types of users, all of which make this work.

These include the developer, indexer, curator, and delegator. In order to ensure the economic security of The Graph Network as well as the integrity surrounding the data which is queried, participants stake and utilize the Graph Tokens (GRT).

GRT is a token that is built as an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain, and it is utilized to allocate resources within the network. The active indexers, curators, and delegators then provide services, after which they earn income from the network, which is directly proportional to the amount of work that they perform, as well as the amount of GRT which has been staked.

Pros and Cons of The Graph

The Graph Pros

• The Graph essentially fills the role of an indexing protocol for blockchains.


• The Graph provides an information bridge between decentralized applications (dApps) as well as blockchain data.


• This protocol enables developers to save a significant amount of time looking for data.


• The Graph fully supports and incorporates smart contract functionalities.


• The Graph is convenient and cost-effective.

The Graph Cons

• A limited number of blockchains and platforms are supported.


• The Graph has decentralization issues due to the fact that most of the subgraphs are supported by the Hosted Service, making it not fully decentralized.

The Bottom Line

We have gone over The Graph website in great detail, and we can clearly see that the protocol as a whole has a lot to offer. The website is well-designed and simple to understand. All users have to do is scroll from top to bottom, after which the website goes out of its way to showcase interesting information surrounding the functionality behind The Graph as a protocol, and it even has a dedicated educational content section that can teach new visitors everything surrounding its functionality.

There is a unique and distinctive design language behind the website, and it is fully optimized to run on desktop, laptop, and mobile devices, which means that it can easily adapt to any screen size or resolution with ease.

There is a high level of utility surrounding the GRT cryptocurrency, which is an ERC-20-based token built on Ethereum and has a wide range of functionalities for its holders, incentivizing network users to essentially hold onto the cryptocurrency due to the level of power and governance opportunities it provides them.

Ultimately, this is a solid project, and its website is well-made.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who are the founders and creators of The Graph?

Yaniv Tal, Jannis Pohlmann, and Brandon Ramirez are the co-founders of The Graph.

When was The Graph Created?

The project was originally founded in 2018. However, GRT as a cryptocurrency was launched in 2020.

What kind of network participants are in The Graph?

The network participants include the developers, indexers, curators, and delegators, all of which contribute to the proper functionality of the protocol.