feat: road to mainnet

posts/2024-12-16_road-to-mainnet/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,344 @@
+---
+publication_date: 2024-12-16T00:00:00Z
+slug: road-to-mainnet
+tags: [gnoland, gnovm, betalaunch, blockchain, golang]
+authors: [adrianakalpa, michelleellen, thehowl, salmad3, Kouteki, leohhhn]
+---
+
+# The Road to Mainnet & Beyond
+
+## Gno the Difference
+
+gno.land is evolving as a cutting-edge decentralized operating system, setting a
+new standard for building and governing diverse applications. At its core, it 
+provides an open-source smart contract platform designed to address systemic 
+challenges in centralized systems—censorship, lack of user autonomy, misaligned
+incentives, and non-transparent operations.
+
+The true strength of gno.land lies in its broad applicability across domains. 
+It provides builders with the means to create secure, scalable, and trustless 
+applications that redefine the possibilities of decentralized systems.
+
+gno.land has been advancing through a phased development process aimed at 
+delivering critical functionality at each stage. The network architecture 
+ensures that every milestone reinforces the foundation of a reliable and scalable
+decentralized ecosystem that prioritizes transparency, forkability, and governance.
+
+Let’s take a closer look at the progress, key milestones, and what’s in store 
+for the future of gno.land.
+
+## Milestones Overview
+
+The priority is to establish a secure and stable network. Once operational and 
+thoroughly tested, the infrastructure for rewards distribution and development 
+will activate, accelerating the growth of Gno's ecosystem for both builders and 
+users.
+
+Here’s a look back at what we’ve accomplished so far.
+
+### 2021: The Beginning
+
+gno.land’s journey began in 2021, carried out by Jae Kwon, who laid the 
+groundwork to develop Gno's most revolutionary component, the Gno Virtual Machine (GnoVM), and bootstrap a simple
+Tendermint node capable of executing Gno code.
+
+The GnoVM is a virtual machine capable 
+of deterministically running a subset of Go code, where smart contracts are
+composed together by simply “importing” them, much like working with any standard
+Go package. The initial work was focused on creating the first iteration of the 
+VM, aiming to implement a complete feature set of Gno while accounting for
+various edge cases.
+
+[By the end of 2021](https://github.com/gnolang/gno/tree/fa412d4bb38f6d6485d9b61784b34e5d5ca64554),
+rudimentary tooling was available for experimenting with the VM, an extensive
+suite of tests was in place, and an initial version of Gno’s state persistence 
+was implemented. The first commits for the 
+[`boards` realm](https://github.com/gnolang/gno/tree/master/examples/gno.land/r/demo/boards)
+were introduced, and a functional chain executable was developed, enabling the 
+addition of new packages and the ability to call functions within them.
+
+### 2022: The First Testnets
+
+The full scope of the project only became evident in 2022, following the 
+implementation of the initial functionality. During this period,
+the Gno project experienced a significant increase in contributors, 
+resulting in a surge of new features, bug fixes, and developments
+across multiple areas beyond just the VM. The Gno core team 
+grew to three full-time engineers, with additional hiring efforts underway.
+
+- Three testnets were launched (test1, test2 and test3), each with significant 
+improvements in usability and ease of access for newcomers, and more example realms.
+- The `boards` realm was improved, with the introduction of new features including
+editing posts, moderation, and links to easily construct replies to posts using
+`gnokey`. Additionally, thanks to the `users` realm, Gno users were able to register
+a username which then showed up on the `boards` realm (among others).
+- The Onbloc team began the development of the first gno.land wallet,
+[Adena](https://www.adena.app/), marking the first steps to creating web dApps
+using gno.land.
+- The RPC layer got many improvements, including `qeval` and other features to 
+inspect Gno code.
+- Additional examples were added on creating GRC20 tokens, as well as string 
+formatting utilities.
+- The first [workshops](https://github.com/gnolang/workshops) and presentations
+were posted on how to program in Gno.
+- On the Gno side, the VM was consistently improved to fix more bugs and 
+increase its safety for use on-chain.
+
+[End-of-year status](https://github.com/gnolang/gno/tree/cabc1ad9a36319f68fed2bc888018bfcbff228a7)
+
+### 2023: The Growth
+
+In 2023, the Gno team grew to twelve engineers, many of whom continue to form the 
+Gno core development team today. Around the same time, gno.land began seeing its
+first real-world applications, putting its capabilities to the test.
+
+Additionally, new developer tools were introduced to enhance the Gno development
+experience. These include utilities such as `gno doc`, `gno repl`, `gno lint`, 
+alongside `gnodev`, which is the foundational tool for building realms on gno.land
+today.
+
+- [GnoChess](https://github.com/gnoverse/gnochess) was an early experiment to 
+program complex Gno smart contracts, capable of running the backend of a chess 
+server. The Gopher community had the opportunity to experience GnoChess for the 
+first time at GopherCon 2023, where gno.land highlighted Gno’s unique features 
+and its potential to transform the decentralized application landscape.
+- [Test3](https://github.com/gnolang/gno/releases/tag/chain%2Ftest3.0), launched
+at the end of 2022 and continued in 2023, enabled builders to experiment with
+running full nodes and developing indexers. It provided
+a persistent history of state for everyone.
+- Many API decisions, like `std.PrevRealm()`, were discussed and implemented.
+- The [License](https://github.com/gnolang/gno?tab=License-1-ov-file) for gno.land
+was established as the *Gno Network Public License*, a fork of the GNU Afferro 
+General Public License.
+- [Berty](https://berty.tech/) and [Teritori](https://teritori.com/) became core 
+ecosystem builders, creating integrated applications, communication tools, and 
+social platforms.
+- The first official documentation was released, allowing more users to be 
+onboarded onto gno.land without having to learn directly from the source.
+- The Beta version of [Gno Playground](https://play.gno.land/) launched, providing
+a space to experiment Gno programs and realms directly from the web.
+
+[End-of-year status](https://github.com/gnolang/gno/tree/c3a4993335f8881989eb49e4efea6a3c1310061d)
+
+### 2024: The Refinement
+
+2024 prioritized the creation of a stable
+chain to launch as soon as possible. Throughout the year, the team focused on 
+delivering great stability on gno.land and being able to fix the most critical 
+issues which stand in the way of launching the first stable network.
+
+The launch of Test4 on July 15, 2024, was a major milestone in gno.land’s journey.
+One of the main objectives of this testnet was to collect valuable knowledge and 
+expertise from operations like running a full node, testing validator coordination,
+deploying stable Gno dApps, creating and testing tools that require persisted 
+state and transaction history.
+
+During Test4, thousands of bug fixes and significant advancements were implemented,
+including improvements to multi-node testnets and essential updates to `gnodev`.
+
+**Here’s a breakdown of the most important key features that make Test4 unique:**
+
+- **Multi-node Testnet:** This was the first testnet that was capable of running
+on multiple nodes, making important steps towards decentralization
+- **Permanent and stable Testnet:** Unlike previous versions, Test4 was a 
+permanent testnet, giving early adopters and builders a consistent environment 
+to build and test dApps while also providing them with the most up-to-date stable 
+environment
+- **GovDAO Proof-of-Concept:** Together with the launch of Test4, the first 
+framework for decentralized governance was introduced, allowing selective 
+contributors to begin participating in decision-making processes.
+
+Test4 provided critical insights into running a multinode network and facilitating
+on-chain governance. The result was a stable blockchain network with 7 validator 
+nodes, as well as [5 governance proposals](https://test4.gno.land/r/gov/dao/v2),
+3 of them executed successfully based on the two-thirds majority.
+
+Later in 2024, [Test5](https://test5.gno.land/) was released. Main key elements 
+that Test5 enabled include: expanding the current validator set, which now consists
+to 17 validators, pushing additional GnoVM fixes, releasing GovDAO v2, and overall
+quality-of-life improvements for builders. View testnet’s current activity and 
+deployed realms on [Gnoscan](https://gnoscan.io).
+
+The Gno Core Team also greatly focused on creating a stable experience on Gno:
+
+- Fixing many different bugs on the VM and making its behaviour more predictable 
+and better documented.
+- Improving “quality of life” tools that show the power of developing on gno.land,
+like the [transaction indexer](https://github.com/gnolang/tx-indexer/) and `gnodev`
+- Improving performance in critical paths and making behaviors of different APIs
+consistent, and clearing out the standard libraries.
+- Improving the behavior of integration tools, like `gnoclient` and `gnokey`, as 
+well as kick-starting development of a mobile `gnokey` application.
+
+**The road ahead starts with the preparation of the gno.land’s Beta Launch. 
+Here is how the path forward looks like.**
+
+## Beta Launch (UPCOMING)
+
+We’re excited to announce that as 2024 comes to a close, we are gearing up for 
+**Beta Launch**, anticipated in early 2025. Here’s what you can expect 
+at genesis:
+
+1. Contributors who have built gno.land will form the initial Governance DAO ("GovDAO"),
+distributing membership into three tiers—T1 (highest), T2, and T3 (lowest)—based 
+on the size and impact of their contributions as outlined in Jae Kwon's
+[GovDAO draft](https://gist.github.com/jaekwon/918ad325c4c8f7fb5d6e022e33cb7eb3).
+Membership is governed by age limits, contribution criteria, and a structured 
+payment system tied to the GovDAOPayTreasury to ensure compensation directly aligns
+with each contributor's level of contribution. **The GovDAO proposal remains an 
+initial draft subject to revisions before final implementation.**
+2. gno.land will intentionally maintain a modest transaction processing speed at
+genesis; however, the network will enable early adopters to experience its
+features and begin accruing rewards based on their contributions to the project
+**While not immediately claimable, these rewards will become redeemable in future
+phases to recognize early participants for their contributions**.
+3. gno.land will operate under a Constitution that establishes clear guidelines
+on the community's rights, liberties, obligations, governance, economics, and 
+both current and future implementations of the gno.land chain. **The gno.land 
+contributor community will participate and engage in this effort.**
+4. The genesis token distribution of GNOT, gno.land’s native token, will primarily
+allocate the majority of the supply to the Cosmos Hub (ATOM holders) community, 
+rewarding their alignment with gno.land’s mission. The remaining GNOT allocations
+will be used to support gno.land’s community pool, various Builders DAOs or 
+builders communities, and the core team builders (through NewTendermint), which 
+will play a crucial role in shaping the platform’s future growth and development.
+**The GNOT token will be distributed at launch but will initially be non-transferable.**
+5. While the GNOT token will not be transferable, users of the network will be 
+able to use it to pay for gas fees. Token holders will be able to view their
+balances, with expected support from Ledger, Adena, and,potentially, other 
+community wallets. This will allow users to deploy and interact with realms on
+gno.land. **Please note that the current chain design does not involve any staking.
+Instead, the voting power is determined by a member’s reputation.**
+6. Builders will have the opportunity to build and test dApps, thereby actively
+contributing to the platform’s growth. **Although the GNOT token is not going to
+be transferable, it will still be possible to mint, burn and transfer both 
+*coins*** (a native kind of token, accessible through smart contracts using the 
+banker module) **and tokens implemented in code**, i.e. *GRC20 tokens*, similar to 
+their ERC counterparts.
+
+Builders should be aware that during gno.land’s Beta network state, the core team
+may, in exceptional cases, need to revert the chain state. Such instances might
+include:
+
+- **Identification of a GnoVM bug** that requires a rollback and replay of transactions.
+- **Detection of a functional issue within a realm,** where the fix is well-defined,
+and replaying transactions is required to maintain consistency.
+
+The Beta Launch will equip contributors with essential tools to build and 
+experiment on gno.land. We have published a 
+[Launch Milestone](https://github.com/gnolang/gno/milestone/7) to track progress
+and explore the specific initiatives we plan to address up until launch.
+
+**Key components of the network at Genesis include:**
+
+- **GnoVM** : For the Beta Launch, the GnoVM is anticipated to be in a relatively
+stable and nearly feature-complete state. Bugs are an expected part of this 
+phase; caution is advised to navigate potential issues.
+- **Tendermint2**: Tendermint2 will mark a significant leap in consensus 
+performance and scalability. Key improvements include faster block finality, 
+more robust validator management, and greater resilience to node failures.
+- **GovDAO Formation:** gno.land’s decentralized governance system will 
+be live at Genesis. Composed of the most active contributors, GovDAO will take 
+on responsibility for governing gno.land on-chain, handling decisions like 
+protocol upgrades, parameter changes, and other critical decisions to ensure 
+the network's long-term sustainability and community alignment.
+- **Boards:** Boards will operate as a single realm where users can create and 
+participate in forums and message boards, subject to board-specific permissions.
+Each board will be managed through its own administration DAO.
+
+
+**Key tools for builders available at the Beta Launch:**
+
+- **Core dev tools:** A fully-featured set of tools for local development of Gno 
+dApps and libraries, including `gnokey`, a powerful CLI key management tool and 
+client, `gnoweb`, a universal web frontend for gno.land, and `gnodev`, a local 
+development solution stack offering a built-in gno.land node with a hot-reload 
+feature for smart contracts.
+- [**Gno Playground**](https://play.gno.land/): A browser-based tool to write,
+test, run, deploy, and share Gno code, inspired by the Go playground. It offers
+a simple and interactive way to experiment with Gno without the need for a local 
+development environment.
+- [**Gno Studio**](https://gno.studio/): A powerful unified development platform 
+designed to drive dApp development on gno.land. This product suite will include 
+a full-featured IDE, workspace management, production-grade capabilities, and 
+integrated tools to support efficient development workflows. It will eventually 
+feature an extensive marketplace for realm templates and ready-to-use solutions.
+Today, the beta version of Studio features a minimal version of the IDE via Gno
+Playground, along with Connect, an app designed for realm interaction.
+- **Gno.me:** Envisioned to be a dynamic ecosystem of realms serving as an 
+educational and community hub to empower builders through learning, collaboration,
+and engagement. The initial release, which is estimated to be ready by the Beta 
+Launch, will feature tutorials, a tooling section, and ecosystem updates, with
+plans to evolve into a vibrant space for community interaction and a comprehensive
+educational platform.
+- [**docs.gno.land**](https://docs.gno.land/): The official gno.land documentation,
+covering basic concepts, getting started tutorials, developer guides, references, and more.
+- [**gno/examples**](https://github.com/gnolang/gno/tree/master/examples): 
+Ready-to-use example smart contracts and libraries written in Gno.
+- **Community Spaces:** Builders will have access to expanded tooling to build
+and deploy applications in [gnoverse](https://github.com/gnoverse), a community-led
+GitHub space, ensuring **gno.land** becomes a productive ground to encourage
+future innovation.
+
+## Mainnet Launch (UPCOMING)
+
+While our Beta Launch will introduce the core features of the gno.land network,
+the **Mainnet Launch** will focus on expanding **gno.land**’s interoperability 
+with other chains. By providing a fully-featured, interoperable blockchain, 
+**gno.land** will allow builders to integrate their products and services with 
+the gno.land network, therefore scaling the ecosystem.
+
+**Here are some key features of the Mainnet Launch:**
+
+- **Interoperability with IBC and ICS:** **gno.land** will integrate Inter-Blockchain
+Communication (IBC) and Interchain security (ICS), allowing seamless interaction 
+between **gno.land** and other IBC and ICS compatible chains. During this 
+milestone, modified versions of IBC and ICS will be integrated, versions that 
+are fully compatible with existing Cosmos chains, called IBCx and ICSx.
+- **Gno SDK:** Builders will gain access to the Gno SDK, making the entire process
+of building and deploying dApps on the network much easier.
+- **Launchpad for dApps:** The release of a specific Launchpad for dApps will 
+allow builders to quickly deploy and scale their applications on gno.land.
+- **Reward Distribution:** Contributors will be able to collect the rewards they
+have accumulated from different contributions until this phase of the network.
+- **Performance Enhancements:** The Mainnet Launch will also introduce significant
+performance upgrades, including sharding and increased TPS, to support more 
+complex applications.
+- **Transfers enabled:** During this phase of the launch, GNOT tokens become 
+transferable. This transition will mark a significant milestone, allowing users 
+to engage in token transactions, interact with the network and its applications, 
+and contribute to the broader economic activities within the gno.land ecosystem.
+- **Boards**: A full social interaction dApp will be available. Users will continue
+to create and participate in forums and message boards, with the added ability
+to build their own decentralized social media platforms using a customizable 
+framework. Forkability and DAO-driven governance will enable scalable, user-driven
+communities.
+
+## Call to Contribute
+
+gno.land puts at the center of its identity the contributors that are helping to
+create and shape the project. Contributing to gno.land’s development today means 
+you have the opportunity to make a notable impact at such a critical stage in the
+project’s roadmap.
+
+For now, we are looking for the earliest adopters; those curious to explore a 
+new way to build smart contracts and eager to be a part of the next generation of
+blockchain programming. Join us and [become a contributor today](https://gno.land/contribute)!
+
+## Conclusion
+
+With more than three years in the making, gno.land is now closer than ever to
+launching. The **Beta Launch**, while representing an important step in gno.land’s
+journey, should be seen as only the beginning.
+
+Future milestones are envisioned to bring improved performance, 
+interoperability with other blockchain networks through IBCx and ICSx, the 
+ability for builders to integrate their products and services with gno.land, 
+onboarding tools for different user segments, enhanced support for builders and 
+much more.
+
+We will host a Q&A on [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/gnoland), Thursday, 
+December 19th at 6:30 pm CET/ 9:30 am PST, for the community to join and learn more about 
+gno.land and upcoming milestones. Please add questions ahead of time to this 
+[form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DN8YneJ2-qvzsdnGsk_ZVA4CnBthUop3tgwXCodlF3M/edit) 
+so we can make sure to address them.