Technical Comparison Aspects of Leading Blockchain-Based Platforms on Key Characteristics

Abstract

Blockchain as a technology is rapidly developing, finding more and more new entry points into everyday life. This is one of the elements of the technical Revolution 4.0, and it is used in the field of supply, maintenance of various types of registers, access to software products, combating DDOS attacks, distributed storage, fundraising for projects, IoT, etc. Nowadays, there are many blockchain­platforms in the world. They have one technological root but different applications. There are many prerequisites to the fact that in the future the number of new decentralized applications will increase. Therefore, it is important to develop a methodology for determining the optimal blockchain­based platform to solve a specific problem. As an example, consider the world­famous platforms Ethereum, Nem, and Stellar. Each of them allows to develop decentralized applications, issue tokens, and execute transactions. At the same time, the key features of these blockchain­based platforms are not similar to one another. These very features will be considered in the article. Purpose. Identify the key parameters that characterize the blockchain­based platforms. This will provide an opportunity to present a complex blockchain technology in the form of a simple and understandable architecture. Based on these parameters and using the expertise of the article’s authors, we will be able to develop a methodology to be used to solve the problems of choosing the optimal blockchain­based platform for solving the problem of developing smart contracts and issuing tokens. Methods. Analysis of the complexity of using blockchain­based platforms. Implementation of token issuance, use of test and public networks, execution of transactions, analysis of the development team and the community, analysis of the user interface and the developer interface. Discussion. By developing a platform comparison methodology to determine optimal characteristics, we can take the development process to a new level. This will allow to quickly and effectively solve the tasks. Results. Creation of a methodology for comparison blockchain­based platforms.