Substrate is a massive ecosystem that allows blockchain developers to build on major chains like Polkadot and Kusama. Due to its popularity, and the diversity of what you can create with this toolkit, it has quickly become one of the most used building architectures in the world of blockchain.
However, with its size comes a problem – there is so much you can create that it has become increasingly difficult to know where to begin, or which tools to turn to. That’s where Square One comes in, with Parity announcing its launch late in April 2022.
Square One is an ecosystem that consists of useful resources, customized support, and directional help for those trying to build with Substrate. Instead of facing the thousands of different pathways, resources, and tools that Substrate provides, you’re able to use Square One to get guided help – delivering your teams the tools they need to work efficiently in a fraction of the time.
Square One moves to solve one of the core issues cited by users of Substrate, with its extensive tools being overwhelming to begin with. Although there is a level of documentation that can be followed, that and the surrounding tutorials are typically ineffective at delivering the scope of education needed to manage a project built with Substrate.
How Does Square One Help?
As a leading blockchain development framework, there is a lot you can achieve with Substrate. However, being impaired by the complexity of the ecosystem itself slows down development and leaves people stuck as to where they can look for help. By creating a more holistic informational system, Square One solves these problems, helping to connect people with the exact resources that their projects need to flourish.
Square One is set to benefit projects constructed on the Substrate ecosystem in three ways:
- Recommendations
- For All Usage
- Five Pillars
Let’s break these down further.
Recommendations
Within Square One, the team at Parity has painstakingly documented the entire Substrate ecosystem. Not only does this encompass every single tool within the system, but it also expands to the organizations beyond Parity that are involved within Substrate development.
With this extensive system in place, those that want to build on Substrate are able to get access to the full scope of different tools, getting detailed breakdowns and logical walkthroughs for all of their usages. This also moves into recommendations, with tools being paired with a project based on which would be most effective to carry out the project suggested.
For All Usage
While much of the documentation within Substrate is aimed at helping developers get to grips with the platform, especially considering the developer testnet, this does not help others that get involved with the project.
Square One is designed with every member of the team in mind. From boot camps for developers to growth support resources that outline how project managers can get involved with the process, there are modules for everyone to turn to. The sheer scope of the educational material that Square One supplies demonstrates the lengths the team has gone to, thinking of every member of the team and which recommendations they’ll need to complete their tasks as effectively as possible.
Five Pillars
Square One also acts on a five-pillar basis, creating a resource structure that is centered on five core areas. Each one of these areas tackles a distinct part of the Substrate ecosystem, allowing users to get access to exactly the tools and resources they need in a given moment.
The five different areas that Square One focuses on are:
- Education – If you’re looking for formal education routes to expand your development knowledge, you’ll be able to join the various ongoing hackathons, enlist in certification modules, or simply move through modules to hone your skills.
- Product Development – If you’re looking for an external partner to help accelerate development, you’ll be able to find a range of different Substrate development projects within this section.
- Development Support – Project growth and development are areas commonly overlooked within project creation, as they don’t always directly relate to tech. To cover this position in a project, Square One focuses on creating a tool of resources that project managers can turn to.
- Technology Expansion – If you need to brush up on your tech skills, you’re able to access mentorship groups where you can ask questions, get recommendations, and cultivate your tech skills over time.
- Funding – Every project reaches a stage where additional funding is needed to help break through barriers and speed up progress. Within Square One, you’re able to apply for funding from the Polkadot Treasury and find educational modules about how to best increase your chances of receiving that funding.
Through these five areas, Square One effectively covers the entire Substrate ecosystem, providing everyone the help they need to get involved and produce highly effective projects.
Final Thoughts
The development of Square One by Parity is an exciting advancement of the already complex Substrate ecosystem. By creating a system where everyone has access to the tools, resources, and walkthroughs they need to use the full scope of Substrate, Square One radically shifts how easily people can get involved with blockchain projects.
If you’re looking to follow news about the Substrate environment, be sure to join the StackExchange and the Substrate.dev page for more.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice
