The Graph vs Covalent for Querying Access Histories: Indexing On-Chain Identity Events

Subgraph-specific indexing: Write custom mappings in AssemblyScript to define precisely which events (e.g., ENS.NewResolver, POAP.Mint) to index and how to transform the data. This is critical for complex identity graphs linking multiple protocols.

Example: Build a subgraph that tracks a user's identity footprint across ENS, Lens Protocol, and Gitcoin Passport in a single query.

Unified API across 200+ chains: Query a single REST endpoint for historical events from Ethereum, Polygon, Base, and others without managing separate indexers. Essential for analyzing identity activity across an entire multi-chain ecosystem.

Example: Fetch all ERC-721 Transfer events for a specific wallet address across 10+ EVM chains with one API call to reconstruct a complete NFT-based identity history.

Decentralized Indexer Network: Data is served by a permissionless network of Indexers, Curators, and Delegators, reducing reliance on a single entity. Important for identity protocols where data availability and neutrality are paramount.

Key Metric: Over 500 Indexers securing the network, with queries paid in GRT.

Zero-configuration data access: No need to write or deploy indexing code. Historical event logs are available instantly via Class A Unified API endpoints. Ideal for rapid prototyping or applications that need broad, unfiltered event history without custom logic.

Key Metric: Access to full historical data for any supported chain from day one, with no deployment wait time.

Standardized data across 200+ chains: Covalent's normalized API returns consistent schemas for balances, transfers, and logs. This eliminates the need to write custom parsing logic for each identity event source (e.g., ENS registrations on Ethereum vs. .sol registrations on Solana).

• Use Case Fit: Ideal for cross-chain identity dashboards or aggregators that need a single integration point.

Full historical data without time-travel indexing: Access complete transaction histories for any wallet from block 0 via a single API call. No subgraph syncing or waiting for indexing jobs. Query latency is typically < 2 seconds for complex historical queries.

• Use Case Fit: Perfect for compliance audits, on-chain reputation scoring, or analyzing a user's entire identity footprint quickly.

Subgraph-specific event processing: Write custom mapping functions in AssemblyScript to filter, enrich, and structure raw chain data precisely for your application. Supports real-time updates via GraphQL subscriptions as new blocks are indexed.

• Use Case Fit: Essential for dynamic identity systems like live governance participation trackers or real-time credential issuance (e.g., Galxe).

Indexer/Curator marketplace: Rely on a decentralized network of indexers (over 500+ indexers on The Graph mainnet) for data integrity and uptime. Curation signals help surface high-quality subgraphs for identity data.

• Use Case Fit: Critical for trust-minimized applications where data provenance and censorship resistance are non-negotiable (e.g., decentralized identity verifiers).

Simple pricing model: Pay per API call or via monthly plans with predictable costs. No GRT bonding, delegation, or query fee market dynamics to manage. The Unified API reduces development overhead.

• Use Case Fit: Best for startups or enterprises with fixed budgets needing stable, forecastable infrastructure costs for identity lookups.

Deep protocol integration: Native support in dApps like Uniswap, Aave, and ENS. Subgraphs are the standard for on-chain data in DeFi and NFTs, making identity data from these sources highly composable.

• Use Case Fit: Choose this when building identity features that must seamlessly integrate with existing subgraphs from major DeFi/NFT protocols.