Indexing Protocol

A decentralized protocol for indexing and querying data from blockchains using GraphQL. Developers build and publish open APIs called subgraphs that define how to index specific smart contract events and data. The network is powered by Indexers, Curators, and Delegators who stake the native GRT token. It supports multiple chains including Ethereum, Polygon, and Arbitrum.

A full-stack blockchain indexing framework and data lake. It uses a multi-stage architecture: a Squid SDK for defining custom data extraction logic and a Processor that applies it to raw, historical data stored in an Archive. This design separates data ingestion from transformation, enabling high-performance queries via a GraphQL API. It is known for its speed and support for complex data transformations.

A real-time data streaming platform for blockchains. Instead of traditional batch indexing, it provides sub-millisecond latency data feeds by streaming blockchain events as they occur. It is built on Apache Flink and offers both managed subgraphs (compatible with The Graph) and custom streaming pipelines, making it suitable for applications requiring instant data updates like dashboards and trading interfaces.

Provides a Unified API that delivers rich, granular blockchain data across 200+ supported networks. Instead of requiring developers to write indexing logic, it offers a single endpoint to access wallet balances, transaction histories, NFT metadata, and log events. Its data is enriched with labels and decoded using a bloom filter-based architecture for efficiency. It operates on a usage-based pricing model.

A hyper-sync blockchain indexing solution focused on developer experience and performance. It uses a deterministic indexing engine to ensure data consistency and offers features like time-travel queries. Developers define their indexing logic in a configuration file, and Envio handles deployment and hosting. It emphasizes fast sync times from genesis and supports EVM, Solana, and other chains.

An open-source framework for building application-specific indexes on EVM blockchains. It runs locally in a developer's project, similar to an ORM for blockchain data. Using TypeScript and a PostgreSQL database, it allows for complex business logic and joins across contracts. It prioritizes type safety, fast development iteration, and is designed to be deployed to standard cloud infrastructure.

dApps are the primary consumers of indexing services. They rely on protocols like The Graph to query complex, aggregated blockchain data for their front-ends, such as:

• DeFi dashboards displaying user portfolio values and liquidity pool stats.
• NFT marketplaces showing collection floor prices and trait rarity.
• Governance platforms tracking proposal history and voting power. Without indexing, dApps would need to run their own full nodes and process raw logs, a costly and slow alternative.

Analysts and researchers use indexing protocols to extract and analyze historical and real-time on-chain data. This enables:

• Performance tracking of Total Value Locked (TVL), transaction volumes, and user growth.
• Treasury management and financial reporting for DAOs.
• Smart contract auditing by analyzing interaction patterns and event logs. Tools like Dune Analytics and Nansen build on top of indexing infrastructure to provide these analytical insights.

Developers building smart contracts and backend services use indexing to listen for specific on-chain events and trigger off-chain logic. Key use cases include:

• Building data-rich APIs for their applications without managing infrastructure.
• Creating real-time notifications for users based on contract interactions.
• Automating workflows (like issuing rewards) when certain contract conditions are met. This abstracts away the complexity of direct node interaction and event filtering.

Services that consolidate information across multiple blockchains or protocols depend heavily on indexing. Examples include:

• Multi-chain portfolio trackers (e.g., DeBank, Zapper) that aggregate user positions.
• Yield farming aggregators that find the best returns across various DeFi pools.
• Crypto wallets displaying token balances and NFT holdings. These services query indexed data subgraphs to provide a unified, real-time view of fragmented on-chain activity.

These are the service providers within the indexing protocol's own network (e.g., The Graph's decentralized network). They:

• Operate nodes that index blockchain data according to specified subgraphs.
• Serve queries to end-users and applications in exchange for query fees and protocol rewards.
• Stake the protocol's native token (e.g., GRT) as collateral to ensure service quality and slashing for misbehavior.

Participants in decentralized indexing networks who signal the value of specific data sets without running infrastructure.

• Curators are typically developers or analysts who stake tokens to signal which subgraphs (APIs) are high-quality and should be indexed, earning a share of query fees.
• Delegators stake tokens to Indexers they trust, sharing in their rewards and helping to secure the network. These roles align economic incentives with data integrity and utility.