Explain ZetaChain Like I’m 5
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With more than 1,000,000 users on testnet, it’s safe to say ZetaChain strikes a chord in the market’s desperate need for interoperability. Given both the nascency of web3 and novelty of ZetaChain blockchain (even among crypto-natives), we decided to tap our wise, dedicated community members and challenge them to explain ZetaChain using an analogy. In this post, we highlight the 10 winning submissions!
Setting the Stage
At ZetaChain, we’re building the first public L1 blockchain with built-in interoperability. That is, an open chain capable of supporting omnichain smart contracts, which can access and manage assets and data on any other chain from a single point of logic. For a more in-depth technical overview and solution comparison, please refer to ZetaChain’s Unique Approach to Interoperability. Before jumping into the winning analogies section, let’s review some buzz words you’ll likely run into in the space of blockchain interoperability:
- Multichain: refers to the many chains available in today’s market.
- Cross-chain: describes the passing of value, messages, and data across blockchains. Bridging is one of the most widely used and often insecure strategies.
- Omnichain: “Omni” means of all things so, in this context, an omnichain dApp or odApp is one smart contract for all chains, capable of accessing assets and data on those connected networks.
The Top 10 Winning Analogies
#1: The ZETA Travel Agency
Vacations are fun, but planning them involves many moving parts such as choosing lodging and other accommodations. This is why some prefer to use the services of a travel agency (the role of ZetaChain in this scenario).
Why? Well if you’re driving yourself, first, you need to figure out the best route from hundreds of cross-country bridges. Secondly, you can’t move without fuel so you’ll need to use funds to fill your car with gas. Each refueling of the car is like refueling your wallet directly for the exchange of tokens where the price is subject to the current price of Gwei (gas). During your travels, remember to book hotel stays and rest up as no one can drive all night long (equivalent to stopping to move liquidity from one service bridge to another in crypto). Overall, get comfortable with the unknowns. Cars break down and you may need to take detours so understand the total time-to-destination (transaction settlement) is hard to predict.
On the other hand, flying first class with the ZETA agency is much simpler and less risky. ZETA immediately provides a description of the tour, exact price, duration and conditions. You don’t have to worry about the road trip (i.e. crypto transfer) because you already know in advance how you will get to the destination. Fuel, car insurance, restaurant accommodations, other services, Etc. Everything in the tour is included when you pay the ZETA commission, which by the way, you get back should something go wrong during your journey (built-in revert function). When traveling with the ZETA agency, you’ll always see the duration of your trip on the Swap counter. With over 1,000,000 customers across Twitter and Discord, ZETA agency is a reliable and high in demand service. Trust they will help you get to where you want to go fast, affordably, and safely!
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @BDNKTORRETO & @Hrmkingnuel’s submissions.
#2: The Magic Cocktail Shaker
The Zeta Virtual Machine is like a magic shaker for making cocktails (omnichain dApps). For example, let’s say you’re in a virtual bar, and you find something appealing on Ethereum (let it be a wonderful juniper gin). And then something catches your eye on Binance Smart Chain (something like sweet vermouth). You can enjoy both drinks separately, but unfortunately not mixed together because each has its own characteristics.
Well, you could use a cross-chain bridge solution. It would be like having a straw inserted into two glasses in front of you — one with gin and one with vermouth. The method is limited, asynchronous, and risky. To involve other chains or tokens in your concoction such as Campari further complicates things.
Enter the magic Zeta Virtual Machine shaker, which has some special powers:
- You can exchange any ingredient from any bar and receive any other ingredient. For example, pour gin into the tumbler, give it a good shake, and eventually vermouth will pour out of it. This is how omnichain smart contracts work: In this case, it burns X tokens (gin) on network A, converts to the ZETA token through a one-way peg, and then mints X tokens (vermouth) on network B. Unlike the more common two-way peg, there is no “wrapping” and no additional representation of the true underlying asset.
- Guaranteed best price on your ingredients and no wasting! Our bartenders (node operators in ZetaChain who validate, sign, and observe transactions and events on all external networks) scrupulously monitor the proportions of your cocktail. This means lower slippage, volatility, and stronger transaction guarantees when drinking cocktails that involve many ingredients (multichain interactions).
- Limitless cocktail (dApp) creativity! No longer are you restricted from acquiring the age old Campari liquor from Italy in order to make the classic Negroni (a legacy chain like Bitcoin). And maybe a new special recipe comes out (like Aptos chain) — any future ingredient is compatible with the Zeta Virtual Machine shaker. Just throw it in and experience the benefits of what different bars (blockchains) have to offer, all in one place, securely.
If you’re interested in making your own cocktails, check out our recipe book (AKA ZetaDocs). Cheers to a new generation of omnichain dApp cocktails!
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @assoc_exe’s submission.
#3: The Next Generation Vending Machine
A smart contract in crypto is like an automated vending machine in a store. Similar to how a vending machine processes payments and dispenses goods without human intervention, a smart contract automatically perform various operations according to predetermined conditions (time, cost, quantity, asset type, Etc.).
Now imagine each blockchain network has a separate vending machine store that sells different office products (Ethereum for tape, Solana for pens, Polygon for paper, Bitcoin for chairs, and so on). If you’re trying to build an office space, then you need to spend time and money on the road traveling to multiple vending machines, dealing with different cashiers.
With ZetaChain, you have a new generation vending machine that interacts with all stores at once, providing comprehensive inventory to shoppers. Not only can you build your office quicker, but also you can save money because everything happens on one public machine i.e. ZetaChain where complex transactions happen in one step and all transfers are simple, minimizing total gas expenditure and slippage.
This new ZetaChain vending machine can manage the best products from any store from a single machine (AKA an omnichain smart contract). And the best part is, the platform is open source so manufacturers can build their own machines (dApps) for different industries and customer audiences. We can’t wait until the tech is publicly available for retail shoppers in the next couple of months!
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @FckTrend’s submission.
#4: ZETA Token is like Water (H20)
Water is an integral part of life on Earth. It surrounds us everywhere and is part of us humans. Think back to grade school Physics, and you’ll remember water can exist in different states of aggregation. Let’s use water to help explain the unique interoperability property of ZetaChain blockchain and its Omnichain Smart Contracts capability.
The three states of water are solid, liquid and gas. While each state is of a different consistency and appearance, they share a common formula: H20. Imagine H20 is the ZETA token, which powers the underlying ZetaChain blockchain. The ZETA token functions as an intermediary token and universal gas across all networks.
Image one below shows how H20 can exist in different states; image two shows how the ZETA token is associated with various blockchains, providing unified liquidity across those external networks. In this analogy, ZETA is a vital “chemical” for ZetaChain in order to natively support general data transfer and contract calls between any networks. In the case of H20, you need it in order to move water, for example, from snow to steam. It’s all the same water (H2O), but it exists in different states of aggregation.
Similarly, on ZetaChain blockchain, the initial and final value of the token asset (for example, when exchanging BNB for ETH from one chain to another) still remains expressed in the quantitative value of the ZETA, a ZRC-20 token (involving no bridging or recreating a version of the original asset). So just like how snow, rain, or fog is an aggregate state of H20, ZETA token functions as a permanent form of liquidity on any blockchain — it makes possible a single interface (like a DEX) using the same wallet with one single click and no wrapping/locking the asset. It’s simpler, more predictable, and cheaper!
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @rykovka’s submission.
#5: Multi-currency Bank Transfer
A simple international fund transfer is unfortunately not so simple. Let’s say you want to transfer rupees to your Indian friends, one of whom lives in India, one in Japan, and the third in the United States. As a user, you see that rubles are deducted from your account, and for a certain commission, the money is sent to your friends and credited to their accounts in the respective countries.
For the bank, however, this operation is more complicated. The Russian bank has rubles, but not rupees. Moreover, there is a quotation of the ruble-dollar and the dollar-rupee, but no direct quotation of the ruble-rupee. So the bank first buys the dollars, sends them to the bank in India, and then the bank in India converts the dollars into rupees and credits your friends’ account.
In this scenario and all international settlements, the intermediate reserve asset is the US dollar. The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) supports this system, providing a procedure for transferring funds and protecting individual recipient privacy.
For users, let’s imagine the countries (India, Japan and the United States) are blockchains, and the reserve currency is instead the ZETA token. The ZetaChain blockchain is like the SWIFT system in that it interprets what and where a user wants to send funds, and it executes that via a smart contract without needing to bridge to different banks (blockchains) or issue representations of currencies (e.g. wrapped Ether). ZetaChain makes token swaps and transfers as simple as a local bank transfer.
For dApp developers, let’s say you’re building a multinational corporation and do business in the same countries: India, Japan, and the United States. Business processes and databases for accounting management are supported by different programs in each country. Ideally, you could write one program that processes all three databases versus writing and maintaining separate programs for each country. This is the power of an omnichain smart contract on ZetaChain. One program that unifies data across different databases (blockchains). The creative potential of omnichain smart contracts is limitless!
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @Rustaminnovator’s submission.
#6: Universal Power Adapter
ZetaChain is like a universal power supply for electronics. Unique devices such as smartphones, laptops, cameras, and various models among them may have different charging ports. Similarly, in the world of blockchain, platforms have different proprietary protocols and standards, which makes communication between one another difficult. As a universal power adapter, ZetaChain enables different devices (blockchains) to charge using the same port. Moreover, it provides a universal open source toolkit so anyone can build their own device (dApp) that interacts with any chain, regardless of its underlying characteristics. ZetaChain is a future-proof blockchain for all chains!
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @txt_m’s submission.
#7: First Island with Built-in Connectivity
Blockchains networks are like isolated islands. Each has its own set of rules, purposes, topography, age, tradeoffs, and other properties. ZetaChain is the first island with built-in connectivity to all other island land masses.
One of the key innovations of ZetaChain is its Omnichain Smart Contracts. This EVM-compatible module allows developers to write and deploy apps on ZetaChain that enjoy its universal connectivity with all other islands.
Additionally, ZetaChain introduces a new standard known as ZRC-20, which enables these Omnichain Smart Contracts to manage native resources (assets) on connected islands (chains). This means that the oldest island on Earth (the Bitcoin network), which historically lacked a way to connect to other islands (meaning non-smart contract capable) can now be used with assets and data from other chains.
Whether you analogize ZetaChain as a new special island or post office system that connects all countries, it’s important to appreciate what this means for developers and users: namely, an improved developer experience for a globalized world (multichain world), and a simpler, more secure, and affordable experience for humanity.
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @MetaverseCryp’s submission.
#8: The ZetaChain Smart Home
A smart contract can be thought of as an automatic house temperature control system that performs certain actions when certain conditions occur. For example, if the temperature in an apartment reaches a specified temperature, then the system automatically turns the air conditioning unit on or off to maintain the desired output. Similarly, a smart contract performs programmed operations, which is recorded in the state of a blockchain.
Imagine each blockchain network is a separate gadget (Ethereum is the air conditioner, Solana is the robot vacuum cleaner, Polygon is a smart lamp, Bitcoin is a smart switch, and so on). Most of these gadgets have their own remote control except the Bitcoin switch device. In this world, you need to figure out each unique device remote and spend time going from one gadget to another. It’s all very manual.
With the ZetaChain Smart Home, you’re able to combine all of your gadgets into one network and set up automation rules from one remote control — even gadgets like Bitcoin or Dogecoin that don’t have a dedicated remote control (smart contract capability). ZetaChain brings modern software (called Omnichain Smart Contracts) that enables faster responses (cross-chain transaction settlement time) and the ability to operate across all devices from one single, secure place. And the best part is that the ZetaChain software platform is open source so other manufacturers can build their own gadgets and instantly access a unified base of homeowners while providing them an affordable, seamless smart home experience.
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @FckTrend’s submission.
#9: A Multitool to Build a Secure House
Imagine you’re building a house and you have a toolbox with multiple tools. Each tool serves a specific purpose: a hammer to nail down boards, a saw to cut wood, a screwdriver to tighten screws, and so on. However, switching between these separate tools for each task is time-consuming and inconvenient.
Omnichain Smart Contracts on ZetaChain are like a multitool for building dApps. Instead of deploying individual contracts on each chain, Omnichain Smart Contracts allow developers to deploy a single contract that can manage assets and data on multiple connected chains. This simplifies the development process and reduces the need for multiple contracts similar to how a multitool simplifies the task of using separate tools.
You also get other efficiency and security benefits when you build a house this way. You see, in figure 1, if an inhabitant (user) wants to go cross chain to a different network, he must rely on a 3rd party bridge and multiple contracts. It’s like you open the door from one room (the first public chain) and then open another door to enter the second room (the second public chain). Before entering the door, you need to show your identity, pass the security, and avoid being abducted by bad people (hackers). Also, sometimes guards are tricked by fake messages (dishonest validators). The process is risky and time-consuming.
In figure 2, ZetaChain unifies all contract addresses in one application through its zEVM module and ZRC-20 token standard. With one contract, users can easily interact with cross-chain and safely move around different rooms. The process does not require 3rd party communication, and it’s more time and cost effective.
In terms of security, you don’t need to worry about getting lost or abducted in your own house. Simply, pass a message, telling the people in room 2 that you want to enter. Since the contract corresponding to room 2 is the same, it easily receives the notice in advance. This type of asset integration on ZetaChain unifies liquidity across rooms (blockchains) and improves price accuracy for users.
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @Prosvetleny & @imlct’s submission.
#10: Natural Vegetative Propagation
A ZetaChain Omnichain Smart Contract is like the process of natural vegetative propagation where plants grow and develop naturally without any human interference. This results in new plants that emerge from the roots, stems, and leaves of the parent plant.
We liken this natural process to Omnichain Smart Contracts in that they can access and manage true native assets on any external chain without humans (which are like bridges). In the omnichain world, a fern or moss will grow naturally and combine with other plant species (blockchains) and develop new characteristics (omnichain dApps that may leverage multiple networks — X chain for its compute power; Y chain for its privacy strengths).
With Omnichain Smart Contracts, developers can write and deploy EVM-compatible smart contracts that have access to ZetaChain’s universal connectivity. This means developers can leverage Ethereum’s robust smart contract ecosystem to build truly interoperable applications on top of ZetaChain — as if everything were on a single chain.
This piece was adapted based on ZetaChain community member @admiralnft’s submission.
Reference Sources:
- #1: A Taste of Adventure with ZetaChain, @BDNKTORRETO; A quick dive into the concept of Multichain and Zetachain’s approach to Interoperability, @Hrmkingnuel
- #2: Why is a Dapp deployment like making a cocktail?, @assoc_exe
- #3: Omnichain smart contract in plain language, @FckTrend
- #4: The Omnichain Smart Contracts Analogy Contest, @rykovka
- #5: Explaining how ZetaChain works using an analogy, @Rustaminnovator
- #6: The first ever smart contracts Omnichain (ZetaChain), @txt_m
- #7: Unlocking Interoperability: The Key to Connecting Different Blockchain Networks with ZetaChain, @MetaverseCryp
- #8: Omnichain smart contract in plain language, @FckTrend
- #9: Omnichain Smart Contracts Analogy, @Prosvetlenyj; Learn how ZetaChain works in one article, @imlct
- #10: Natural Vegetative Process Analogy to Omnichain Smart Contracts on ZetaChain, @admiralnft
