What is The Graph?

What is The Graph?
The Graph is an indexing protocol and global API for organizing blockchain data and making it easily accessible with GraphQL. Developers can use Graph Explorer to search, find, and publish all the public data they need to build decentralized applications. The Graph Network makes it possible to build serverless dApps that run entirely on public infrastructure.

Who are the founders?
The Graph is founded by Yaniv Tal (Project Lead), Jannis Pohlman (Tech Lead), and Brandom Ramirez (Research Lead)

Who are the investors?
The Graph closed a $5 million private token sale funded by Coinbase Ventures, Framework Ventures, Digital Currency Group, and more; while also did a $2.5 million seed round led by Multicoin Capital. A public sale round of $12 million was also concluded few months before the launch of mainnet.

How does the protocol work?
Developers can define a subgraph which specifies how blockchain data are structured to be consumed by app and dapp developers. App and dapp developers can query The Graph network using the subgraph schema with GraphQL which are paid in The Graph token (GRT).

These data are served by indexers who act as nodes, incentivized with GRT tokens to ensure that the API is always available in a decentralized manner and data are served correctly.

As there can be many subgraphs out there, curators are tasked to find the subgraphs that are most useful to developers. Curators are also incentivized with GRT tokens to find the best subgraph that others would find useful.

Who are its users?
Developers are able to obtain most of the essential Ethereum data through The Graph which includes data for Uniswap, Balancer, Curve, Aave, Moloch DAO, Compound, and more.

Apps and dapps that are using The Graph includes CoinGecko, Uniswap Info, Decentraland, Synthetix, Aragon, and more.

What is GRT?
GRT coin is the native token of the network that’s used to coordinate work. GRT is an ERC20 token. Node operators, called Indexers, stake and earn GRT for processing queries. Anyone can delegate GRT to Indexers to secure the network and earn rewards. Curators organize data on The Graph by signaling GRT on useful APIs, called subgraphs. Indexers, Delegators, and Curators work together to organize the data for the crypto economy and maintain a useful global API for DeFi and Web3.