Announcing Kwil v2 Public Alpha Release, Data Infrastructure for the Future of Web 3.0

Today, the Kwil team is excited to share the first public Alpha Release of Kwil v2, the permissionless, scalable, decentralized relational database for the future of Web 3.0-enabled applications.

Full documentation to get started with the Kwil v2 Alpha Release can be found here: https://docs.kwil.com/.

What is Kwil?

At Kwil, our mission is to build the infrastructure to power data storage and retrieval for the next generation of Web 3.0-enabled applications. Currently, in Web 3.0, there is no way to store and persist structured data (e.g. relational database, graph database, etc) across a fully decentralized network. We believe that in order for the next generation of blockchain applications to come online (e.g., decentralized social media, IOT, or science), developers will require decentralized structured data storage to create the dynamic, data-intensive user experiences these applications require.

Last year, we released Kwil v1, a proof of concept for how a decentralized relational solution could be useful for other dApps and protocols. After receiving feedback from a variety of decentralized social media, DeSci, analytics, and DeFi projects, the Kwil team rebuilt the entire Kwil stack from the ground up.

How is Kwil v2 different from Kwil v1?

The main difference between Kwil v2 and Kwil v1 is that Kwil v2 was re-architected for functioning in a blockchain environment. Some key differences between Kwil v2 and Kwil v1 are:

• Permissionless Data Writes: Kwil v1 had limited functionality for community interaction and database usage. Kwil v2 allows dApp developers to define rules for interacting with databases, deploy their database on the Kwil network, and then allow any dApp user to permissionlessly interact with the database within the pre-defined rules. Kwil extends the same permissionless benefits first introduced by smart contracts to relational data.
• Web 3.0-native DB functionality: Kwil v1 focused on decentralized replication of Postgres logs and lacked many of the tools and features present in other Web 3.0 applications. Kwil v2 includes Web 3.0-native tools developers will find useful for decentralized applications. For example, Kwil v2 includes the “Caller” modifier, automatically calling a user’s wallet address and including it in the database.
• Query-Based Pricing: Kwil v2 introduces a query pricing system that is a logical equivalent to Ethereum’s opcode pricing system. By generating polynomial representations of a query’s computational complexity, Kwil prices users on a per-query basis, marking one of the first times this has been implemented for a relational database.

What resources are available for building on Kwil v2?

To begin building on Kwil v2, you will need Kwil testnet tokens. These tokens are live on the Goerli testnet and can be received from the Kwil testnet faucet: https://faucet.kwil.com/.

The fastest way to begin building on Kwil is with the Kwil Javascript/Typescript SDK. The SDK can be found on NPM here, with supporting documentation here. The Kwil team has also released short videos here for how to get started with the SDK’s key functionality.

An alternative to the Kwil SDK is the Kwil Database Builder. This is an easy-to-use frontend that will allow anyone, regardless of technical background, to deploy a database on Kwil. All you need is a wallet with testnet tokens to get started.

The Kwil team also released a short video for how to use the database builder here.

Lastly, the Kwil team has also released the Kwil CLI, an easy-to-use command line interface for interacting with the Kwil network. From the Kwil CLI, you can add funds, deploy a new database, and execute queries. Full CLI documentation can be found here.

What is next?

The feedback from the Alpha Release will guide the product features the Kwil team will prioritize in the coming months. This feedback will be critical as the team continues growing the Kwil network and adding new features that will be useful to dApp developers.

Be on the lookout for incentivized testing programs for the Kwil Alpha Release in the coming weeks.

How can I get involved?

Are you an application developer that is looking to incorporate decentralized relational data into your new or existing dApp? Feel free to hop in our Discord or reach out to us at help@kwil.com. We are actively looking to support and grow projects looking to build on Kwil.

Additionally, the Kwil team is actively hiring across all roles! Open opportunities can be found here: https://www.kwil.com/careers.

We can’t wait to see what you will #BuildWithKwil.