Updated ICP Roadmap

Internet Computer will hold a live stream on YouTube on its updated ICP roadmap, featuring the vise president of engineering Samuel Burri and the head of research Björn Tackmann.

output: The Internet Computer is a versatile blockchain developed and initiated by the DFINITY Foundation in May 2021 with the aspiration of becoming a “world computer” that can host decentralized applications (dapps). This blockchain aims to provide controlled computing costs, a stark contrast to the uncontrolled costs and limited scalability of traditional blockchains. At the heart of this endeavor lies Chain Key Cryptography, a core technology powering the Internet Computer’s unique capabilities.

A few critical components underpin the Internet Computer’s operation. The Network Nervous System (NNS) functions as an open, decentralized management system. It welcomes community proposals for network upgrades and new features through a governance process. This system also enables infinite scalability, continuously adding new nodes to expand the blockchain network. To facilitate optimal on-chain dapp operation, data storage costs are kept minimal.

Further enhancing user experience, smart contracts on this platform run directly to serve users' HTTP requests. This integration ensures a seamless and efficient interaction with dapps. Moreover, the platform guarantees user anonymity and employs a reverse gas model, where developers, not users, bear the costs of executing smart contract computations and state changes.

In terms of infrastructure, the Internet Computer takes a decentralized approach, similar to Bitcoin. It's not reliant on centralized cloud nodes like AWS, GCP, or Azure. Instead, the network is distributed across independent organizations and individuals worldwide, fostering resilience and decentralization. This architecture contrasts with Web2 services that rely heavily on centralized cloud providers.