What Is the XMTP Web3 Messaging Protocol and How Does It Work?

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XMTP is an breathtaking caller protocol for decentralized messaging that tin alteration messaging forever.

Extensible-Messagging-Transfer-Protocol

Key Takeaways

  • XMTP is simply a caller protocol that provides unafraid and backstage messaging betwixt blockchain accounts, focusing connected decentralization and personification ownership.
  • XMTP useful successful 3 layers - nan exertion layer, customer layer, and web furniture - to alteration decentralized messaging and relationship betwixt different platforms and applications.
  • XMTP messaging apps connection benefits specified arsenic decentralization, interoperability, personification ownership of data, and nan expertise to conveniently transportation integer blockchain currency. However, wide take and interoperability pinch celebrated messaging apps for illustration WhatsApp and Messenger are still constricted astatine this stage.

Web3 is simply a important measurement guardant from Web2. While Web2 is focused much connected usability, information collection, and user-generated content, Web3 focuses connected decentralization, personification ownership and control, and interoperability. As we modulation from Web2 to Web3, nan opportunity to create amended web protocols is now possible.

During nan transition, we tin expect immoderate of nan biggest impacts to beryllium successful nan area of messaging and really messaging is used. Since accepted protocols were designed for Web2, they do not person nan capabilities needed for Web3. Thus, XMTP was created.

So, what precisely is XMTP, and really does it work?Let's

What Is XMTP?

The caller Extensible Message Transport Protocol (XMTP) provides a web and modular for unafraid and backstage messaging betwixt blockchain accounts. XMTP is utilized connected messaging applications to supply users pinch basal features specified arsenic a decentralized network, interoperability, blockchain relationship support, and personification ownership.

XMTP and XMTP Labs are presently focused connected helping developers by providing first networks, documentation, and guides connected implementing XMTP connected their decentralized applications (DApps).

XMTP is gaining support from large tech corporations. To understand really powerful and useful XMTP tin be, you tin effort it retired successful Coinbase Wallet, Converse, CyberConnect, Lens, Unstoppable Domains, and immoderate DApp utilizing nan Lens protocol.

How Does XMTP Work?

XMTP useful successful 3 layers, namely, nan exertion layer, nan customer layer, and nan web layer.

XMTP-Network-Overview
  1. Application Layer: The exertion furniture comprises customer apps made utilizing nan XMTP customer SDK. This customer SDK embeds nan XMTP connection API customer utilized to pass pinch nan customer layer. Since XMTP is interoperable, you tin usage immoderate app developed pinch nan customer SDK, specified arsenic Converse, Coinbase Wallet, Lenster, and immoderate Lens app available.
  2. Client Layer: This furniture comprises XMTP connection API clients from nan exertion layer. This furniture of XMTP is responsible for creating blockchain-based identities pinch nationalist and backstage keys, encrypting and decrypting messages and invitations, encoding and decoding connection contented types, and submitting and retrieving each cardinal bundles and encrypted messages and invitations.
  3. Network Layer: The web furniture of XMTP is what makes this protocol decentralized. Unlike accepted Web2 messaging, wherever servers are each owned by a azygous platform, XMTP utilizes a web of server nodes owned by aggregate entities. These entities tin beryllium immoderate personification who participates successful building nan web by moving nan XMTP node package connected their computer.

That each sounds very good and good, but what are nan benefits of utilizing an XMTP-enabled app?

4 Benefits of XMTP Messaging Apps

Messaging utilizing a smartphoneImage Credit:freestocks/Unsplash

As discussed earlier, Web3 importantly changes really we usage nan net and really it operates. XMTP adheres to nan Web3 standards by making messaging convenient, secure, and decentralized. XMTP does this by providing messaging apps precocious functionalities that users will use from, including:

  1. Decentralization: XMTP decentralizes messaging by providing and assigning XMTP nodes astir nan world. Using server nodes negates nan request for a centralized server, ensuring that nary mini number controls really we pass pinch each other.
  2. Interoperability: XMTP allows different platforms, applications, and services to interact seamlessly. With nary azygous entity owning a network, nary 1 tin unit you to usage a azygous messaging app. This intends you tin now connection anyone, moreover if they are utilizing a different messaging exertion aliases service. Once XMTP gains mainstream adoption, you should beryllium capable to take immoderate messaging app, specified arsenic WhatsApp, to connection personification done Messenger, Gmail, Discord, Viber, aliases immoderate different messaging app aliases level that uses XMTP.
  3. Identity Ownership: When you create an relationship for WhatsApp, Snapchat, aliases immoderate celebrated messaging service, you fundamentally get an relationship from their platform. With XMTP, you ain your relationship and each nan information it produces, including your inbox. This provides information for users, arsenic they tin ever petition their encrypted inbox from an XMTP node, not nan platform. So, moreover if a messaging work shuts down aliases decides that they don't want you connected their platform, you tin move to a caller messaging app and still person your aged relationship and each nan interactions you had successful that account.
  4. Convenient Money Transfer: Although XMTP isn't blockchain, it supports blockchain accounts. By creating a proxy XMTP relationship connected to your Coinbase wallet, users tin now nonstop and person integer blockchain rate safely and conveniently utilizing their preferred messaging application.

In short, XMTP enables overmuch greater integration of messaging services into modern Web3 apps, bringing crypto, blockchain, and messaging closer.

Should You Switch to An XMTP DApp?

Question people utilizing debased exposureImage Credit:Emily Morter/Unsplash

With nan galore advantages of XMTP, it is rather tempting to move to an XMTP-supported messaging app. However, since XMTP is still a caller protocol, users will brushwood problems should they usage an app built connected XMTP.

Many of nan large messaging platforms we presently use, specified arsenic WhatsApp, Messenger, and Snapchat, do not presently support XMTP. Without interoperability among these platforms, XMPT-supported apps can't link to these Web2 messaging applications. So, if you move to utilizing an XMTP app correct now, you won't beryllium capable to usage that app to link pinch anyone utilizing immoderate of nan celebrated messaging apps we usage today.

Furthermore, XMTP is presently utilizing a distributed network, not a decentralized one. XMTP Labs ain nan 2 XMTP servers that are presently available. These servers are meant to jump-start nan XMTP web while they activity connected spreading server nodes. So, until their decentralization shape originates (very soon), utilizing XMTP won't beryllium each that decentralized.

Although nan protocol itself is already coagulated astatine this stage, XMTP still needs to spell done its decentralization shape and person wider take to entreaty to nan mostly of nan population.

The Future of Decentralized Messaging

As we modulation from Web2 to Web3, we tin expect XMTP and different decentralized net protocols to summation larger take from developers crossed nan globe. DApps are apt going to beryllium nan modular mode of two-way communication. And since blockchain accounts are required to create proxy identities for DApps, we mightiness moreover spot smart contract-enabled cryptocurrencies summation moreover much investors successful nan agelong run.

Transitioning from Web2 to Web3 will apt beryllium a slow process. Until then, support your WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Messenger apps installed connected your telephone while you play pinch DApps and hold for its mainstream adoption.

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