This is a short guide for developers and project owners who are considering Telegram Open Network (TON) for implementing their app ideas. We’ll go through the reasons why people like and dislike building on TON, what kind of simple dApps will work or fail, and how Dysnix TON nodes can simplify and speed up your dream coming true.
A word about the growing popularity of TON
TON was designed as a decentralized high-performance blockchain capable of ~175 TPS speed (according to CoinGecko's recent research). It aims to provide various services such as decentralized storage, DNS, dApps, and payment solutions integrated into the Telegram app.
Blockchain: TON's blockchain architecture includes features like sharding, which allows for scalability, and instant hypercube routing for quick transactions.
Toncoin ($TON): The network's native cryptocurrency was intended for use in transactions and services within the ecosystem.
In 2019, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Telegram, alleging that the Gram tokens of the initial FreeTON network were unregistered securities. Following a prolonged legal battle, Telegram agreed in 2020 to return $1.2 billion to investors and pay an $18.5 million fine, leading to the official abandonment of the FreeTON. However, the community revived the project, renaming it "The Open Network" (TON). Various groups, including the TON Foundation and TON Labs, continued its development, focusing on decentralization and community-driven initiatives.
Now, TON network has been rapidly gaining traction due to its scalability and speed. Compared to other popular blockchains, TON can handle a significantly higher volume of transactions per second, making it ideal for high-traffic dApps.
Other things that make TON developer’s live easier
TON offers unique features that streamline development compared to other PoS blockchains:
Fast transaction processing:
Top 5 blockchains with the biggest TPS. Source: CoinGecko
TON Virtual Machine (TVM). TVM enables the execution of smart contracts, which is necessary for dApps devs. It supports multiple programming languages, making it accessible to a broad range of developers. Worth mentioning: the TVM is not compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) because TON leverages a completely different architecture.
Comprehensive toolbox for devs. TON offers a suite of development tools that streamline the process of building, testing, and deploying applications:some text
TON CLI: A command-line interface that provides developers with essential functionalities for interacting with the TON blockchain.
TON Labs SDKs include libraries and frameworks to assist in the development of dApps and smart contracts.
Rich ecosystem. A rapidly growing developer community and a wealth of readily available online resources attract a large number of TON developers.
TON nodes. As a premium node provider, we run pre-configured TON nodes that are ready to accelerate development by handling infrastructure setup and maintenance, saving developers significant time and effort.
There’s nothing we would like to emphasize more. Everything should start with documentation and chatting with the community. Depending on your dApp, you can expect many building blocks to stick together: APIs, smart contracts, interfaces, databases, etc. Some of the dApps you can build on TON are governance applications, raffles, NFT marketplaces, prediction markets, loyalty programs, and so on. Let’s describe the building blocks of those:
dApp Type
Building Blocks
Governance
Smart contract for vote creation and storage
User interface for casting votes
Blockchain oracle (optional) for verifying results
Raffles
Smart contract for ticket management and prize distribution
User interface for buying tickets and viewing results
Random number generator (on-chain or off-chain)
NFT marketplace
Smart contracts for NFT creation, ownership, and transfer
User interface for browsing, buying, and selling NFTs
Smart contracts for creating prediction markets, managing stakes, and settling bets
User interface for making predictions and viewing outcomes
Data feed oracles to provide verifiable data for predictions
Loyalty program
Smart contract for tracking user activity and issuing tokens
User interface for viewing loyalty points and redeeming rewards
Integration with your service or dApp for earning tokens
Be sure to read the TON Documentation specifically for your use case, avoiding generalization.
Select the best-fit programming language, environment, and dev tools for your idea
TON isn’t very demanding when it comes to programming languages; the selection is vast:
FunC isspecific to TON, a low-level language used for writing smart contracts on the TON blockchain.
JavaScript/TypeScript is popular for developing dApp front-ends and interacting with smart contracts.
Tact, similar to Rust and TypeScript and actively developed by the community, is also suitable for writing smart contracts on TON.
If you’re looking for an advanced level of experience, Fift may fit your demand. Only for the brave, as it’s mentioned in the official docs 🙂
Use your favorite IDE and version control; it’s all about your comfort while writing code. Frameworks are no less variable. TON CLI and TON labs SDK include libraries and tools for developing, testing, and deploying dApps and smart contracts on TON. Check available SDKs in the TON Docs. Make sure you implement the best practices of secure coding and code audit even before the start!
Prepare wallet and nodes
A TON wallet for managing test tokens and deploying smart contracts is a must. Popular options for developers include:
Tonkeeper: Secure your crypto and NFTs and easily access TON apps.
Tonhub: A mobile wallet that supports in-app Toncoin staking.
MyTonWallet: Wallet and browser extension for TON.
OpenMask: An open-source browser extension with biometric auth.
You might also need access to the testnet to obtain test tokens needed for transactions and contract deployment. TON developers can use public faucets like the one provided by TON Labs to get test tokens for development purposes. Testnet services:
As a developer, you have two options when it comes to getting nodes for your project. First, you can run a node on your own; second, you can get it from a provider like Dysnix. We’ve done this part of the job for you so you can concentrate on the development itself.
What Dysnix can offer
TON nodes configured by Dysnix engineers differ from other providers’ nodes because of the way they work. We know that you don’t need a node in vacuum but a working power that will be stable and high-available under various conditions and scenarios.
Also, we can consult your dev team and enhance it with our DevOps services. Installed CI/CD pipelines boost the development process from the start. Infrastructure as code changes the way you tie everything together in your dApp and simplifies making amendments. Another thing we bring to the table is the best-fit scaling setup configured up to your case.
Ask our representative anything about the TON node provided by Dysnix
So, as a TON developer, you can expect the following benefits using Dysnix as a premium node provider:
Rapid prototyping Dysnix's pre-configured nodes eliminate the need for lengthy node setup, allowing you to experiment and iterate on your dApp ideas quickly. This reduces development time and helps you validate your concepts faster.
Focus on innovation and development By handling infrastructure management, Dysnix frees you to concentrate on the core functionalities and user experience of your dApp. This fosters innovation and allows you to bring your unique ideas to life more efficiently. It also significantly reduces development time.
Efficient testing Dysnix's nodes allow efficient and thorough testing of your dApp's functionalities and security. They can be launched in both testing and prod environments, ensuring a high-quality dApp without sacrificing development speed.
Security advantages Dysnix nodes are configured according to security best practices, potentially enhancing the overall security posture of your dApp compared to self-managed setups.
If you need any other consultations in a more relaxed atmosphere, join our chat of blockchain devs and enthusiasts: