This comparison and overview of two of the most popular cryptocurrency platforms in 2021. Are you unsure which one is best? Continue reading!
Cardano, a smart contract-enabled protocol of the third generation that facilitates Decentralized Finance (Defi), is Cardano. It is similar in some ways to Solana, as developers can create customized applications for their users. It is a third-generation cryptocurrency blockchain that aims to solve the same issues as Solana in terms of scaling. Cardano is different because it uses the Ouroboros consensus method, further supported by peer-reviewed research. Cardano is a highly capable blockchain protocol. However, Solana is becoming more popular due to its higher transaction throughput.
This article will discuss the differences between the two blockchain protocols. It will also explain what makes them different. Let’s get started!
Cardano
Cardano was founded by Charles Hoskinson (co-founder of Ethereum), who also founded Input-Output, a blockchain research company in 2015. Jeremy Wood was the co-leader of Cardano, which was created by this organization. The organization’s goal was to create blockchain infrastructure solutions for both private and public clients. One of the most fascinating aspects of the protocol’s structure is its mechanics. It uses RINA (Recursive InterNetwork Architecture) to increase its transactional throughput. This technique splits the main network into multiple subnetworks. These subnetworks then exchange information amongst each other.
Let’s look at the basics of blockchain.
- Consensus mechanism: Cardano uses The Ouroboros consensus system, which was developed by the Cardano Foundation. users can stake their ADA, the native token within the Cardano ecosystem, and take part in the transaction validation process. You have the option to either create your staking pool or delegate your ADA from an existing one. This mechanism is different from the PoS in that users only need to be present when the “snapshot” of the network is being taken. They can move their staked ADA and participate in Defi before and after the snapshot is taken. Traditional PoS coins cannot be withdrawn once they have been staked.
- Programmability The key feature that Cardano had until now was programmability. The blockchain was primarily used to transfer value between points until the Alonzo hard fork, which was just months ago. The smart contracts functionality was launched in this year and there has been an increase in interest in the blockchain. We are now hoping that the Defi ecosystem will rapidly develop on Cardano. This is a huge step forward from what was previously impossible.
- Upgrades The most notable upgrade to the protocol is to its base layer. This will soon be divided into a Cardano Settlement Layer, (CSL), and a Cardano Computation Layer. This split is intended to provide an additional layer for understanding how transactions are transferred. This allows for a transparent and trackable blockchain.
The Cardano is a groundbreaking peer-researched, built blockchain. However, it has not been without its challenges. One of these is the delay in upgrading, which often delays the implementation of the project. It is questionable that Cardano has been able to implement smart contracts functionality when there are already many blockchain protocols that provide that functionality.
Solana
Solana is a Layer 2 blockchain protocol that uses Proof of History (PoH), as its consensus mechanism. It works by validating the time difference between two events in the blockchain. This mechanism is used prior to the Proof-of-Stake consensus. It increases the transactional throughput to more than 50,000 transactions per second and can scale up to 100,000 transactions each second. Solana doesn’t require Layer-2 scaling solutions because all of this computational power can be achieved at the base level of the blockchain.
These are the key features that make Solana more prominent:
- It has 1000+ validators in the network. This number has almost doubled in a matter of months.
- Over 75% are staked. This means that the network is extremely resilient to attacks.
Cardano’s Defi ecosystem has grown at a faster pace than the one on Solana. It speeds up transaction throughput naturally. There are currently 200+ projects on the ecosystem. Many more are in the pipeline.
Recent developments such as FTXUS, which announced the creation of an NFT marketplace on the blockchain, are helping the protocol gain more traction than its competitors. It is a sign of how popular the protocol is that FTX, a major exchange, wants to create a dedicated marketplace.
The Bottom Line
Cardano is a highly capable blockchain. Despite years of delays, its founders are extremely focused on decentralization. It has not made an impact on the ecosystem as Solana. This hackathon was designed to attract both developers and users. Cardano has also planned to accelerate the growth of DeFi’s ecosystem.
Solana is preferred by the ecosystem because it offers higher transactional throughput and lower costs. However, this could change.
