dapp-ecosystem-map

Here is a framework for thinking about the ways blockchain- (and primarily Ethereum-) based projects are serving end-users.

For an overview of Ethereum infrastructure layers / tech stack, please refer to the Ethereum Community Foundation's market map: https://github.com/EthereumCommunityFund/ethereum-ecosystem-map

For an overview of EOS's tech stack, please refer to this picture of an empty PokeBall:

Background and Disclaimer

For both blockchain newcomers and OGs, it can be difficult to understand how projects are using blockchain to serve end users. This document provides a framework for thinking through the various use cases of blockchain and blockchain-based technologies.

For each theme, this document captures examples of relevant projects. However, the inclusion of specific projects on this list does not denote an endorsement, nor does it signal projects' legitimacy.

Roadmap for this document

0. Add more projects and project links
1. Provide map of blockchain projects by industry
2. "Curate" ecosystem map to only include projects which meet some objective measure of legitimacy and/or usage
3. Open up and crowdsource this list

How to Contribute?

For now, please create an issue to recommend a change, error, or addition to our database.

Table of Contents

0. Frameworks
1. Markets and liquidity
2. Tracking and Authentication
3. Self-Sovereign Identity
4. Automated Agreements
5. Token-Incentivized Markets
6. Governance and Voting
7. Data Markets
8. Uncensored Activity and Publications

Frameworks

High-level thematic framework

Lower-level framework (project categories)

Notes:

• Themes are neither mutually exclusive or collectively exhaustive
• Trustless exchange, decentralization, state mutation, and tokenization span each theme
• Projects can be industry-specific or generally applicable
• Examples focus on Ethereum-based projects

Markets and Liquidity

• Projects which use the blockchain to represent value and support global exchange
• Such projects use the blockchain both as a payments / value exchange rail and to create digital scarcity
• In success, these projects will unlock P2P resource sharing and frictionless cross-border exchange.

Tracking and Authentication

• Blockchain as a single source of truth for asset ownership
• Provenance of both physical goods and digital objects

Note: CryptoKitties also falls into Markets and Liquidity. That's how clustering works.

Self-Sovereign Identity

• Allows individuals to selectively share personal information as well as the data they produce.
• Individuals able to monetize their data directly.

Automated Agreements

• Digitization and automation of business processes
• Often involve conditional payments and are multi-party transactions (thus benefiting from the trustless nature of blockchain applications)

Token-Incentivized Markets

• Projects which leverage token mechanics to solve coordination problems
• Such projects typically incentivize work, create knowledge, and/or "gamify" human coordination

Governance and Voting

• Blockchain provides data permanence, immutability, and auditability
• Such features are convenience for voting
• These voting systems enable blockchain-based governance models, including Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (or DAOs)

Data Markets

• Open, shared database for data capture (connects disparate data pools)
• Data usage to leverage micropayments and data markets construct
• Data markets can enable IoT device interoperability, machine-to-machine economies, and machine learning data markets

Uncensored Activity and Publications

• Blockchains designed to minimize censorability and tamperability
• Thus, blockchains enable truly open networks for publication, communication, and value exchange