Evolution of Blockchain Data Indexing: From Nodes to AI-empowered Full-chain Services

1. Introduction

With the development of Blockchain technology, decentralized applications ( dApp ) have evolved from simple games and financial tools to complex ecosystems spanning multiple Blockchains. In this process, the demand for underlying data from dApps has also been continuously growing and changing. At the same time, the rapid development of artificial intelligence has brought new possibilities for Blockchain data services.

This article will delve into the evolution of blockchain data accessibility, analyze the development context of data indexing in the industry, and compare several representative data service protocols, exploring their innovations in conjunction with AI technology.

2. The Evolution of Data Indexing: From Node to Full-Chain Database

2.1 Data Source: Blockchain Node

Blockchain nodes are the foundation of the entire network, responsible for recording, storing, and disseminating all on-chain transaction data. However, for ordinary users and developers, building and maintaining nodes is costly and has a high technical threshold. To address this issue, RPC node providers have emerged, lowering the barrier for users to access blockchain data by providing data interfaces.

2.2 Data Parsing: Transformation from Raw Data to Usable Data

The raw data obtained from nodes is usually encrypted and encoded, and needs to be parsed to be effectively utilized. Data parsing is the process of converting complex raw data into a format that is easy to understand and manipulate, and it is a key step in the entire data indexing process.

The Evolution of Data Indexers 2.3

As the amount of data increases, the demand for indexers is growing. Indexers are responsible for organizing on-chain data and making it easily accessible through standardized query languages like GraphQL(. Different types of indexers), such as full node indexers, lightweight indexers, dedicated indexers, and aggregation indexers(, each have their advantages and are suitable for different scenarios.

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) 2.4 Full-Chain Database: Application of Flow Priority Concept

As the complexity of application demands increases, traditional indexers struggle to meet diverse query needs. The "stream-first" approach has become a solution, enabling real-time data processing and analysis. Blockchain data service providers have also begun to build data stream services, such as The Graph's Substreams and Chainbase's real-time data lake, to support a broader range of applications and analysis needs.

3. AI+Database: A Comparative Analysis of The Graph, Chainbase, and Space and Time

3.1 The Graph

The Graph is a decentralized data indexing protocol that defines the data extraction and transformation methods through subgraphs ###Subgraphs(. The network is jointly maintained by indexers, curators, delegators, and developers, forming a complete economic ecosystem. Recently, The Graph has further optimized indexing pricing and user experience through AI tools such as AutoAgora, Allocation Optimizer, and AgentC.

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) 3.2 Chainbase

Chainbase, as a full-chain data network, provides real-time data lakes and innovative data format standards. Its unique dual-chain architecture enhances the programmability and composability of cross-chain data. Chainbase's AI model Theia is based on on-chain and off-chain data, providing users with intelligent data analysis services.

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) 3.3 Space and Time

Space and Time###SxT( focuses on building a verifiable computing layer, with its innovative Proof of SQL technology achieving verifiability for SQL queries on decentralized data warehouses. SxT also collaborates with Microsoft's AI lab to develop generative AI tools, simplifying user queries and processing of Blockchain data.

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Conclusion and Outlook

Blockchain data indexing technology has evolved from the initial node data source, through the development of data parsing and indexers, to finally becoming AI-enabled full-chain data services. This process not only improves the efficiency and accuracy of data access but also brings users an intelligent experience.

In the future, with the advancement of new technologies such as AI and zero-knowledge proofs, blockchain data services will become further intelligent and secure, continuing to drive innovation and development as the infrastructure of the industry.

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