The OriginTrail Decentralized Network (ODN) can now be observed via OriginTrail Network Explorer (ONE), which acts as a search engine for the network. The launch of the first version of this tool adds a layer of transparency for the upcoming mainnet and gives developers, interested in building dApps on our technology, an opportunity to learn about the network before setting up their own node whilst protecting data submitted by end users.

Meet the OriginTrail Network Explorer

The OriginTrail Decentralized Network, currently in the beta program phase, is a purpose-built peer-to-peer network running on the OriginTrail protocol. The protocol itself is open source and built to be neutral from the ground up. It can interoperate with various legacy systems, as well as novel distributed ledger technologies to establish secure and trusted data sharing between supply chain stakeholders in a decentralized permissionless network.

Prior to ONE, the only way to access data on the ODN was to join the network by running an ODN node, or alternatively obtaining access to a third-party ODN node, which would act as a gateway to the network. This comes from the decentralized design of peer-to-peer networks and is true for networks such as Ethereum and Bitcoin, as well. For such systems, it is common to have a more user-friendly way to access information. An example of such an interface for blockchain technology is block explorers, which allow for obtaining data from the blockchain on transactions, addresses and smart contracts (i.e. Etherscan).

We are proud to announce that the first of such interfaces for the OriginTrail network, the OriginTrail Network Explorer, is up and running. It presents a “window” into the world of public data on the ODN and allows for anyone to read the raw data of the network with convenience and without the need of running their own node.

It is important to note that the OriginTrail Network Explorer is not block explorer itself, as OriginTrail is not a blockchain — therefore one should not think in terms of transactions and addresses, but rather of supply chain data and the appropriate identifiers. Therefore, the network explorer is more of a “search engine” for supply chain data based on the data carriers attached to goods and services, such as barcodes, RFID, NFC and other identifiers that allow for track-and-trace capabilities.

OriginTrail Network Explorer (ONE) V01 Is the Very First in a Line of ODN Interfaces

The first version of the OriginTrail Network Explorer allows for the searching of identifiers on the network, accessing raw-data attached to identifiers and the ability to validate the integrity of the data by checking its fingerprint on the blockchain. A simple example of a search is showcased in this video.

The first version of the network explorer is attached to nodes run by the OriginTrail team as a gateway to the OriginTrail testnet. The future versions of the network explorer will allow for attaching to third-party-run nodes and accounts, including the mainnet, when it goes live. Bear in mind that the network is still enduring breaking changes as it is still in the beta phase, which might cause ONE to be inoperational at times, or for certain data to be inaccessible. As we transition towards the launch of the mainnet, the performance will improve significantly, and we will update the community when the next versions of OriginTrail Network Explorer are available.

Finally, the network explorer presents one of the first interfaces utilizing data on the ODN. It provides an access to public data on the network and the ability to validate them without the need to run your own ODN node. For example, you are able to lookup data on a product by entering its barcode number (or any other identifier the product might have on it) and get it straight away on the public web interface.

dApps built on top of ODN will provide further tailored user interfaces for specific use cases built on top of the network protocol, be they interfaces for end consumers or inter-company applications which help solve their respective industry verticals problems.

Being an open source ecosystem, anyone can build applications on top of the ODN. We invite developers interested in being one of the first ones to develop trusted applications for supply chains to check out the documentation on how they can contribute, consider joining the Trace Alliance and get in touch with our developers via Discord.

Want more? There is a hands-on program out there to boost your project. Make sure you check out the OriginTrail’s Open Call for the most promising supply chain use cases! Have a chance to become one of 10 projects that will receive $135K worth of TRAC tokens in rewards, mentorship programs, and other perks. Apply at https://origintrail.io/opencall

Stay tuned & trace on!

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