How Chainlink Connects Smart Contracts To The Real World And The Opportunities Therein

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CHAINLINK: The platform that connect smart contracts to real-world data.

Chainlink operates using the oracle network. Oracle networks are those networks that provide means through which blockchain or smart contracts can interact with external data and create paths between off-chain and on-chain transactions.

For smart contracts to connect to external data sources or any Application Programming Interface (API) they would have to proceed through an oracle network, in this case, Chainlink. With Chainlink, payments can be sent from smart contracts to any payment platform or bank account around the world.

The Smart Contract Angle

Smart contracts cannot connect directly with external data like APIs and off-chain data; they make use of Chainlink’s network to create a secure connection that provides both off-chain data and end-to-end security. Chainlink achieves this by providing a reliable network with inputs and outputs that are tamper-proof and can be used for complex smart contracts on any block chain.

The ability to execute unalterable and highly secure digital agreements is a property of smart contracts. But for a smart contract to be able to execute unalterable and highly secure digital agreements, the input and output that it relies on must be secure.

Due to the high security of smart contracts, connecting smart contracts with vital external data like APIs and off-chain data is very difficult.

Smart contracts require the use of series of inputs to improve their functionalities and due performance. They also require the use of several outputs to improve their performance and compute transactions that are complex like sending information and payments required to complete the contract. Chainlink helps achieve all these.

The same security guarantee is provided by smart contracts and Chainlink’s decentralized oracle network. To ascertain the value of a smart contract that is reliable, secure, and authentic, multiple Chainlinks are used to evaluate the data contained in the contract. Chainlink’s node operators are paid using a link token.

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CHAINLINK’S PARTNERSHIPS

Due to Chainlink’s ability to connect external data to blockchain networks in a decentralized manner, many companies in recent times have partnered with them to realize new products. Some of the companies that partnered with them pretty much lately are:

Digitex Futures
CasperLabs
Kakao
Polkadot
Baseline protocol
Hdac technologies
Google clouds
Credits
Oracle
V Systems… and many others.

Partnership with Digitex Futures

Digitex Futures recently partnered with Chainlink to build a platform that would protect their users’ funds. This partnership was executed because of Chainlink’s up-to-date and tamper proof price data. Another reason for the partnership is to provide a very consistent and accurately priced data that will not fluctuate.

Partnership with CasperLabs

CasperLabs have a blockchain and smart contracting platform, all the applications developed on this platform, by virtue of CasperLabs partnership with Chainlink, will be secured by Chainlink. Chainlink is CasperLabs’ first, and so far, only oracle provider. This partnership would create a user-friendly economic environment.

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Partnership with Kakao

In mid-2020, Chainlink signed a partnership deal with Kakao. Kakao is a South Korean company, popular for the ownership of one of the widespread mobile messaging app used in Asia, KakaoTalk. Chainlink’s oracle will be incorporated into Kakas blockchain smart contract project as a result of the partnership. This will boost blockchain and crypto mass adoption. Also, Chainlink will provide oracles that are secure and reliable for Kakao’s next generation of decentralized apps.

Partnership with Polkadot

In February 2020, Polkadot became the first Non-Ethereum Blockchain to Integrate Chainlink. On Polkadot, Chainlink will be integrated with an assigned independent blockchain shared with custom characteristics. As a result of this partnership, Chainlink’s stable pricing feeds will service Polkadot’s experimental network.

Partnership with Baseline protocol

Baseline protocol is an intiative led by Consensys and EY News in collaboration with Microsoft. Baseline combines advances in blockchain, cryptography and messaging to deliver private business processes that are secure at a very low cost through Public Ethereum Mainnet. This partnership would lead to the buildup of enterprise oracle solution that would make Ethereum Mainnet compactible for enterprise use.

Partnership with Hdac technologies

The partnership between Hdac and Chainlink will develop a system for delivering off-chain data on blockchain in an attempt to support the execution of smart contract. The partnership will be particularly addressing the biggest obstacle in commercializing smart contract technology- the blockchain oracle problem.

Partnership with Google clouds

Google clouds and Chainlink entered a partnership in a bid to making cloud accessing on public domains easier for developers using Chainlink’s oracles. The partnership will also allow for an on-chain and cloud-based interaction with smart contracts and Ethereum decentralized applications

Partnership with Credits

Credits is a blockchain software protocol that offers block chain products such as wallet and DApp, and infrastructure development tools. Credits is best used for data storage, making payments (both macro and micro) and also for token insurance.

The partnership between Credit and Chainlink would make Clouds go steps higher than its initial features by using Chainlink’s oracle network to secure data from smart contracts and also sustain reliability. This partnership would help foster the growth of technology among businesses especially the businesses of financial institutions

Partnership with Oracle

Oracle is a major tech player in the software industry. They are known majorly for their database management systems. Oracle has, in recent times, shown interest in blockchain technology in a bid to producing a decentralized database. This company partnered with Chainlink to use their Oracle Blockchain platform to create a means through which startups can make money from their APIs.

Partnership with V Systems

V System is a blockchain cloud data base that focuses on the challenge of scalability and governance. The platform seeks to build a space of industrial scale DApps, which would contain features like cross-chain applications, sidechain applications and Smart contract applications. The partnership between V Sytems and Chainlink would create DApps that are exceptionally reliable and that have higher accuracy.