The Disposable Chain Concept

Introduction

There are several blockchain applications that aim to drive high-volume user interaction and attraction, such as token airdrops, which can be effective but often lead to storage bloat or require onboarding many new accounts. These use cases face unique challenges on Polkadot compared to other blockchains. This is largely due to Polkadot's focus on long-term scalability, security, and efficient state management. Polkadot enforces features like existential and storage deposits to maintain an optimized state, which can complicate the implementation of large-scale operations aimed at expanding and engaging the user base. However, these limitations are intentional and align with Polkadot's design philosophy.

The Solution: Ephemeral Parachains

One potential solution to make these operations more feasible is the concept of ephemeral, or disposable, parachains. Unlike traditional chains designed for indefinite use, a disposable parachain has a limited lifespan, allowing its state and data to be fully discarded after a set period. This approach sidesteps typical storage constraints by creating a temporary, efficient parachain that operates without existential deposits, reducing significant upfront costs, uses simplified fee structures, and is tolerant of high-volume storage needs, such as tracking user claims in airdrops or managing other onboarding activities.

References

The concept of Disposable Chains was introduced by Shawn Tabrizi (Polkadot Fellowship Member) in the following resources:

• Polkadot Forum Discussion
• Dropit Project