## # Near Protocol, the blockchain you need NEAR Protocol is a public network that allows you to create decentralized apps (DApps) without much hassle. It is like other similar networks, such as Solana, Algorand or Horizon, that want to take Ethereum’s place by giving you more speed. What’s cool about this network is that it’s very easy to use. NEAR gives you some sample apps that help you create a DApp faster than other networks. The NEAR network started in 2020. Although it is very new, it is already competing with Ethereum. What’s special about NEAR is that it uses a sharding method, which is called Nightsade, so that the chain doesn’t get stuck and goes faster. The idea is to split the chain database into smaller pieces so that they are easier to handle. Thus, the chain is split into shards and the nodes are distributed and work according to the shard they get. This is very different from Ethereum and Bitcoin chains, where each node works with the whole chain. Another nice thing about NEAR is that chunking doesn’t require as much machine. Even the nodes can work in the cloud. NEAR wants to be a network that anyone can use, both those who create apps and those who use them. To achieve this, apart from slicing, NEAR uses its own method of agreement: Thresholded Proof-of-Stake. Like all PoS methods, the validating nodes are chosen randomly among those with NEAR and those with more are more likely to be chosen to validate operations. But what changes the most with the normal PoS method is how validators are rewarded. In NEAR, validators are not charged for transactions, but for token inflation and for the space they take up. So, NEAR tells you that it charges you 10,000 times less than Ethereum. Easy for app makers The NEAR network is designed with tools that make your life easier if you want to make decentralized apps. One of those tools is Gitpod. NEAR uses Gitpod to make it faster for starters by giving them an online environment where they can write, test and install smart contracts without the hassle of a browser. In addition, the NEAR network has templates to make making apps a breeze.