Your customers matter most to you– and they matter most to us. Avochato is an enterprise mobile messaging company that gives your team the tools needed to have lasting, ongoing, two-way messaging conversations with your customers. Consumers today prefer to communicate with messaging applications, but enterprises are still built on email and phone systems. Avochato bridges this gap by upgrading your team to messaging. We believe real-time, two-way messaging provides the best customer experience while helping your company to scale efficiently. Avochato enables communication via text messaging, live chat, WhatsApp, and integrates with Salesforce Sales and Service Cloud. To learn more, text us at (415) 214-8977.

Avochato

Until last year I was not familiar with SXSW. Boasted as one of the largest tech conferences, and with a history spanning over 30 years, its loud performances somehow didn’t make it across the Atlantic Ocean, or if they did, the wind was not blowing in my direction. I then happened to notice one announcement that mentioned this conference focused in the intersection between technology and art and decided to tune in to the content live streamed on . Watching some videos of the talks of the 2017 event, back then, that connection seemed to be real. facebook On the other side of the ocean, in Lisbon, since 2015, we have Web Summit, also claiming to be one of the biggest tech conferences. Like in Southby there are dozens of talks with prominent figures of the tech world, addressing the hot topics of the moment such as VR, AI or Blockchain. True, some of the talks in Web Summit, usually in the last days, have musicians as hosts, but the focus is always in more “uptight” tech or at least there is not such an artsy vibe around it. However there is one thing that strikes me as particularly different, the proud connection with the arts world that its Texan contender shows. Just as London Major Sadiq Khan remarked, looking at the hipster avocado socks in an interview this year, at the event’s Facebook Studio, to the live stream host Douglas Caballero — he had never seen such a large number of hipsters. (To which the host responded by proudly by putting his feet on the table so that everyone in the remote audience could see). If someone from London is surprised at the quantity of hipsters at a tech conference, then perhaps someone from other city in Europe would be even more surprised: this marriage between art and tech is not so often proudly displayed. hipster, noun informal: a person who follows the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream. Moving beyond socks and appearances, something more profound grants this conference — at least to the remote spectator — a different vibe. The intersection between digital and art is expressed by the panels on music, TV and film production or VR and AR enabled journalistic narratives, where the creative side takes the lead, while technology, not less proudly, assumes the supporting role. Moving also beyond the previous definition, a hipster always struck me as someone who was deeply sensitive to the arts, and that when spotted at these events, would be signaling that indeed a connection between art and tech had been well achieved. Tech as enabler for Art In music This year, Lyor Cohen— a legendary music executive that broke in artists such as Run-DMC or the Beastie Boys, went to stage to talk about his new role the Head of Music for Google / YouTube. After an overview of the ups and downs of his career in music, which turned out to be an overview of the history of hip hop as well, he concluded by explaining his acceptance of the challenge to work with the giants shaping the industry and contribute to the to the development of the industry he saw being disrupted from the first row. In journalism and visual arts VR Director Nonny de la Peña displayed how she used the technology to make people more aware of topics such as police violence or incarceration, and while most of it seemed to be along the lines of “bleed and lead” — a term I learned later that week when attending the Women in VR meetup at Altspace, it is clear how VR can be such an entry point for other journalists and artists to begin start using on their creations. technology Sasha Samochina, Immersive Reality Producer at NASA, confessed she was amused every time someone asked, in surprise, what an artist was doing there and talked about projects such as Accessmars.com in which the public can interact with images collected by the Curiosity Rover, and how she developed a fun first-person personality for the organization’s twitter account. There is the case, also, in which technology is liberated from its supporting role and becomes itself the focus of discussion. Tech as the focus of art In hit TV series There was a talk with the crew of Westworld — a dystopia about a technological advanced Wild West where robots exist to please the desires of visitors — whose first season was one of the most watched HBO original series. It seems that speculative implications about the dark side of technology, captured by series such as this and Black Mirror, is making its way into individual tv screens, prompting people to think about philosophical issues, such as the nature of reality or ethics, quite different from the light-heartedness of other tv series that used to be big hits. Tech as lever of societal unrest And the emergence of continued activism In a panel with Melinda Gates, the CEO of TaskRabbit, the COO of Hearst Magazines and a co-founder of the “Time’s Up” Movement, talked about the issues regarding women in tech (and overall), implying that that the movement is “here to stay” and perhaps even that no longer “laissez-faire” is acceptable to deal with the fast-paced change our society is undergoing. Ta-Nehisi Coates, correspondent of the Atlantic and author of the Black Panther series for Marvel Comics, in a keynote, repeatedly stressed the difference between a journalist and activist (and the claim that he belonged to the former category). According to him, while the latter had the purpose of making people act, the first didn’t. But anyone watching the movie knows the power of narrative that runs counter the “white-hero stereotype” seen in most of the movies can have in bringing people to conceive alternative futures for a society. One in which different people can be seen at the edge of technological advancement. We are now used to the title of “something / activist” being displayed to introduce someone about to give a speech in a tech conference, and that was not the case some years ago. And the need for effective personal development tools One of the other appearances that magnetized the audience was the one of New York times bestselling autho and psychotherapist Esther Perel. While on stage, she avidly answered questions from the millennial audience, addressing topics such loneliness (which she claims to be one of the major health problems in the US), the impacts of social media and the overall the need to bring the quality of relationships to the top of the agenda. Just by looking at the top charts of books sold, where more than one title of self-help type is likely to be present, it is clear that these topics are of concern to swats of people that are finding this advice crucial to deal with the amount of change our society is undergoing. And while all of this had some connection with technology there was space for talks about things that were almost purely analogue, like for example watching Run-DMC talk about his new series of comics books on the live TuneIn channel at SXSW. This seems quite unlikely to happen at other conferences , but somehow gives it a more human touch, as people are still living in analogue and digital worlds, and have not made the full transition in one fell swoop as these major conferences tend to make us think — at least in Lisbon it seems that once in an year, everyone in society is involved working in tech projects, while the reality, once you leave the conference rooms, is not like that. Having said that I am looking forward to seeing more avocato socks rocking their laptops, but more profound than that, a proudly displayed marriage between art and tech, because that is what is happening in any case.

Remote review of SXSW’18: looking at tech wearing hipster socks from the other side of the Atlantic

India1, Avocado Startups and Product-Market Fit I recently met the founders of a quasi-dating app enabling friend discovery via meeting strangers at events. We passed on them, primarily because while we could see that it had the potential to ‘take off’ in metros, or at least the affluent parts of our metros, we couldn’t see how it would work in India2 i.e., the non-english speaking less affluent India in Tier 2/3 cities, and thus expand to become a mass product. We asked: would an app that enabled interaction with strangers work in small town India where almost everyone seems to know everyone (at least in the upper social strata)? Would a revenue model that aimed to take a cut of the revenue that venues earned, work in smaller cities, where they were possibly only a handful of venues which didn’t need marketing? This is broadly true of almost all dating apps, which are native to India1, the English-speaking world that people like us inhabit in metros. In fact, they inhabit an even rarer universe that I like to call India1 Alpha, the world of cold press coffee and organic food, of Netflix and Apple devices, of Nicobar dresses and IB schools. My young colleague Sanchita Bamnote refers to the slew of startups catering to this market, the Creds, the Raw Presserys and MamaEarths as ‘Avocado Startups’, after the fruit that symbolizes luxury. Avocado startups and the Starbucks rule Now, luxury market segments exist in most emerging markets. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Philippines all have their super rich and therefore a service economy that caters to their needs. But what distinguishes India is the sheer size of the plutocratic segment, pretty much the size of some countries in Central Europe. India1 at ~110m population, and even its subset India1 Alpha at ~10m, are large markets, which can sustain the creation and growth of indigenous brands native to this category. These native brands, be it those of India1 such as Zomato, Oyo, Ola or even the more rarified avocado startups such as Raw Pressery, Epigamia, TeaBox catering to India1 Alpha, find it far easier to expand abroad than to the rest of India. I like to think of India1 as an agglomeration of all of the pockets around a FabIndia store, ringfenced within this albeit arbitrary limit. (Last count there were about including in places such as Pollachi and Haldwani; so this isn’t the most ideal criterion, but it should do roughly). Similarly I look at the seven Starbucks Cities in India as the limit of India1 Alpha. Beyond these seven cities and their limits, there isn’t much for a market for avocado startups and is hard to come by. 266 FabIndia stores product market fit (PMF) India can be understood as a four-tier consumer stack A good way to see India is thus as a four-tier market, with each tier being able to support a set of native startups, which struggle to expand beyond their market. Each market has its distinct audience profile, pricing sensitivity, cultural attributes and competitive dynamics. Product market fit (PMF hereafter) in one market doesn’t automatically translate to the possibility of a fit in another. If anything product market fit in one market makes it tougher to succeed in another. There are just a handful of products, typically with universal uses cases (Youtube, Whatsapp, Flipkart etc) that have succeeded in both India1 and India2. Here is a graphic that illustrates the India consumer stack and the startups that are native to each tier. Let us look at the prominent startups across each tier of the stack and what is driving their launch. How do you move across the layers of a stack? Most startups start in India1 and then attempt to move into India2. Few succeed. For one, there may not be a natural usecase such as for Uber in a small town like Satna. Either there may not be enough of a need for ondemand services in Satna, or if there is, the friction to hire a rental taxi may be much lower than in a metro, i.e., There is either no market, or there is no need for the product that you are pitching to solve the consumer’s need in that market. There may be other (existing) ways for the ‘job to be done’ that are as good if not better. Thus the ground rule: PMF in India2 is possible only when there is a large enough market for what your product is trying to solve for, and your product is the best way to meet the market’s need. Then there is the question of language. Apps designed for India1 assume good English prowess and a native understanding of UI (e.g., what the shopping cart and the magnifying glass icon mean). The same doesn’t necessarily hold. Amazon found that ! The predominantly English interface also creates friction reducing easy adoption. (I refer to this, in , as the English tax). many India2 users mistook the magnifying glass or the search icon for a table tennis racquet an article I wrote last year Still, there have been some success stories — Paytm, Flipkart, TikTok, Facebook have all moved from India1 to India2. In the case of Tiktok, it didn’t move as much as achieved PMF in both markets simultaneously. How have these startups managed to transition from India1 to India2? For one, it helps if your product is catering to a universal need, such as payments, or connecting to another person / staying in touch, i.e., the market is large enough. Not all products however are solving for a universal need, or have universal usecases such as payment and ecommerce apps which imply a large market, so it is only a small set of India1 apps with broad usecases that can theoretically break into India2. But it is not just the market that has to be large. Even apps such as ecommerce apps, with their universal usecase have struggled to expand into India2. Success has come only when they have been able to make product adjustments to reduce friction, and be the best way to get the job done. Now, what are these product adjustments? Getting your product to fit the India2 market Let me list some popular approaches. has done with its Storeking partnership, or what Flipkart did with Cash on Delivery (1) Moving some elements of the product offline, such as what Amazon <a href="https://medium.com/media/ec08bb46b0c34d247c1420630ca271cb/href">https://medium.com/media/ec08bb46b0c34d247c1420630ca271cb/href</a> For ecommerce, transacting especially paying is the highest friction part and if you could move it out of online and get it solved offline, such as with Storeking (enabled ecommerce) or Cash on Delivery, despite the relatively higher cost, it made sense, for it spiked conversions up dramatically. This is a reasonably universal rule for driving consumption and usage of your app or startup service in India2. Move parts of your app offline, typically those with relative higher friction for India2 consumers, such as customer acquisition, or conversion (payment). Byju’s / Toppr does this well, customer acquisition and conversion are in person, but the delivery is online. local tastes. This is obvious so I wont say more, except that I am still looking for more examples of India1 apps that have modified their app for India2 (2) Using local language instead of English and modifying the UI to suit Here is one on how Amazon modified its app for India2, via WSJ. Amazon Hindi app teardown (3) Enabling apps to work offline. Ola allows you to book a cab offline, and Youtube in India allows you to download videos for watching later. This makes sense in a market where internet is spotty, and wifi is nonexistent beyond metros. Ola ‘offline’ cab booking service (4) Making apps lite by reducing feature sets, to help spur usage. Android Go’s launch spurred a host of lite apps including those from Facebook, Uber, Youtube etc. The reduced feature set creates a MVP (Minimum Viable Product) that is easier and cheaper to download, and relative simpler to use. At least that is the idea. Some times, even apps that find successful PMF need to reduce or downgrade their features etc. Whatsapp is a good example in this regard. It found PMF in India1 and India2 quite easily but as it reached into India3, it started having challenges with how it was used and perceived by neomobiles (my coinage for new mobile users). Rumours spread through whatsapp have resulted in . As a result of these incidents, and also in order to stop whatsapp from being weaponized for toxic political campaigns, it had to downgrade its product by reducing the number of people you could broadcast a message to, and thereby modifying down its featureset. Unfortunately these changes impact everyone including its India1 users. mobs killing innocent people Still, it only had to change a feature or two, to ensure the product remained relevant for India3. Clearly the more universal a startup you are, the less you have to change. Perhaps a feature or two needs to change, such as what Whatsapp did or Youtube, which introduced the offline save option. Others have to change their product, and the ones with the least universal usecase change their entire business model if they have to cater to India2 or India3. The curious case of Tiktok Tiktok from Bytedance is particularly fascinating for it is simultaneously finding PMF in India1 and India2. I don’t think there is any other product similar to it that has found easy acceptance in these two distinct markets. Racy content helps but more than that it is also content that strikes a chord with India2, thanks to a lot of content creators encouraged (sponsored) to come aboard the platform. In addition Tiktok has also enabled content creation as per formats (challenges) that make it easier to create and consume content, not to mention a superior content recommendation algorithm. How PMF challenges are influencing the startup ecosystem Recently Mihir Dalal of Mint newspaper, wrote a piece titled “ ” where he covered how ex-founders such as Kunal Shah, Satyen Kothari, Ashish Kashyap were launching niche startups aimed largely at India1A or India1. Smaller than you think: India’s online paradox In fact, Mihir Dalal’s piece got its emphasis slightly wrong. For every ex-founder launching an India1A startup there is an ex-founder launching a massmarket India2 focussed startup too. Aprameya Radhakrishnan’s Vokal and Sumit Jain’s OpenTalk are two examples. What is happening is not so much everyone launching a niche startup as much as a recognition by founders that it is getting harder and harder to launch a universal product for the Indian market, one that can appeal to India1 and India2 and achieve PMF in both. Hence startups are cleaving into clean India1A, India1 or India2 models. Seasoned entrepreneurs launching these focused startups have a problem of plenty, for not only are they finding it easier and quicker to start tech-led businesses, they are also finding access to capital easier to come by. More and more money is entering the VC industry and once in, chases good founders relentlessly. As a result, founders now have smaller defined TAMs (Total Addressable Markets) and greater funds to deploy. The result is that well-funded startups are doing one or more of the following: expanding abroad, going full stack or moving into adjacencies. I remarked earlier on how India1 Alpha startups such as Raw Pressery, Epigamia are expanding abroad. Not just them, even India1 startup Urban Clap, with its far larger TAM has expanded abroad. I find it particularly interesting that even as a wave of consumer startups focused on India1 Alpha emerge, all treating India as an onramp to international markets, on the B2B side, where such international expansion has been historically very common, we are seeing a reverse trend i.e., the emergence of India-focussed B2B startups (Udaan, Moglix are well-known but there are more coming). Startups that chose not to go abroad or have excess funds left over can use the funds to go full stack (Oyo runs hotels now, and UrbanClap manufactures beauty products) or expand into adjacencies (Ola into food delivery, Swiggy into microdelivery of milk, grocery or even ondemand grocery orders). For startups focused on solving for specific use cases, the presence of well-funded competitors expanding into their adjacencies is a challenge, but it is something they will have to live with for a while. Mumbai by Martin Roemers Summing Up India1 where much of the venture capital and startup attention is directed is an economy that is the size of a Mexico. But unlike a Mexico it attracts disproportionately larger startup capital and sustains a larger and more innovative pool of startups. But these startups largely struggle to cross over into neighbouring segments such as India2 and India3. There are however exceptions, and we looked at how some of these few firms that play in all of these segments had to adapt themselves and their products. Increasingly startups are today picking markets to play in, and are under no illusions that they can become universal products catering to India1, India2 and India3. Capital however continues to chase them like they are universal products. As a result, we are beginning to see these players expand abroad, go full stack or move into adjacencies.

India1, Avocado Startups & Product-Market Fit

I blogged about in the past, but I skipped an important method that's worthy of a post of its own: peek. This blog post delves into the practicalities of using to debug Java streams, complete with samples and common pitfalls. Java Stream debugging peek() code Understanding Java Streams Java Streams represent a significant shift in how Java developers work with collections and data processing, introducing a functional approach to handling sequences of elements. Streams facilitate declarative processing of collections, enabling operations such as filter, map, reduce, and more in a fluent style. This not only makes the code more readable but also more concise compared to traditional iterative approaches. A Simple Stream Example To illustrate, consider the task of filtering a list of names to only include those that start with the letter "J" and then transform each name into uppercase. Using the traditional approach, this might involve a loop and some if statements. However, with streams, this can be accomplished in a few lines: List<String> names = Arrays.asList("John", "Jacob", "Edward", "Emily");
// Convert list to stream
List<String> filteredNames = names.stream()       
                  // Filter names that start with "J"
                  .filter(name -> name.startsWith("J"))  
                  // Convert each name to uppercase
                  .map(String::toUpperCase)              
                  // Collect results into a new list
                  .collect(Collectors.toList());         
System.out.println(filteredNames); Output: [JOHN, JACOB] This example demonstrates the power of Java streams: by chaining operations together, we can achieve complex data transformations and filtering with minimal, readable code. It showcases the declarative nature of streams, where we describe what we want to achieve rather than detailing the steps to get there. What is the Method? peek() At its core, is a method provided by the interface, allowing developers a glance into the elements of a stream without disrupting the flow of its operations. The signature of is as follows: peek() Stream peek() Stream<T> peek(Consumer<? super T> action) It accepts a functional interface, which means it performs an action on each element of the stream without altering them. The most common use case for is logging the elements of a stream to understand the state of data at various points in the stream pipeline. To understand peek, let’s look at a sample similar to the previous one: Consumer peek() List<String> collected = Stream.of("apple", "banana", "cherry")
                               .filter(s -> s.startsWith("a"))
                               .collect(Collectors.toList());
System.out.println(collected); This code filters a list of strings, keeping only the ones that start with "a.” While it's straightforward, understanding what happens during the filter operation is not visible. Debugging with peek() Now, let's incorporate to gain visibility into the stream: peek() List<String> collected = Stream.of("apple", "banana", "cherry")
                               .peek(System.out::println) // Logs all elements
                               .filter(s -> s.startsWith("a"))
                               .peek(System.out::println) // Logs filtered elements
                               .collect(Collectors.toList());
System.out.println(collected); By adding both before and after the operation, we can see which elements are processed and how the filter impacts the stream. This visibility is invaluable for debugging, especially when the logic within the stream operations becomes complex. peek() filter We can't step over stream operations with the debugger, but provides a glance into the code that is normally obscured from us. peek() Uncovering Common Bugs with peek() Filtering Issues Consider a scenario where a filter condition is not working as expected: List<String> collected = Stream.of("apple", "banana", "cherry", "Avocado")
                               .filter(s -> s.startsWith("a"))
                               .collect(Collectors.toList());
System.out.println(collected); Expected output might be , but let's say we also wanted "Avocado" due to a misunderstanding of the method's behavior. Since "Avocado" is spelled with an upper case "A" this code will return false: . Using , we can observe the elements that pass the filter: ["apple"] startsWith Avocado".startsWith("a") peek() List<String> debugged = Stream.of("apple", "banana", "cherry", "Avocado")
                              .peek(System.out::println)
                              .filter(s -> s.startsWith("a"))
                              .peek(System.out::println)
                              .collect(Collectors.toList());
System.out.println(debugged); Large Data Sets In scenarios involving large datasets, directly printing every element in the stream to the console for debugging can quickly become impractical. It can clutter the console and make it hard to spot the relevant information. Instead, we can use in a more sophisticated way to selectively collect and analyze data without causing side effects that could alter the behavior of the stream. peek() Consider a scenario where we're processing a large dataset of transactions, and we want to debug issues related to transactions exceeding a certain threshold: class Transaction {
    private String id;
    private double amount;

    // Constructor, getters, and setters omitted for brevity
}

List<Transaction> transactions = // Imagine a large list of transactions

// A placeholder for debugging information
List<Transaction> highValueTransactions = new ArrayList<>();

List<Transaction> processedTransactions = transactions.stream()
    // Filter transactions above a threshold
    .filter(t -> t.getAmount() > 5000) 
    .peek(t -> {
        if (t.getAmount() > 10000) {
            // Collect only high-value transactions for debugging
            highValueTransactions.add(t);
        }
     })
     .collect(Collectors.toList());

// Now, we can analyze high-value transactions separately, without overloading the console
System.out.println("High-value transactions count: " + 
       highValueTransactions.size()); In this approach, is used to inspect elements within the stream conditionally. High-value transactions that meet a specific criterion (e.g., amount > 10,000) are collected into a separate list for further analysis. This technique allows for targeted debugging without printing every element to the console, thereby avoiding performance degradation and clutter. peek() Addressing Side Effects While streams shouldn't have side effects. In fact, such side effects would break the stream debugger in IntelliJ, which I discussed in the past. It's crucial to note that while collecting data for debugging within avoids cluttering the console, it does introduce a side effect to the stream operation, which goes against the recommended use of streams. Streams are designed to be side-effect-free to ensure predictability and reliability, especially in parallel operations. peek() Therefore, while the above example demonstrates a practical use of for debugging, it's important to use such techniques judiciously. Ideally, this debugging strategy should be temporary and removed once the debugging session is completed to maintain the integrity of the stream's functional paradigm. peek() Limitations and Pitfalls While is undeniably a useful tool for debugging Java streams, it comes with its own set of limitations and pitfalls that developers should be aware of. Understanding these can help avoid common traps and ensure that is used effectively and appropriately. peek() peek() Potential for Misuse in Production Code One of the primary risks associated with is its potential for misuse in production code. Because is intended for debugging purposes, using it to alter state or perform operations that affect the outcome of the stream can lead to unpredictable behavior. This is especially true in parallel stream operations, where the order of element processing is not guaranteed. Misusing in such contexts can introduce hard-to-find bugs and undermine the declarative nature of stream processing. peek() peek() peek() Performance Overhead Another consideration is the performance impact of using . While it might seem innocuous, can introduce a significant overhead, particularly in large or complex streams. This is because every action within is executed for each element in the stream, potentially slowing down the entire pipeline. When used excessively or with complex operations, can degrade performance, making it crucial to use this method judiciously and remove any calls from production code after debugging is complete. peek() peek() peek() peek() peek() Side Effects and Functional Purity As highlighted in the enhanced debugging example, can be used to collect data for debugging purposes, but this introduces side effects to what should ideally be a side-effect-free operation. The functional programming paradigm, which streams are a part of, emphasizes purity and immutability. Operations should not alter state outside their scope. By using to modify external state (even for debugging), you're temporarily stepping away from these principles. While this can be acceptable for short-term debugging, it's important to ensure that such uses of do not find their way into production code, as they can compromise the predictability and reliability of your application. peek() peek() peek() The Right Tool for the Job Finally, it's essential to recognize that is not always the right tool for every debugging scenario. In some cases, other techniques, such as logging within the operations themselves, using breakpoints and inspecting variables in an IDE, or writing unit tests to assert the behavior of stream operations, might be more appropriate and effective. Developers should consider as one tool in a broader debugging toolkit, employing it when it makes sense and opting for other strategies when they offer a clearer or more efficient path to identifying and resolving issues. peek() peek() Navigating the Pitfalls To navigate these pitfalls effectively: Reserve strictly for temporary debugging purposes. If you have a linter as part of your CI tools it might make sense to add a rule that blocks code from invoking . peek() peek() Always remove calls from your code before committing it to your codebase, especially for production deployments. peek() Be mindful of performance implications and the potential introduction of side effects. Consider alternative debugging techniques that might be more suited to your specific needs or the particular issue you're investigating. By understanding and respecting these limitations and pitfalls, developers can leverage to enhance their debugging practices without falling into common traps or inadvertently introducing problems into their codebases. peek() Final Thoughts The method offers a simple yet effective way to gain insights into Java stream operations, making it a valuable tool for debugging complex stream pipelines. By understanding how to use effectively, developers can avoid common pitfalls and ensure their stream operations perform as intended. As with any powerful tool, the key is to use it wisely and in moderation. peek() peek() The true value of is in debugging massive data sets, these elements are very hard to analyze even with dedicated tools. By using we can dig into said data set and understand the source of the issue programmatically. peek() peek() Also published . here

Debugging Java Streams With The Peek Method

Never have I ever seen on my Twitter timeline. so much anti-Ethereum propaganda Every other day, there’s a new Layer 1 that is doubted as the but Ethereum doesn’t know it, so it remains undeterred, focusing on its growth and improvement. “Ethereum killer”, This commitment to progress is evident in the recently unveiled , spotlighting key developments that promise to enhance scalability and user experience. Ethereum roadmap for 2024 Among those, finally, which will make it much easier for Layer 2 to publish data on Ethereum. a date was set for EIP-4844, While competition becomes fierce, these new ERC and EIP are set to greatly improve Ethereum's scalability and user experience. Let's dive into these exciting updates, including ERC-4337, EIP-4844, EIP-3074, and EIP-5003. ERC-4337: Revolutionizing Smart Contract Wallets The introduction of the ERC-4337 standard is a significant leap in the evolution of smart contract wallets. This improvement introduces a novel concept called " ." account abstraction ERC-4337 is an proposal that completely Instead of adding new protocol features and changing the bottom-layer transaction type, this proposal called a . Account Abstraction avoids the need for consensus-layer protocol changes. introduces a higher-layer pseudo-transaction object UserOperation More on ERC-4337: https://twitter.com/johnrising_/status/1629470535397539840 Traditionally, Ethereum accounts are separated into externally owned accounts (EOAs) and smart contract accounts. However, user-operated EOAs often pose challenges in terms of usability and security. ERC-4337 blurs these lines, allowing users to interact with smart contracts more intuitively. The way users interact with Ethereum needs to step up to the enhanced complexity of the landscape. We have already seen the emergence of Account abstraction-based solutions, such as and . Creso Wallet Avocado Wallet The introduction of ERC-4337 will pose the foundation for a series of improvements to wallet designs, as well as reduced complexity for end users. Among other things, ERC-4337 greatly improves the end-user experience as well as enables new possibilities such as gasless transactions or social logins and password recovery. Key Features of ERC-4337 Include: : By integrating more complex logic into wallets, users can set conditions for transactions, like multi-factor authentication or daily spending limits. Enhanced Security : It simplifies interactions for non-technical users, making the Ethereum ecosystem more accessible. User-Friendly : Users could potentially pay transaction fees in tokens other than ETH, adding a layer of convenience. Gas Fee Payments in Tokens EIP-4844: Boosting Layer 2 Efficiency To create a cheap place for L2 solutions to post data on Ethereum and reduce overall transaction fees users pay on L2 by a lot. Why EIP-4844: L2s produce an increasing amount of data. If there’s a way to post that data cheaply, this will immediately reduce how much the networks charge users to transact. Problem: New transaction format for . It contains a large amount of data that Instead of embedding the full contents in the body, the contents of the blobs are propagated separately, as a Solution: “blob-carrying transactions” “cannot be accessed by EVM execution, but whose commitment can be accessed.” “sidecar.” EIP-4844, often referred to as is a significant stride towards solving Ethereum's scalability issues. It introduces a new transaction type that allows – temporary data that can be used by Layer 2 solutions like rollups. "proto-danksharding" "shard blobs" introduces a new kind of transaction type to Ethereum which accepts " " of data to be persisted in the beacon node for a short period. EIP-4844 blobs Instead of containing transactions being executed in the Ethereum blocks, shard blocks would just contain and would be the “blobs of data” responsibility of L2 to use that data space to create a secure and more scalable experience for their users. What is important about EIP-4844 is that its value will trickle down to users, as we will all be able to benefit from lower L2 fees. Why Will L2s Fees Be Lower? EIP-4844 separates fees for transaction and computation storage. L2 will use a different function to submit “ ” to Ethereum. blobs of using which stores data forever, s, which are pruned after a pre-defined period. Instead “CALLDATA”, they would use blob The blobs of data don’t have to be available , but for a certain period (e.g., 1-3 months), long enough to allow The data gets then pruned. forever L2s to ensure at least 1 honest actor to reconstruct the state and challenge or replace the bad sequencer. by allowing them to initially scale to 0.25 MB per slot, with a separate fee market for blobs allowing fees to be very low. EIP-4844 provides significant scaling relief for rollups transactions will be 10x cheaper. Read: The Potential Impacts of EIP-4844 Include : By lowering the data costs, it makes Layer 2 solutions more economical, encouraging broader adoption. Reduced Costs for Layer 2 : This can lead to a more scalable network, capable of handling more transactions per second. Increased Transaction Throughput : With faster and cheaper transactions, the overall user experience on Ethereum improves dramatically. Enhanced User Experience I wrote an extensive article on this a while ago: https://fraxcesco.substack.com/p/all-ethereum-l2s-fees-are-about-to?embedable=true EIP-3074: Streamlining Transactions The is a new primitive, that will open the doors for more seamless UX on Ethereum, without the need for additional trust assumptions. EIP-3074 EIP-3074 introduces a f . The proposal using a new type of operation. undamental change in how Ethereum transactions are authorized and executed allows a user to authorize a third party to execute transactions on their behalf, — allowing smart contracts to approve transactions originating from user accounts. EIP-3074 aims to update Ethereum’s EOAs so they can delegate control to smart contracts In practice, greatly improving the UX as well as allowing the execution of complex operations seamlessly. EIP-3074 would allow the execution of complex operations with a single signature, with no need for multiple approvals, End users will be able to send batched transactions, expiring transactions, and more. More on EIP-3074: https://twitter.com/lightclients/status/1371911245561917441 However, for this to work, the Ethereum protocol would need to be modified, with two new EVM “ ”: and . opcodes AUTH AUTHCALL For this reason, EIP-3074 is usually viewed less favorably compared to other Account Abstraction proposals, such as EIP-4337. Read more on the concerns about this EIP: https://twitter.com/scupytrooples/status/1418441829314220032 Nonetheless, EIP-3074 would introduce new use cases, such as: with wallet recovery solutions you will never lose your funds again. Smart Contract wallets: saving on gas costs. Batch Transactions: : automate transactions thanks to smart contract accounts. Automations The Benefits of EIP-3074 Include: : Especially beneficial for complex DApp interactions, reducing the steps and gas costs for users. Simplified User Interactions : This allows for more creative and efficient smart contract designs. Increased Flexibility for Developers : Though it introduces new security considerations, it also offers the opportunity for more robust security mechanisms. Potential Security Enhancements EIP-5003: Network Resource Optimization This proposal combines very well with EIP-3074, which provides the “ ” to opcodes delegate EAOs signing authority to a smart contract. While EIP-3074 smart contracts, . authorizes EIP-5003 completely migrates the signing key of Ethereum EOAs accounts to smart contract accounts A limited application of only EIP-3074 would create new vectors of attacks around the authority delegation to smart contracts. While EIP-5003 is it plays a crucial role in enhancing the Ethereum network's efficiency and security. less publicized, The Expected Advantages of EIP-5003 Are: : This EIP combines with EIP-3074 to solve its shortcomings and ensure there are no new vectors of attack from the Account Abstraction’s migration. Improved Security : This EIP is the final migration away from EOAs. Migration away from EOAs Conclusion: A Future-Proof Ethereum While its development is often considered to be Ethereum does not stay idle, and it would be incorrect to observe and assess its technology only according to what it looks like at every specific moment in time, for it is always evolving and improving. slow and controlled to prioritize security, In particular, and a commitment to addressing critical areas like scalability, security, accessibility, and usability and making sure the network remains future-proof. Ethereum's 2024 roadmap illustrates a clear vision for the future, A strong focus is placed on redefining how users interact with Ethereum, shifting from EOA accounts to more flexible smart contract wallets. The implementation of ERC-4337, EIP-4844, EIP-3074, and EIP-5003, each plays a pivotal role in this evolutionary journey: revolutionizes smart contract wallets through account abstraction, offering enhanced security and user-friendliness. This standard is poised to significantly simplify the user experience and broaden accessibility to the Ethereum ecosystem. ERC-4337 , or is a breakthrough in reducing costs and enhancing the efficiency of Layer 2 solutions. By introducing a new transaction format for blob-carrying transactions, it promises to lower transaction fees and increase throughput, benefiting the end users with more affordable and faster transactions. EIP-4844 "proto-danksharding" and together represent a significant step in streamlining transactions and optimizing network resources. While EIP-3074 introduces new operational capabilities for authorizing transactions, EIP-5003 complements it by transitioning signing authority from Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) to smart contract accounts, bolstering network security and efficiency. EIP-3074 EIP-5003 As Ethereum continues to innovate and improve, it will continue to fight for its relevance in the face of heightened competition. The main purpose of this piece is , actively working to become future-proof against emerging technologies and alternatives. to incentivize readers to look at Ethereum not as a static network but as a network in constant development and evolution We’ll continue monitoring the implementation of EIP and how Ethereum will evolve over the year. The author of this post is not associated with the projects mentioned in this article in any way. All of the content above is not financial advice, and you are always encouraged to do your own research. Also published here

Ethereum Is Making Itself Future Proof: What to Expect From the Ethereum Roadmap in 2024

I used to be the biggest social media hater out there. I'd scoff when I saw people glued to their phone screens, endlessly scrolling through pictures of avocado toast and overly-posed influencers. I'd mutter under my breath. But, after much internal debate and seeing how every small business owner seemed to rave about and I finally succumbed. It was time to see what the fuss was all about. "Get a life," "Instagram this" "TikTok that," From Awkward Beginnings to Strategy Breakthrough My first foray into building a social media strategy was...rough. I'd make these awkward videos, trying to sound professional and sales-y, while secretly feeling like a complete fraud. And let's just say, the crickets were my first (and harshest) audience. It was frustrating and made me believe the hype was just that – hype. But, I'm stubborn. I wasn't about to let a platform of dancing teenagers and lip-syncing videos defeat me. Then it hit me – I was doing it all wrong. The key to a successful strategy wasn't about following trends or getting on every app. It was . about authenticity This realization unlocked something in me. I stopped trying to copy what everyone else was doing and instead embraced what made my business unique. I decided to take the focus off myself and put it on my team. We brainstormed hilarious challenges we could do, each based on an aspect of our work. One video was a lightning-fast packing competition using our most fragile products (no items were harmed!). Another challenged the team to "translate"  industry jargon into relatable terms.  It was messy, chaotic, and a heck of a lot of fun. Lessons Learned: Why a Strong Social Strategy Actually Matters I started talking about the silly situations we run into behind the scenes, sharing our company's values, and, yes, even poking a little fun at ourselves. Suddenly, there was an audience response! People didn't just want or ; they wanted connection, something they couldn't find elsewhere. product descriptions sales pitches I felt like the kid who'd stubbornly hated vegetables their whole life and then discovered roasted, perfectly caramelized brussels sprouts, drizzled in sweet balsamic glaze. Turns out, it was good! Now, I'm not claiming to be some social media guru overnight. Truthfully, I'm still figuring things out as I go. There are still times I cringe at watching my past videos or miss the mark with a silly . But I'm learning, evolving, and having way more fun along the way. I've been diving into analytics to make sense of all those audience engagement numbers. social media trend It turns out, way more than product close-ups. people love behind-the-scenes content Plus, when we answer common customer questions in short videos, our spikes – website traffic who knew?! The Key Takeaways The importance of a strong social media strategy has gone from skeptic-eye-roll to absolute belief for me. Here's what I realized: People crave real interaction. They don't care how trendy your posts are if they don't feel a connection to your brand. Social media is a conversation, not a sales pitch. Posting sporadically makes you disappear from the algorithm and your audience's minds. Find a rhythm and stick to it, even if it's only a couple of times a week. Consistency is your friend. It may sound dull, but tracking engagement, reach, and other fancy metrics allows you to see what works and what doesn't. You can't improve if you don't know what needs improvement. Data is everything. Social media lets you find your people, whether you sell homemade jam or vintage concert tees. It's where "community" becomes more than just a buzzword. Embrace the niche. So, yeah, social media might be filled with silly dance challenges and viral cat videos, but don't miss out on the real benefit – it gives you a , tell your brand's story, and make a tangible impact on your business. powerful way to connect with your customers

AVOCHATO

avochato.com

11-50 employees

Since 2016

COMPANY RANKING

AVOCHATO

EVERGREEN INDEX #1906

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

Avochato WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!

AVOCHATO

avochato.com

11-50 employees

Since 2016

COMPANY RANKING

AVOCHATO

EVERGREEN INDEX #1906

RELATED COMPANIESRANK

STORIES ABOUT AVOCHATO

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

Avochato WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!