Once upon a time, in a world filled with endless information, students and young professionals were lost in a sea of confusion. Opportunities seemed boundless, but the path to success was cluttered and obscured. The internet was booming with open courses and content, yet many found themselves stuck in jobs that didn't match their interests or skill sets. The gap between required and provided skills was widening, and dissatisfaction was on the rise. Amid this chaos, a team of dedicated individuals looked beyond the content overflow that was leading to confusion and resource wastage. They saw that traditional mentorship lacked personalization, and essential experiential knowledge was missing from the educational landscape. They envisioned Stride Ahead, a B2B2C SaaS-powered Mentorship platform that would bridge the gap. Through a blend of machine learning and human mentorship, they created adaptive reporting and workshops tailored to the individual needs of educators, entry-level talent, and corporates. With over 5,000 successful mentorship sessions under their belt, Stride Ahead began to impact lives. They weren't just another educational platform; they were a revolution, aiming to reach a million more lives, turning confusion into clarity, and despair into hope. Stride Ahead's skilled mentors, successful in their domains, provided experience-based guidance that became invaluable to students, crafting personalized pathways to success. In a world where information was abundant but direction was scarce, Stride Ahead became a beacon of empowerment and growth, a one-stop solution to the educational dilemmas of a new generation. And so, the journey continues, with Stride Ahead leading the way, transforming education, and helping individuals find their true calling, one stride at a time.

Stride Ahead

Artificial intelligence is starting to hit its stride, and many obstacles along the way have been addressed—the availability of computing power, data management systems, and so on. However, there are still many challenges ahead for the to be successful. top industry trends for AI marketing Here are some of the most significant challenges you’re likely to encounter and how you can mitigate them. Data Acquisition A fundamental challenge for startups using AI is acquiring enough first-party customer data from their users. It is hard to be explicit about how much data a company needs to truly leverage AI—that depends on what use cases they want to start with. This could be based on conversion goals or historical conversion rates; for example, this could be for analytics or segmentation and targeting. I like to think about artificial intelligence and machine learning as a tool chest to help get the benefits of . With things like deep learning, the tool chest just got deeper and has more powerful tools. marketing automation Therefore, all companies, from early-stage startups to big multibillion-dollar businesses, can leverage AI provided they have the correct data acquisition strategy. I think it’s fair to say that startups have to be even more strategic in what data they collect and how they collect it; for example, in some cases, they can bootstrap their algorithms by licensing third-party data sets to start with—and improve the performance of their models with their first-party data. Most of the friction in data collection results from customers’ lack of trust in startups that lack brand awareness or do not provide a compelling value proposition for solving their problems. It is critical to building trust and a strong relationship quickly when you’re asking for data from new customers, and the way to do that is to reiterate value consistently. Data capture comes even before the algorithms to establish long-term success in leveraging AI and machine learning in growth marketing. The value of first-party customer data is priceless, and no publicly accessible data will ever provide the same competitive edge. Access to unique data isn’t a problem for major platforms like Google, Facebook, and Amazon because they are well-established brands that continue to provide clear value in return for capturing user data. However, most startups are beginning at ground zero to convince people to share their data with them. Unfortunately, AI is not useful until enough people are using your product or service for you to capture a critical mass of data events. Only with this flow of information can the AI intelligent machine help with your acquisition, retention, and monetization efforts across the entire customer journey. Getting the data flywheel process started and keeping it going is something all businesses face with AI, but this is true even more for startups. However, startups should not give up on AI because, in the long run, it offers many opportunities to disrupt, innovate, and solve problems faster. The key is to ensure you have a good product/market t that compels people to give up their data before you have reached the scale to provide optimal value from the data flywheel kicking in. The value of first-party customer data is priceless, and no publicly accessible data will ever provide the same competitive edge. This means you need to invest the effort to develop a robust data acquisition strategy that provides value or incentives to customers for giving up their data. An example is Amazon Prime, which offers much more than free two-day shipping to members, all because Amazon knows that Prime members have significantly higher LTV than non-Prime members. Because of the value add, Amazon captures a wealth of customer data that enables it to better target new users and make product recommendations to current customers. The key to their success was investing in a data acquisition strategy from the beginning, then using that data to give value back to their customers consistently. Privacy Controls Data is a commodity that will continue to increase in value as more data regulations like GDPR and privacy controls are adopted worldwide. I would expect more major media platforms like Google, Facebook, and others to use proactive “privacy” measures to give users more transparency about what data they want to share with advertisers. It’s hard to predict how this will impact these companies regarding their customer data policies, but it will surely be a major distraction for them. It could lead to more challenges for growth if the companies end up sharing less data to identify and track users coming from their platforms, where the bulk of the paid acquisition budget is spent. There is a big risk that Apple and Google may completely stop sharing mobile device app IDs with the attribution platforms, which play a collection in tracking customers on mobile devices. This could lead to AI intelligent machines being forced to make decisions with less accuracy and transparency in the attribution data they depend on. Cross-platform attribution about the customer journey is already challenging, but it will get even more so shortly as these major technology companies are scrutinized on all fronts regarding user privacy. Facebook's privacy policies and all the other major media partners will be an ongoing challenge as they evolve. They all want to empower users to influence the regulatory debate around data privacy. The truth is, by requiring users to make many changes to opt out, most people will ignore it and end up using the Facebook and Google default permission settings (which will let the companies scoop up their information). Team Downsizing There are plenty of scary headlines in the news about AI killing off jobs. A new report by that by 2030 as many as 800 million jobs could be most customers highly value personalization recommendations, content, and offers most customers highly valued personalization recommendations, content, and offers that affect everyday working lives, comparable to the shift away from agricultural societies during the Industrial Revolution. In the United States alone, between 39 and 73 million jobs are expected to be automated—making up around a third of the total workforce. McKinsey Global Institute predicts Businesses will see transformational change in all areas of their organizational structure. This will require them to retool their business processes and reevaluate their talent strategies and workforce needs. They will have to carefully consider which workers are needed, which can be redeployed to other jobs, and where new talent is required. There is a danger of a political backlash if unemployment goes up. Many companies are finding it is in their self-interest and part of their societal responsibility to train and prepare workers for a new world of work. There will be an impact on the growth team as more roles and tasks get automated with AI. This will be especially evident on bigger growth teams where many campaigns, media buying, and data scientist roles become obsolete as machines prove they can handle that work better, smarter, and more efficiently than humans. If you know AI will be a part of your future growth strategy; you have to make sure your team is aware of this and willing to learn how it will improve their jobs. It’s essential to invest time and resources into training employees who will be key to the success of the AI intelligent machine. Future growth teams will be much leaner as the organizational structure evolves for humans and machines to coexist. Machines will become much smarter, more productive, and achieve better results leveraging artificial intelligence, with humans playing the supporting role to empower them. This process will start with the automation of small tasks but will scale up over time. Future growth teams will be much leaner as the organizational structure evolves for humans and machines to coexist. The best safeguard for workers is to take proactive action to build up their skillset so they are relevant in the future of work. The growth marketing team has many roles with rudimentary tasks that are ripe for automation. Instead of worrying about job losses, spend time acquiring new and relevant skills that will allow you to perform higher-level tasks in the technical, strategic, creative, problem-solving, communication, and leadership arenas. AI will create a demand for new jobs that will benefit workers if they stay open to developing the needed talents and capabilities. New Channels and Opportunities There is an old saying that is very appropriate for this dawning age of AI— “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” In other words, a business should use multiple channels and diversify across different paid and organic platforms to maximize its ability to acquire customers. The key is to reduce risk by not being highly dependent on any one source of traffic. A mistake many startups make is to use paid user acquisition teams that focus on a few highly dependable channels like Google and Facebook. Both are good-quality traffic sources, but your startup paid customer acquisition risk is tied to them not imploding, or else you’re done as well. The challenge is to ensure that the different channels you test are easily integrated into your AI intelligent machine. The best way to do that is to make sure that they have APIs and are already set up within your attribution measurement partner, so you can easily manage new campaigns by adjusting the business inputs (bids, budgets, creative, and goals) to test, learn, and iterate at scale using AI to achieve your desired business outcomes. Staying on Top of Fraud In our modern world, nothing is certain except death, taxes, and fraud. As soon as advertisers caught up with incentivized traffic and bot farm schemes years ago, fraudsters quickly devised new mechanisms to swindle advertisers out of their budgets. According to the eMarketer Digital Ad Fraud 2019 report, estimates of fraud vary widely, but even the most conservative estimates put the money involved well into the billions annually worldwide. Recent estimates vary from $6.5 billion to as high as $19 billion, a range that points to the difficulty of measuring fraud’s true impact. Plenty of co-conspirators in the ecosystem are incentivized to keep fraud alive because they are personally benefiting from it. Unfortunately, there is no consistent definition of fraud and no alignment among the key stakeholders in the attribution platforms, ad networks, ad agencies, and media buyers. Ultimately no one is motivated to solve this problem because it would impact their future compensation and revenue. One approach many high-volume advertisers use is to work with a third-party fraud detection tool from their attribution provider to monitor and filter traffic for anomalies. This can be effective because of the sophistication of detection algorithms and their multi-advertiser view of fraudulent traffic. However, the simplest way to minimize fraud is to avoid ambiguous, non-transparent channels and to buy media directly from reputable sources. The ongoing challenge is that fraud impacts attribution by injecting bad data signals into the AI intelligent machine, which plays havoc with the algorithms. Despite technological advances, ad fraud will continue to be a big problem due to the growth of digital ad spending—or, at least, until there isn’t enough easy money to make by the fraudsters. Facing Challenges These challenges are ongoing and ever-changing because AI is still in the infancy stage with a lot of untapped growth in marketing. However, going all in to tackle these ongoing challenges presents many opportunities for learning and growing individually and collectively as a team. At the end of the day, it’s always better to learn to be the disruptor than to be disrupted. About the Author is the Chief Growth Officer of Tynker, with 20 years of experience helping startups grow into successful businesses. Lomit has previously played a critical role in scaling growth at startups, including Roku (IPO), TrustedID (acquired by Equifax), Texture (acquired. by Apple), and IMVU (#2 top-grossing gaming app). Lomit is a public speaker, author, and advisor, with numerous accolades and awards throughout his career, including being recognized as a Mobile Hero by Liftoff. Lomit's book is part of Eric Ries' best-selling "The Lean Startup" series. Lomit Patel Lean AI

Ongoing Challenges With Artificial Intelligence in Growth Marketing

I grew up playing hockey. And like any sport, there are some fundamental lessons you have to learn before you can really play the game well. In hockey, one of the first things you learn is that you can’t pass the puck to where your teammate is. You have to pass it to where they’re going to be. Everyone is on the move, and if you try to pass directly to someone, your pass will fall short. Of course, you can’t pass too far ahead of them either. You have to hit them perfectly in stride if you ever want your team to score. I think the same lesson can be applied to building a company and planning for the future. You want to look a little bit ahead so you simultaneously hit the demands of the market, the availability of the , and the ability to scale affordably. technology You have to aim where you want to go. There’s always a tension between building something for the existing climate and building for the future. Just as you can’t aim directly at your teammate on the ice, you can’t build a company for an existing problem without planning for the next move. For example, at Chronicled, we’re currently using to extend trust boundaries and provide incremental benefits to supply chains. We’re focusing on elegance, simplicity, and creating a working and scalable product. But we’re also thinking ahead to the future of the supply chain in general, and where our current work is going to lead us. blockchain You have to strike a balance between what is available and feasible today, and how you can use that to improve the landscape — while still planning for the next move. The timing has to be right. On the ice, there’s always a perfect moment to make a pass. Wait too long and you’ve missed the opportunity. Pass too early and your teammate can’t catch up to it. The timing of building a business, especially one based on new technology, is very similar. If you wait too long, you’ll miss the boat. Someone else will figure it out before you. But if you start your business too early, you may be ahead of your time. The technology may not be quite there yet. Or the technology is available, but it may not be affordable to scale a business or a product using those tools. You may even find the general cultural and social sentiments of the time haven’t caught up to your concept. That was the problem with my very first company, Stunable. It was around 2010, and we were working on a personal shopping algorithm. It would use your answer to a question such as, “What’s your favorite pair of jeans?” to gather data about size, fit, style, and price point. We modeled the entire thing based on 784 unique attributes of clothing. The recommendation algorithm worked really well. But I was frustrated with the model because in order to buy something, customers had to be redirected to another website through affiliate links — or even worse, through a jerry-rigged resident. It ended up being a poor user experience overall. This was just before the time when there were APIs to give you access to certain information in databases. We were not satisfied with simply data scraping, so we worked hard to build out these APIs and ERP (enterprise resource management) / POS (point of sale) integrations for other companies. The experience was incredibly draining and resource intensive. Yet, at the end of it all, we were able to power a universal checkout marketplace feature two years before Amazon did so. If we had started the company two years later, we would have had all the tools we needed to smooth over the process. But by that time, the market would have been saturated. The concept was solid, but the timing was off. A little too early, but certainly not too late. Even if everything aligns, you have to persevere to push forward. One pass doesn’t usually lead to a goal. But a series of well-executed passes often will. Success in business and in hockey both come from perseverance. It doesn’t matter if your idea changes, your goals shift, or you need to pivot to a new model. You have to keep moving. Stopping isn’t an option, because however you define success — whether it’s a successful exit or personal fulfillment — the only way to get there is to keep moving. You can change your path, move sideways, even work backwards, but you have to persevere. The truth is, the vast majority of blockchain companies that exist today won’t exist in the future. We’ve already seen plenty come and go through the first few years of the blockchain’s boom. You can do everything right, execute perfectly, gather together the best team — but if the timing isn’t right, none of it may matter. So make sure your first pass is on the money. It could be the difference between failure and success. Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter and Quora for more insights on blockchain technology. Or get in touch with the Chronicled team here .

What Hockey Can Teach Tech Companies About Planning Ahead

The On-Chain Privacy Challenge: Balancing Blockchain Transparency with Privacy The On-Chain Privacy Challenge seeks to reconcile blockchain's inherent transparency with the need for transactional privacy. This dilemma arises from blockchain's core characteristics—immutability and trustlessness—which clash with data privacy regulations like the GDPR in the EU and the CCPA in the US. These laws mandate stringent privacy protections, including the , a concept seemingly at odds with permanent blockchain records. right to be forgotten Regulatory Landscape and Compliance Blockchain technology navigates a complex regulatory environment, where traditional data privacy laws like GDPR and sector-specific regulations such as the GLBA and HIPAA impose significant compliance challenges. These emphasize user consent and control over personal data, aspects difficult to align with blockchain's decentralized nature. frameworks Emerging Solutions and Discussions Efforts to address the On-Chain Privacy Challenge involve leveraging blockchain's consensus mechanisms to enforce compliance programmatically. This approach, of compliance, aligns with Web3's ethos while striving to meet privacy and regulatory standards. However, it faces hurdles, including the adaptation of regulatory frameworks to accommodate blockchain's unique features and the development of technologies that ensure privacy without sacrificing blockchain's core advantages. advocating for a decentralized method Unlocking Blockchain's Privacy Paradox with Garbled Circuits In the digital age, where privacy often feels like a relic of the past, COTI's introduction of garbled circuits to blockchain technology is akin to discovering a secret tunnel under a fortress. This innovative leap, much like a magician's sleight of hand, promises to keep our digital treasures safe without sacrificing the fortress's transparency and integrity—the very essence of blockchain. But how? The Magic Behind the Curtain: Garbled Circuits Imagine two millionaires, and , eager to know who's richer without showing their actual bank balances. This conundrum, known as the Millionaires' problem, is solved by garbled circuits, a cryptographic trick allowing them to compare fortunes without revealing them. COTI's breakthrough makes this magic trick a reality on the blockchain, ensuring transactions remain private, akin to whispering secrets in a crowded room where only the intended recipient understands the message. Alice Bob A Leap Towards On-Chain Privacy The quest for on-chain privacy is not just a technical challenge; it's about preserving the essence of personal freedom in the digital realm. Regulations like GDPR and CCPA have set the stage, demanding a balance between transparency and privacy. COTI's garbled circuits represent a significant stride towards this balance, offering a solution that respects both the immutable nature of blockchain and the individual's right to privacy. The Road Ahead: A World of Possibilities COTI's innovation isn't just a tool; it's a key to unlocking a new era of Web3 applications. Imagine a world where decentralized exchanges (DEXs), privacy wallets, and governance systems operate with complete privacy, yet fully benefit from the trustless, immutable nature of blockchain technology. This breakthrough paves the way for a future where blockchain can fully integrate into everyday life, offering solutions that are both secure and private. Engaging the Next Generation For the 20-year-old teenager who grew up in a world where digital footprints are permanent, COTI's garbled circuits offer a glimpse into a future where privacy is not just an option but a standard. This development is akin to learning a new language that only you and your friends understand, transforming the blockchain into a space where privacy and openness coexist harmoniously. The Dawn of Secure Web3: COTI's Revolutionary Privacy Solution COTI's unveiling of garbled circuits on the blockchain is a watershed moment, merging the realms of cryptography and blockchain technology to enhance privacy without compromising the foundational principles of trustlessness and immutability. As we stand on the brink of this new frontier, it's clear that the potential for innovation is boundless, promising a future where privacy and technology walk hand in hand, inviting users of all ages to partake in the digital revolution with confidence and security. Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure:

A New Era of Blockchain Privacy: Insights into COTI's Garbled Circuits

ব্লকচেইন গোপনীয়তার একটি নতুন যুগ: COTI-এর বিকৃত সার্কিটগুলির অন্তর্দৃষ্টি

Eine neue Ära des Blockchain-Datenschutzes: Einblicke in die verstümmelten Schaltkreise von COTI

Una nueva era de la privacidad de Blockchain: información sobre los circuitos confusos de COTI

Une nouvelle ère de confidentialité blockchain : aperçu des circuits tronqués de COTI

ब्लॉकचेन गोपनीयता का एक नया युग: COTI के विकृत सर्किट में अंतर्दृष्टि

ブロックチェーン プライバシーの新時代: COTI の文字化けした回路に関する洞察

블록체인 개인정보 보호의 새로운 시대: COTI의 왜곡된 회로에 대한 통찰

Uma nova era de privacidade Blockchain: insights sobre os circuitos distorcidos do COTI

Новая эра конфиденциальности блокчейна: взгляд на искаженные схемы COTI

Blockchain Gizliliğinde Yeni Bir Çağ: COTI'nin Bozuk Devrelerine Bakış

Kỷ nguyên mới về quyền riêng tư của Blockchain: Thông tin chi tiết về các mạch bị cắt xén của COTI

区块链隐私新时代：COTI乱码电路洞察

Revolutionizing Blockchain Privacy with COTI V2's MPC Protocol Introduction to Multi-Party Computation in Blockchain The recent technological advancements within the COTI ecosystem have set a precedent for privacy-centric layer 2 (L2) solutions on the Ethereum blockchain. With the successful integration of the Multi-Party Computation (MPC) protocol in COTI V2, a significant stride has been made towards enhancing blockchain privacy and security. This milestone not only marks a pivotal point in COTI's development journey but also showcases the potential for MPC technology to redefine the norms of blockchain privacy. The Essence of Multi-Party Computation Multi-party computation (MPC) stands at the forefront of cryptographic innovation, facilitating a mechanism where multiple parties can jointly compute a function over their inputs while keeping those inputs private. The crux of MPC lies in its ability to safeguard the confidentiality of input data, allowing for a collaborative computation process without revealing sensitive information to other participants. This cryptographic technique is instrumental in scenarios where data privacy is paramount, yet there is a need for collective computation. Architectural Innovations: MPC Endpoints and Extended EVM The integration of MPC within the COTI ecosystem introduces the concept of MPC endpoints, integral to the Extended Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) execution module. This approach enhances the Ethereum blockchain's capabilities by marrying the traditional EVM state with a private extension managed by the MPC protocol. Such an architectural innovation not only improves security but also broadens the applicability of decentralized applications (DApps) by introducing a layer of privacy where necessary. Exploring the Architecture and Workflow The architecture of the MPC protocol is ingeniously designed, comprising cryptographic key material, a pool of encrypted data, and pseudo-contracts. This design facilitates a seamless interaction between the submission of encrypted data by users and the execution of computations by the MPC "black box". Users initiate this process by generating their key material, followed by the submission of encrypted data. Subsequently, a workload can be executed securely on this encrypted data, producing results that are either public or encrypted under a specific user's key, thereby maintaining privacy integrity. Delving into an MPC Endpoint An in-depth examination of an MPC endpoint reveals the intricate processes occurring before and after the execution of a workload. Initially, the endpoint stores the key material and encrypted data set to undergo computation. Post-execution, the outcome includes private variables encrypted under a network key, demonstrating the protocol's ability to execute secure computations without exposing sensitive information. The Role of Garbling in MPC The garbling process is central to the MPC's operation, transforming a pseudo-contract into a garbled circuit that represents a one-time executable function. This ensures that each computation is isolated, enhancing the system's security by preventing the reuse of garbled circuits. This process exemplifies how MPC maintains privacy and security, emphasizing the protocol's significance in achieving a privacy-centric blockchain ecosystem. Milestone Achievements and Future Outlook The completion of this milestone has not only demonstrated the successful implementation of the MPC protocol within COTI V2 but also laid the groundwork for future advancements. This achievement underscores the potential of MPC technology in revolutionizing blockchain privacy, setting the stage for further developments in COTI V2's journey towards creating a more secure and private blockchain infrastructure. The journey towards realizing a fully privacy-centric L2 solution on Ethereum through COTI V2 represents a bold leap forward in blockchain technology. As we look ahead, the continued development and integration of MPC and other privacy-enhancing technologies promise to expand the horizons of blockchain utility, security, and confidentiality. Stay tuned for the unfolding of this groundbreaking endeavor, as we pave the way for a new era of blockchain privacy. The Future Horizon: Advancements and Implications of COTI V2's MPC Protocol The Path Forward: Enhancing Blockchain's Privacy Landscape The successful integration of the Multi-Party Computation (MPC) protocol within COTI V2 not only signifies a major milestone in blockchain privacy but also paves the way for a future where blockchain technology can be leveraged securely and privately across various domains. This advancement heralds a new era of privacy-centric applications, promising to address the longstanding challenges of data privacy and security in decentralized networks. Expanding the Use Cases of MPC in Blockchain The versatility of the MPC protocol extends beyond the realms of financial transactions and into sectors where privacy and security are of paramount importance. Healthcare, supply chain management, and voting systems stand to benefit significantly from the adoption of MPC, enabling the secure and confidential computation of sensitive data. The successful deployment of MPC within COTI V2 showcases the potential for broader application, encouraging the exploration of new use cases that were previously constrained by privacy concerns. The Intersection of MPC and Regulatory Compliance As regulatory scrutiny around data privacy intensifies, the need for technologies that can reconcile the demands of regulatory compliance with the benefits of blockchain becomes increasingly critical. The MPC protocol offers a viable solution by enabling the secure sharing and processing of data without compromising privacy. This capability is particularly relevant in the context of regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, where the protection of personal data is a legal requirement. The adoption of MPC can facilitate compliance while fostering innovation within the blockchain space. Advancements in Cryptographic Techniques and Their Implications The development and integration of the MPC protocol within COTI V2 are indicative of the rapid advancements in cryptographic techniques. These innovations not only enhance the privacy and security of blockchain transactions but also contribute to the maturation of the blockchain ecosystem as a whole. By adopting cutting-edge cryptographic solutions, blockchain platforms can address the critical challenges of scalability, privacy, and interoperability, thereby unlocking new possibilities for decentralized applications. Challenges and Opportunities Ahead Despite the significant progress achieved with the MPC protocol, challenges remain in the quest for widespread adoption. Scalability, computational efficiency, and user-friendly interfaces are among the hurdles that need to be overcome to fully realize the potential of MPC in blockchain. However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and collaboration, driving the continued evolution of blockchain technology. Envisioning a Privacy-Preserving Future with COTI V2 The journey of COTI V2, marked by the successful integration of the MPC protocol, represents a significant leap towards achieving a privacy-centric blockchain ecosystem. This milestone not only demonstrates the feasibility of secure and private computations on the blockchain but also sets the stage for future innovations that could redefine the landscape of decentralized technologies. As we look towards the horizon, the ongoing development of COTI V2 and its MPC protocol holds the promise of a more secure, private, and inclusive blockchain future, heralding a new chapter in the evolution of decentralized systems. In conclusion, the advancements achieved with COTI V2's MPC protocol illuminate the path towards a more privacy-centric blockchain infrastructure. By addressing the pivotal challenges of privacy and security, COTI V2 lays the foundation for a blockchain ecosystem that is not only more secure and efficient but also more adaptable to the diverse needs of users across different sectors. The continued exploration and integration of such privacy-enhancing technologies will undoubtedly play a critical role in shaping the future of blockchain, driving its adoption and utility in a world where privacy and security are increasingly valued. Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure:

Navigating the Future of Blockchain with COTI V2's Privacy Innovations

Welcoming the New Year, we're excited to announce that the Ola Incentivized Pre-Alpha Testnet is now live, inviting both developers and users to foster engagement and innovation. , as an open-source Hybrid ZK Rollup, enhances blockchain ecosystems with programmable scalability and enhanced data privacy. This inaugural testnet release includes features like Ola-lang 0.1.0, OlaOS 0.1.0, AA Deployment, ECDSA & Poseidon Hash, among others, facilitating the development of any type of contract. Ola Ola will conduct rounds of incentivized public testnets leading up to the Mainnet launch. A total of 10 million future Ola tokens, limited-edition NFTs, Olavm Points (OVPs), and mystery rewards will be allocated as incentives. can create innovative zk dApps in just 4 steps using the comprehensive Ola toolkits, which include Ola-lang 0.1.0, OlaVM, OlaUI, and OlaOS 0.1.0, with further advancements on the way. Developers are empowered to actively participate in Ola community governance. All OVP holders will have the opportunity to propose and vote on Ola's future direction, shaping the evolution. Users Join us on this transformative journey, where together we'll unlock Ola's immense potential and share in the rewards of our collective success. Ola Incentivized Pre-Alpha Testnet Overview Easy Building with Ola: A Developer's Guide 🛠️  Tools and Functions The Ola Incentivized Pre-Alpha Testnet provides developers with a minimum viable version of the Ola network. Developers can write smart contracts based on their business needs, deploy them on the Ola network, and use command-line tools and SDKs to send transactions and query status. More features and tools will be released in the near future. The features supported in this release include: : Ola-lang is a Turing-complete language that can be used to write provable programs. The syntax of Ola-lang is designed to be similar to Solidity, making it convenient for smart contract developers to get started. You can find the Ola-lang developer . Ola-lang 0.1.0 documentation here : OlaOS is the implementation of the Ola node. Users can submit transactions, query data, and check transaction status through the JSON-RPC interface to OlaOS. OlaOS 0.1.0 : Ola natively supports Account Abstraction(AA). Users can deploy custom AA contracts and handle signature and transaction execution logic through AA. AA Support : Ola provides support for ECDSA and supports the zk-friendly hash function, Poseidon hash. ECDSA and Poseidon Hash 🖥️  Deploy Your ZK dApp in 4 Steps The Ola DevTestnet offers a local development environment designed for quick and efficient building and testing of Ola smart contracts. The setup process – encompassing environment configuration, account creation, smart contract deployment, and interaction – is streamlined to be completed in under 20 minutes. For a detailed step-by-step guide, visit our tutorial at . Ola Developer Quick Start Setting Up the Environment To begin interacting with the Ola network and compiling Ola-lang code, the command-line tool Olatte needs to be installed. Properly configuring environment variables for Olatte simplifies command execution and improves readability. Installation instructions are tailored for different operating systems: For macOS: via Homebrew For Debian/Ubuntu: via APT For Red Hat/Fedora: via RPM Creating an Account Once Olatte is installed, you can proceed to create a signer. This involves creating a keystore file and registering a public key, essential steps for secure interactions on the network. Deploying a Smart Contract Writing and compiling Ola smart contracts is straightforward with Ola-lang. Use the following command to compile: Lua
luaCopy code
olatte compile path/to/MyContract.ola path/of/output/dir This will generate a .bin file for deployment and an .abi file for interface definitions. Deploy your contract with: Bash
bashCopy code
olatte deploy --network test path/to/MyContract_bin.json Interacting with a Smart Contract Olatte facilitates two primary methods for smart contract interactions: call: Executes read-only functions. invoke: Performs write operations that alter the contract's state. With these simple steps, you'll have the Ola testnet operational in just a few minutes, ready for development and testing! 🤔 Advantages and Opportunities Ola stands out in ZK dApp development, offering scalability, enhanced privacy (coming soon) through zero-knowledge proofs, and an intuitive toolkit for both new and seasoned developers. In addition, Ola supports innovation with incentives for promising projects, providing financial and resource backing. As the testnet progresses enthusiastically, we will collaborate with top global developer communities and conduct online workshops. Our core team members will lead developers to explore Ola, deploying a variety of interesting dapps on our testnet using Ola's toolkits. Developers can explore these opportunities in and apply for incentives at: Ola Builder Program https://forms.gle/AFM4h3Jc5Y23Xfr28 Fair Participation Prioritized: Toward a Decentralized Ola Community Hub 👥  Advancing Community Empowerment Ola is committed to enhancing data privacy and ownership, with a strong focus on community-driven growth. The launch of the and in 2023, featuring over 20 global ambassadors, fosters active participation in shaping Ola’s future. This strategy aims for balanced development, gradually transitioning towards a more decentralized ecosystem. OVP Program Ambassador Program Community members, including managers and content creators, play a growing role in decision-making processes, while network maintainers ensure stability and security. Strategic partnerships and adherence to regulatory standards are also crucial to Ola’s growth strategy. This collaborative and decentralized approach is expected to cement Ola’s position in the blockchain infrastructure, promoting long-term success through community engagement and technological reliability. Visit Ola community hub for more information: https://ola-2.gitbook.io/ola-community-hub/ 🗳 ️Coming Soon: Vote and Propose to Engage in Ola’s Future We’re issuing limited OVPs and empowering all #OVP holders to participate in governance and decision-making. At Ola, we value our community’s support and engagement, offering limited-quantity OVPs as appreciation. By empowering each OVP holder with the opportunity to actively shape our future, we’re fostering a strong community. In the coming weeks, we’ll invite all OVP holders to voice their opinions in our governance and decision-making processes. Stay tuned to make a significant impact on the Ola ecosystem. 🤑 Join Ola X Aspecta Galxe event and share a growing OVP prize pool With the launch of the Ola Pre-Alpha testnet, we are excited to launch Ola BuilderState on Aspecta and celebrate alongside Aspecta on Galxe. All developers and users are welcome to participate, share in a 500k OVP pool and obtain an Aspecta identity. Ola and Aspecta have established a long-term partnership to elevate the global developer community and extend ZK expertise. Looking ahead, we’re facilitating knowledge sharing and hosting a series of reward-given developer-centric events and campaigns to foster a dynamic, innovative, and cooperative ecosystem for everyone involved. Ola Future Ahead: Upcoming Features & Roadmap Our post-Devtestnet roadmap is geared towards testnet iteration, implementing crucial upgrades, and introducing a range of new features and functionalities to enhance Ola, ultimately culminating in a fully decentralized mainnet that offers optional privacy features. Upcoming features in the internal testing phase, expected to be part of the next stage, include: : Introduce mining mechanisms that secure the network and incentivize participants. PoW, ZKP, and Verifier Mining Mechanisms : To maintain network integrity and prevent DDoS attacks, each transaction will require gas. Gas Fee Model : We're implementing Verifier contracts on Ethereum for validating L2 state updates and proofs, enhancing security and trust. Ethereum Layer 1 Verifier : Seamless integration between L1 and Ola L2 will enable users to easily deposit assets from Ethereum to Ola L2. Layer 1 and Layer 2 Deposit and Withdrawal : Our Rollup's DA strategy will support diverse methods, including those offered by Ethereum and Celestia, for robust data availability. Enhanced Data Availability (DA) Layer Integration : Facilitating interoperability and asset transfers between different blockchain networks. Cross-Chain Bridge Functionality : Offering Prover proofs in both CPU and GPU modes, significantly speeding up the proof generation process. GPU-Accelerated Prover : Expanding our support to include advanced cryptographic primitives like EDDSA and BLS signatures. Extended Support for Account Abstraction Cryptographic Primitives : Introducing privacy options to enhance user discretion and security on the platform. Optional Privacy Features Step on the journey with Ola: Empower Individuals with Data Ownership Since November, Ola has received over 200 high-quality dApp deployment applications through our testnet whitelist activity, covering areas such as gaming, SocialFi, and DID. We are excited to witness these projects thrive within Ola's ecosystem. Looking ahead, Ola is dedicated to continuously enhancing testnet, integrating ZK proof privacy with blockchain technology, and setting the stage for our mainnet launch mid-year. We're excited to introduce a new mining mechanism (such as PoW, ZKP, Verifier etc.) and unfold our token economic model in the coming months. This will include detailed incentive rules tailored for our diverse community, including users, developers, miners, and other key stakeholders, marking a significant stride in our journey towards blockchain innovation. Join us in creating a fairer, more decentralized world with Ola. Play your part in shaping the future of Ola, and share in the rewards of our collective success. As we push the boundaries of innovation, we look forward to the remarkable milestones ahead. Thank you for being a vital part of Ola's journey. Let's seize this pivotal moment and embark on a memorable journey towards the Ola Mainnet! About us Ola is an open-source Hybrid ZK Rollup that delivers programmable scalability and privacy to blockchains, empowering individuals through data ownership. Incubated by cryptographers and engineers of Sin7y Labs in 2022, Ola offers a layer2 ZK Stack, featuring Ola-lang, OlaVM, OlaUI, OlaOS, and a series of developer-friendly tools, facilitating the development of any type of contracts. In 2023, Ola launched the Ambassador Program and OVP Points Rewards, now with 20+ global ambassadors. For 2024, Ola plans to roll out public testnet, mainnet, mining mechanism (PoW, ZKP, & Verifier), and a range of incentive programs steadily. If you are interested in joining or partnering with us to contribute to a fair, decentralized, and permissionless world, please contact us at . contact@olavm.org | | | | | | | | | | Website Twitter Discord Telegram Whitepaper GitHub LinkedIn YouTube HackMD Medium HackerNoon

Introducing Ola's Pre-Alpha Testnet: Empowering Data Ownership and ZK Smart Contract Innovation  

Ola-এর প্রি-আলফা টেস্টনেট চালু করা হচ্ছে: ডেটার মালিকানা এবং ZK স্মার্ট চুক্তি উদ্ভাবনের ক্ষমতায়ন

Wir stellen Olas Pre-Alpha-Testnetz vor: Stärkung des Dateneigentums und ZK-Smart-Contract-Innovation

Presentamos la Testnet Pre-Alpha de Ola: potenciando la propiedad de datos y la innovación de contratos inteligentes de ZK

Présentation du testnet pré-alpha d'Ola : renforcer la propriété des données et l'innovation des contrats intelligents ZK

ओला के प्री-अल्फा टेस्टनेट का परिचय: डेटा स्वामित्व और जेडके स्मार्ट कॉन्ट्रैक्ट इनोवेशन को सशक्त बनाना

Ola のプレアルファ テストネットの紹介: データ所有権の強化と ZK スマート コントラクト イノベーション

Ola의 사전 알파 테스트넷 소개: 데이터 소유권 강화 및 ZK 스마트 계약 혁신

Apresentando a rede de teste pré-alfa da Ola: capacitando a propriedade de dados e a inovação de contratos inteligentes ZK

Представляем пре-альфа-тестовую сеть Ola: расширение возможностей владения данными и инновации в смарт-контрактах ZK

Ola'nın Alfa Öncesi Test Ağıyla Tanışın: Veri Sahipliğini Güçlendirme ve ZK Akıllı Sözleşme Yeniliği

Giới thiệu Mạng thử nghiệm Pre-Alpha của Ola: Trao quyền sở hữu dữ liệu và đổi mới hợp đồng thông minh ZK

介绍 Ola 的 Pre-Alpha 测试网：赋能数据所有权和 ZK 智能合约创新

The world of web development has been in a constant state of evolution, with new tools and approaches. It makes it easier for developers to create interactive and user-friendly applications. Among these tools, , a JavaScript library developed by , has emerged as a key player in the field. An intrinsic part of React’s growing popularity is the introduction of . Before Hooks, managing state and lifecycle events in functional components was a challenge. React Facebook Hooks Hooks revolutionized this by making it possible to use state and other React features without writing a class. This essay delves into the nuances of React Hooks, providing insights on different types of hooks including useState and useEffect, the concept of Custom Hooks and how they aid in reusing stateful logic between various components, and how testing paradigms change with the inclusion of Hooks. Understanding React Hooks Unpacking React Hooks: A Transition in State Management for Developers Introduced with the release of React 16.8, React Hooks has swiftly transformed the landscape of React development. Seemingly abstract and complex at first, React Hooks is truly an ingenious addition to a developer’s toolbox, pushing the envelope of functional components and elevating the state management game immeasurably. React Hooks, in essence, are functions that allow developers to ‘hook into’ React state and other lifecycle features straight from functional components. They abrogate the mandate of writing in classes, to access features like state or lifecycle methods. This gateway to clean and readable code is exceptional, hence the buzz that surrounds React Hooks. Before React Hooks, transitioning between functional and class components was a daunting task, eclipsing the read flow of the code and making the process cumbersome. The mounting complexity was a typical outcome during rewrites on the incorporation of lifecycle methods or states. React Hooks turns this around, making the journey from functional to class-based components smooth and efficient. Furthermore, React Hooks take a stride forward in demystifying the React component lifecycle. React Hook ‘useState’ transforms the way of defining a state variable. Gone are the days of ‘setState’ bound with the limitations of class components. It cleans up and simplifies the codebase by bundling up multiple state updates into one, facilitating better management. However, the praise doesn’t stop with ‘useState’. The ‘useEffect’ Hook is another prized possession of this library. It essentially amalgamates componentDidMount, componentDidUpdate, and componentWillUnmount, allowing side effects in the functional component. It navigates each peril in the lifecycle of a React component with rolled-up sleeves. The application of React Hooks goes beyond just state management. It encourages code reusability without prop drilling and complexity of render props or higher-order components (HOC). The ability to divide the component logic into smaller reusable functions is freeing for a developer. So, why should developers care? The answer lies in the sheer ability of React Hooks to simplify and streamline. They usher in cleaner code, smoother navigation, and an enhanced developer experience. Dealing with ‘this’ keyword or binding event handlers, typical of class components, are tasks of the past. Improved testing via breaking down of complex components into smaller, single-purpose functions is an undeniable advantage. To put it bluntly, React Hooks are not just another feature; they represent a paradigm shift in the React development journey. By embracing React Hooks, developers can allocate more focus on building the application logic rather than grappling with React’s complexities. The shift orchestrates efficient code organization, eases testing, and improves the overall application’s performance. While getting accustomed to React Hooks may entail a learning curve, the payoff in terms of cleaner, more efficient code is worth the time investment. For developers committed to staying on the cutting edge of technology, adopting React Hooks is not just a trend but a significant step in enhancing their coding prowess. This plunge into the world of React Hooks is the embodiment of technological advancement in programming – a resolution for better, not just an evolution. For developers eyeballing a sleek and efficient coding experience and top-of-the-line React applications, React Hooks are more than a game-changer – they’re a whole new ballgame. State Hook (useState) Diving deeper into the utilization of the Hook, developers across the globe continue to find innovative ways to manage their application’s state in an uncomplicated manner. While functional components initially lacked the state management abilities of their class component counterparts, the inception of with the introduction of Hooks has successfully leveled the playing field. useState useState The Hook allows developers to add state to functional components, granting them the power to react to user actions, network responses, and other events in a resource-efficient manner. The Hook returns a pair: the current state and a function capable of updating it. The initial state can be set similar to any providing ample flexibility for dynamic applications. This enhances the developer’s capability to manipulate application responses based on varied user inputs. useState JavaScript variable, If we dig deeper, a deeper understanding of why plays an integral part in React applications is necessary. To put it simply, without , any changes made to a component’s state wouldn’t render a re-update to the user interface. Thus, is integral to maintaining an interactive, application that accurately reflects state changes. useState useState useState responsive One particularly notable advantage of using is its heightened code readability compared to class components. Let’s face it; writing was never fun or straightforward. By employing , different states are defined with individual names, eliminating the need for complex objects and allowing for direct, unambiguous reference to each state variable. This simplification is not only easier on the beginner’s eyes but also aids seasoned developers in maintaining neat and organized code – a win-win for all. useState setState useState setState Another selling point of lies in its ability to set the state directly instead of merging new and old states like in class components, reducing the chances of bugs slipping through the cracks when your application gets complicated. This feature also parallels JavaScript’s standard behavior, providing a smoother learning curve for developers new to React. useState A useful trick employed by developers using is passing a function into the setter, bootstrapping lengthy computations. This avoids executing the initial state computation on every render but instead only when mounting, providing an edge in optimization and speed. useState A noteworthy detail while employing is understanding different state variables can trigger multiple re-renders. In complex applications, this can impact performance. Therefore, a judicious and precise use of is strongly recommended to retain the application’s performance efficiency. useState useState In conclusion, the Hook, part of the game-changing React Hooks, ups the ante for state management in functional components. It simplifies writing, understanding, testing, and debugging code, while also providing efficient optimization possibilities. With a clear approach and robust understanding of the hook, developers can enhance their React applications and step up their programming game. useState useState Despite React Hooks requiring a paradigm shift, the payoff is rewarding. This shift is not only changing the way developers approach their code but also shaping the future of programming at large. As an alluring technology, mastering React Hooks is a worthwhile venture for every earnest developer. Effect Hook (useEffect) Without a doubt, the rise of the Hook in React has been a significant boon in managing side effects within functional components. Unlike other methods, offers a more seamless way to control side effects, often perceived as one of the most challenging tasks in programming. This makes your components much cleaner and more efficient, leading to an overall improvement in your React applications. useEffect useEffect Cementing its position as a revolutionary tool, eliminates the need to separate same logic based on different lifecycle methods such as , , and . It allows for a comprehensive management of similar tasks in one place. Imagine the simplicity — no more jumping around the code to find related logic. All side-effects managed within a single . useEffect componentDidMount componentDidUpdate componentWillUnmount useEffect Interestingly, the Hook also offers conditional execution. This feature allows a developer to dictate when the effect should run, providing a higher degree of control. It may sound minor, but this flexibility saves computational power when deriving or manipulating data, ultimately enhancing app performance. useEffect The clean up function, an under-recognized feature of the Hook, is designed to clean up after an effect. It’s inbuilt, anticipating the necessity for unsubscriptions, clearing intervals or timeouts, removing event listeners, and other such actions that are paramount to preventing memory leaks. This forward-thinking functionality is another testament to how has revolutionized side-effect management. useEffect useEffect Supercharging functionality, the custom Hooks offer full leverage of and . Derived from these primitive Hooks, custom Hooks allow encapsulation of complex logic or side effects that can later be easily used or reused in different components. Styling your programming approach with the unique features of creates a springboard for efficient code execution and codebase organization. useState useEffect useEffect In a nutshell, the adoption of and React Hooks in general, marks a defining moment in a programmer’s journey. They offer an organized, efficient, and performant method of managing side effects in functional components. The clean, concise, and intuitive interface of these tools can dramatically accelerate the development efficiency of applications. The shift towards these Hooks symbolizes not only the ongoing advances in programming techniques, but the relentless pursuit of simplicity in complexity– truly a revolution in the making. useEffect Remember, technology evolves at a breathtaking pace, and keeping abreast of new trends like React Hooks is crucial for software developers. The Hook is more than just a new tool to add to your developer toolkit – it’s an innovation that is helping to redefine effective coding. The future of software development is here, and it hinges, in part, on mastery of tools like the Hook. This isn’t just another tech hype, but a significant stride in the world of programming that demands attention. useEffect useEffect Custom Hooks In the whirlwind of innovation that is React, Hooks have without a doubt made a splash. Now, let’s dive into the deep end – the world of Custom Hooks. There’s more to this wonder than meets the eye, so fasten your seatbelts, tech enthusiasts, because we’ll creatively demonstrate how to write reusable stateful logic with Custom Hooks. Exploring Custom Hooks After studying the useState and useEffect hooks, it’s only logical to introduce Custom Hooks. They are, contrary to popular belief, not a feature of React. Instead, they are born from the core React minds by combining useState, useEffect, and other built-in hooks. Think of them as JavaScript functions with a twist—they can utilize React Hooks. Custom Hooks tying together several different hooks allows developers to abstract component logic. This makes for highly reusable pieces of stateful logic, transforming how React apps are crafted. Writing Custom Hooks Writing a Custom Hook is zero complexity. Name-wise, Custom Hooks must start with ‘use’ so they’re not confused with regular JavaScript functions. Our journey unravels as we create a Custom Hook that fetches data from an API—something that could be reused across applications. The ‘useApiData’ hook handles the fetching and returns the response, error, and a ‘isLoading’ flag. Custom Hooks Iterate the Game React’s introduction of Hooks is a leap forward that has reset the immersion bar. Custom Hooks take this to a further dimension, allowing developers to craft their toolset—tools that best fit the problem at hand. This idea of reusability in programming may not be new, but Custom Hooks’ way of handling it gives it a fresh spin. Widely performing functions can now be abstracted into a Single Custom Hook, thereby decreasing duplication. Furthermore, they bring better abstraction, easier testing, and increased readability and maintainability. They are truly a profound step forward in not only the React world but also the broader realm of technology. In Conclusion Custom Hooks, without an iota of doubt, are a game changer in writing reusable stateful logic. Their tangible benefits have reverberated through the developer community—clean code, improved reusability, better abstraction, and above all, the ability to create a personal toolbox that aids in handling repetitive tasks more efficiently. In this ever-evolving tech era, staying updated and grasping new trends are vital. Mastering Custom Hooks provides developers a stint to be ahead of the curve. Moreover, they stand as the testament of advancement, simplification, and efficiency in programming. Recipe for the future? It seems like it’s ‘Hooked’ on someone! Testing with Hooks Harnessing the Power of Testing Components Using Hooks in React For React developers keen on elevating their programming skills to higher levels, diving into a thorough testing process using Hooks is indispensable. But it necessitates understanding more than just the basic use of useState, useEffect, and even custom Hooks — we’re looking into a meticulously planned out process to guarantee valid, reliable results. Implementing Testing Strategy with Hooks React Hook’s implementation in a testing strategy revolutionizes the testing process. This powerful feature offers a fresh perspective to lessen the burden of testing React components. Given the inherent complexity of testing, using Hooks often results in a streamlined and effective testing process. No process is complete without proper planning. A planned testing strategy involves breaking down the components into individual units. Once accomplished, developers can focus on testing each Hook on an individual component level, ensuring all functionalities perform as expected without unforeseen side effects. The use of comprehensive tools like Jest and React Testing Library can expedite the testing of components with Hooks. Jest, a JavaScript testing framework, is widely preferred because of its powerful mocking capabilities, whereas the React Testing Library is specifically designed to test React components. Testing of useState Hooks Testing useState Hooks can be tricky, especially when there are asynchronous state updates. React’s act() function ensures that all updates related to these events have been processed and applied to the DOM before making any assertions about the result. This effectively enables developers to test components with useState Hooks with high reliability. Testing of useEffect Hooks For testing components with useEffect Hooks, developers should keep in mind that it may run after every render, which could potentially damage test isolation. To mitigate these potential issues, asynchronous behavior is recommended when testing this Hook. Mocking is also an effective method to isolate and test certain behaviors of useEffect Hooks, ensuring that side effects do not interfere with the overall testing process. Testing of Custom Hooks Testing custom Hooks, on the one hand, may require a different approach. Due to the complexity they can introduce, they need to be tested meticulously. The React Testing Library again plays a significant role here, providing the custom renderHook function. It allows developers to isolate and test custom Hook functionality separately from the component. Benefits of Testing with Hooks Testing with Hooks not only improves code coverage, but it also streamlines the overall testing process by simplifying the handling of state and lifecycle methods within functional components. It aids developers in creating more maintainable and readable code, greatly improving their control over component behavior. Beyond testing, the idiomatic patterns embodied within Hooks elevate code quality to maximize performance and user experience while fostering code reusability. Ultimately, developers can enjoy enhanced testability of their applications with confidence about their application’s reliability and maintainability. Embrace the Future, Master Hooks In the rapidly changing world of technology, mastering Hooks have become crucial for every developer keen on riding the wave. Joining the Hooks bandwagon might have seemed just a trend at first, but given its widespread use and constant evolution, it’s now more of a necessity. In conclusion, using Hooks for testing provides compelling advantages that positively impact the development and testing processes, taking them to the next level. By mastering the art of testing with Hooks, developers can confidently create high-quality, reliable React applications. Photo by on thomastastet Unsplash The functionality and power offered by React Hooks truly mark a significant advancement in web development. They provide a much sought-after flexibility that React developers had been seeking in managing state and side-effects in functional components. Furthermore, the concept of Custom Hooks opens the door for improved code organization, promoting logic reuse, and ultimately enhancing code maintainability. To cap it all, although testing components using Hooks introduces some unique challenges, adept knowledge of these Hooks and effective strategies can empower developers to accurately test their applications. React Hooks, with their profound impacts, have undoubtedly made the functional programming in React more efficient and nuanced. Also published here.

How React Hooks Revolutionize Functional Components

Let's learn about via these 66 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Lean Startup /Learn Repo 1. Why We Don't Want to Sign-up for The Paid Version Price-tags are the first filter. Obviously features and benefits are important, but one thing hasn't changed and that is in the majority of time: value is still the determining factor. 2. Startup 101: From Idea to Business Model We all from time to time come across an idea for a Startup. A company that can be a million or billion or maybe trillion-dollar worth. A company that can be next Tesla or Amazon, but sadly, 99.99999% of us don’t take the next step. That idea remains just a fragment of our memory. 3. The Problemeter: A sheet that helps startups solve the right problem A quick and easy way to figure out if your startup is solving the problem that really matters. Just update a Google Sheet. 4. The 10 Things I’ve Learned Attending Y Combinator Startup School 2020 Y Combinator shouldn’t need any presentation, but just in case, let me give a quick intro. 5. What I Learned from My Betalist Product Launch In early April, my co-founders and I had a conversation about beginning the “beta launch” process for Phiona. We had recently finished up a pretty significant enhancement to the application that would add much more value to people who were looking to transform their data in specific ways. At this point, it was time to move from a more limited alpha testing phase to a more significant beta testing phase. 6. The Future of Product Management is No-Code Development Three months ago I decided to immerse myself in the rapidly growing world of no-code development. This is what I’ve learned. 7. 6 Practical Ways Products Get Their First 100 Users Many product teams and startup founders buy into the theory of the Lean Startup, and want to “do lean” but don’t know where to start.
In this blog series, I will provide a practical guide on how to apply these principles. 8. How to Create a Billion-Dollar Business on a Budget The lessons learned in business can make you happier, wealthier and give you more free time. 9. The Attention Economy is Worth Billions of Dollars The average consumer’s attention is now worth billions of dollars because that’s how much companies spend on their user acquisition efforts. 10. RE: "New Normal" — Today's Thriving Startups Will Be Camels, Not Unicorns Unicorn is the term given to startups that are able to achieve a billion-dollar valuation, although not as rare as they were a decade ago, these startups are still often time the center of Silicon Valley’s obsession with building, finding and funding the next big thing. The majority of Unicorn startups are known for growing tremendously fast and burning cash without any sign of profit or a single dime in revenue. 11. From Graduating College to Raising $1+ Million Dollars in 9 months I was studying Mechanical Engineering in my final year at college in the UK when I joined my roommate and his friend in building an app called Cluttr they started developing in the Summer of 2017. 12. How to Plan and Build a Profitable Mobile App There are currently almost 10.000.000 mobile apps available in the leading app stores. 13. The Startup Action Framework Explained How to Take Your Startup from Foundation to Flourish 14. A Gread Idea Validation Method Used By Stripe Leading tech companies like Stripe are using this simple research method to validate their ideas and build products customers really need. 15. What is the Difference Between MVP and POC? In this article, we will look at definitions for MVPs and POCs and the circumstances in which to use them. 16. A Quick Guide to Lean Software Development Principles I remember learning about lean manufacturing at Toyota in an early middle school business class, and was endlessly fascinated by the idea of minimizing waste and maximizing productivity through intentional design. Over time, lean methodology was adopted by several industries, outside of manufacturing, including software development. 17. The Complete Guide to Nailing Customer Feedback By far, the top reason startups fail is the lack of market need (42% of the cases). Many startups are founded based on unique technologies, or on problems that are interesting to solve, but don’t necessarily answer a real market need. Understanding what market you are serving, and the problem you are addressing is key. The basis for that is early, continuous feedback from the right people who fit the early adopter profile. 18. The Pillars of a Successful Startup The ability to launch and scale a project efficiently is a practice mastered with experience and, in most cases, a whole portfolio of failures. 19. The Female Founders of Unicorn Companies ClassPass and Spanx Share These 5 Traits, Do You? What are the top five traits of new-age female founders of unicorn companies? How are they different from conventional traits? 20. A Systematic Approach to Building Products (Template) If you’re working on something new, there are so many directions your work and product can take. 21. How To Explore Your Startup Idea With ZERO Money A couple years ago I was teaching a small course at Stanford about Entrepreneurship and I remember the number one question was how to raise money. 22. 5 Successful Startups With Outsourced Development Hiring talented software developers is a huge expense for business, even more so when the development has to be fast and for a startup. Many new companies in the US and Europe don't have the budget to pay for full-time developers, with this they must look outside of the local talent pool. 23. Retool for Startups: Early-stage startups can now build internal tools for free Retool for Startups is a program designed to help early-stage startups build critical internal tools. Eligible startups get 12 months of free Retool credits. 24. I Chose Serverless for My New Startup — Should You? I have seen cloud tech change a lot in my 10 years of experience. AWS and GCP were not the default choice a few years ago, and I have worked in companies that bought and installed physical servers. What a nightmare! And this is why trying out serverless was the natural next step for me. I think everyone should give it a shot, and I wanted to share my experience! 25. Start a Tech Startup for Free with Google Cloud Platform Learn how to piece together Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services ($300 credit on signup) and other services to start your tech startup with this no-fuss guide. 26. Top Angular Admin Templates People reviewing admin templates usually think about what kind of intro they should start the article with. But let’s be honest, no one is ever interested in these. People just scroll down and go straight to the point. So this time we thought we’ll skip the intro at all. We won’t explain why and how exactly using admin panels can save you money, you can read about it here. 27. How to Get Everyone on the Same Page Chaos. 28. The World of Customer Acquisition 3.0 The advent of new algorithms, faster processing, and massive, cloud-based data makes it possible to use AI to drive better performance marketing results. 29. 🚀 Ultimate Startup Launch Checklist: 2020 Edition 🚀 Over the past few years, I've had the great chance to help some awesome SaaS startups with their digital marketing. 30. The Art and Science of Crafting a Job Position in the Startup Stage When hiring, especially for start-ups, you can and should collaboratively design a position that honors your colleague's aspirations. 31. Redesigning scrimba.com: A Completely Agile Process [Case Study] Scrimba is an online platform to learn to code from real teachers. But unlike the many other competitors, their secret sauce is that they’ve developed a unique technology that lets teachers record their screencasts so students can stop at any point and jump directly into editing the code. In this way it’s similar to being taught with a tutor right next to you. Pretty neat! 32. A Credible Framework to Validate Startup Ideas Entrepreneurs are known to run into dozens of ideas on a daily basis, if not more. While most of them seem to border on absurdity in the beginning, it is often difficult to determine whether or not they would work out in the long run. That’s why the best way of ensuring your idea is worth developing is to learn at the fastest possible pace and have the willingness to try out different experiments. 33. What's The One Thing You Can’t Miss When Building an MVP? At Altar.io we’ve built dozens of products over the years, working with entrepreneurs from all over the world. 34. An Entrepreneur's Guide to Finding Growth Opportunities Through Customer-Discovery Research Customer-discovery research is the only way to identify which strategy will work for your product or service. 35. Retrospective is A/B Testing for Teams If you are new to Agility and Retrospective, I’ll offer in this post a novel introduction to it. We will explore how retrospectives and your team organization can take inspiration from A/B Testing. 36. Finding my Side Hustle [Part 2] Photo by Nosiuol on Unsplash 37. The Importance of a Lean Approach to Web & Mobile Development “Lean” is a buzzword that has been making the rounds in the startup world for a few years now. There have been numerous books written that talk about it. Some prominent ones are The Lean Startup, The Startup Owner’s Manual, The Lean Product Playbook. The spirit that this word conveys is very simple though. It essentially wants to minimize wasted efforts and resources. 38. Engaging with Customers in the Early Stages of a Startup In the early stages of startup development, teams run the risk of advancing too quickly as they obtain limited data about their early customers. 39. What's Your Entrepreneur Persona? Want to know which type of entrepreneur you are? Check out this list of 7 personas! 40. Top Industry Trends for AI Marketing Companies that embrace AI will be able to test, learn, and iterate much faster, raising the competitive bar for learning. 41. 3 Habits that Stifle Product Execution According to a Product Expert Mirav Vyas has advised a multitude of product and innovation teams across the UK, US and Africa over the last 8+ years. 42. I’ve Built An App to Get Paid Users Through dogfooding and growth loops How one developer built an app to improve Twitter's experience and also to  learn how to get more users for a different app through dogfooding and loops 43. Build vs. Buy: The AI Martech Conundrum Lomit Patel, Chief Growth Officer at Tynker, provides an overview of the pros and cons when building or buying an AI martech solution to capitlise on growth. 44. Understanding the Intricacies of Growth Marketing for Lean Startups For most companies, growth marketing is the way of the future for leveraging data and agility to scale revenue and increase customer lifetime value. 45. 12 Product Design Principles While Working in Small Startups If you are aware of the values of carrying out the Product Design Process, then you are halfway through the success! 46. 3 Ways To Reach the C-Suite You can find your way to success from an entry-level to an executive-leadership position. You just have to take the route that compliments your attributes best 47. Lean Business Model: What Entrepreneurs Need To Do in Times of Crisis “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”- Margaret Mead 48. 8 Questions Startup Founders Ask Too Late Recently I’ve been able to interview several startup founders, ranging from very early stage to actively scaling, bootstrapped to funded. Along with the lessons learned from my own hands-on work with startups, I’ve put together my highlights on key points that could make or break your startup venture. 49. Mistakes To Avoid As a Software Engineer Before the 2000s, software development was mostly done in a Waterfall approach. This meant that a software project would be shipped after going through a few long stages such as analysis, development and QA, just to name a few. This led to slow software development cycles and, consequently, improper decisions were made in the early stages of the lifecycle, leading to poor or unfit software. 50. Monetization Strategies to Help Your App Weather the Economic Downturn During an economic downturn, app monetization will be affected. Apps that can succeed during an economic recession differ from those that thrive in upswings. 51. Let’s Talk About Startup Structure Your startup organizational structure is the foundation of the empire you’re about to build. Here are the different options to consider before choosing one. 52. Pivot via Repositioning The restroom story 53. Ongoing Challenges With Artificial Intelligence in Growth Marketing AI and machine learning are starting to hit their stride, but there are still many challenges ahead for the top industry trends for AI marketing. 54. Right Entrepreneur, Right Problem: The First Steps in Startup Building “Focus on getting your MVP’s value proposition incredibly clear. If your grandma doesn’t understand it’s probably not clear.” 55. The Benefits of Marketing Automation Given the breadth of applications for artificial intelligence in growth marketing, it’s essential to consider the benefits of leveraging marketing automation. 56. 4 Strategic Design Practices to Future-Proof Your Startup in 2022 Apply these simple strategies to promote longevity and build success for your startup 57. How To Keep Startup Flame Burning The advantages of starting without funding, sharing equity equitably - with the whole team, and working to catch communities on fire.  Not literally, of course. 58. 9 Strategies To Speed Up Your Software Development Process No matter how big or little, every company is always looking for ways to speed up software development projects to stay ahead of the competition. 59. 3 Things Everyone Should Know About Product Development Technology has become a commodity. With enough resources we can build anything — from neural networks to a live-action “Cats” movie. The real question is, does anyone need it? 60. Measuring Product Maturity: Frameworks for Early Stage VCs, Founders In most new products today, the technological risk is minuscule in comparison with the risk of not achieving product-market fit. 61. Developing Finsterwald Amid a Pandemic: A Startup CEO in The Trenches Former Huawei manager Peter Stieglbauer talks about Decentralization, Gaming, and Funding for their new VR 3D game, FINSTERWALD 62. What Playing StarCraft Can Teach You About Growing Startups It's rare to read an article that keeps me thinking about the article days and weeks later; even rarer for it to inspire me to write an article of my own. What was the subject of this earth-shattering article, you ask? None other than the RTS (real-time strategy) computer game StarCraft II. 63. The Benefits of Idea Validation and How to Conduct It [Part 1] Idea validation is the process of gathering evidence around ideas through experimentation to make fast, informed and de-risked decisions. 64. The “Magic of Tidying for Photos” App — Introduction This post shares about the idea of applying Kon Marie organising method to your digital photos, and I developed an IOS app  with AppleML and PhotoKits to solve the problem. I share my reflection on lean product development strategy and my journey of making the app end-to-end using a minimum, iterable tech stack and strategy. 65. How to Launch and Sell a Fintech Startup in Less Than 4 Years —Interview, Ankit Singh From “challenger banks” to cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, fintech startups such as Stripe & Paypal continue to revolutionise the financial industry. 66. 24 Tactics for Startups To Unveil The Chicken-and-Egg Dilemma We gathered 24 marketplace tactics used by well known Startups. Let's check out how to solve the chicken and egg problem to launch own startup company. Thank you for checking out the 66 most read stories about Lean Startup on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

66 Stories To Learn About Lean Startup

The Cosmos (ATOM) SWOT Analysis—Q4, 2023 a SWOT analysis is an evaluation of the fundamental, operational, technical, social, economic, and even to some degree administrative elements of a project. This is not a model to be used for trading purposes. (NFA, DYOR) Note: Composed of four elements, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, a SWOT analysis framework provides excellent insight for establishing a high-level understanding of the state of a project's well-being through the lens of a birds-eye view. It can help formulate decisions around which areas require more attention, set performance goals, and organize a foundational understanding of where a project is headed. Rarely (if ever) used in crypto, it is time to apply this timeless method of evaluation to the digital asset space. Today, the interoperability OG and father of the IBC, will get a SWOT. Cosmos (ATOM), 💪 Strengths (Internal) (Helpful) 1. AEZ The Atomic Economic Zone is at the heart of Cosmos's upcoming techno-economic overhaul. The purpose of the Economic Zone is to tighten the alignment of the ecosystem with the ATOM token. A multitude of networks, including Kujira, Agoric, Osmosis, Stride, Neutron, et al., have already integrated and pledged their diligence. At its most basic, the AEZ's main focus is to have ATOM play a foundational role in the inter-chain activities and unifiy chains with universally applicable governance frameworks. 2. World Class Governance Communityx Either legendary community-building skills, deviously clever teams, or a combination of both, Cosmos has achieved incredible levels of engagement both through its social and governance platforms. The core community is always active and involved in the proceedings, helping steer the project and uphold its interesting commitment to decentralization. 3. Adoption by Chains Comos has seen an influx of projects into its ecosystem. Hosting over 46 networks so far, of which many are considered to be noteworthy (Osmosis, KUJI, Cronos, ThorChain, Injective, Secret, KAVA, Akash, etc.) and a pipeline of new leading projects, namely Celestia and dYdX, the positioning of Cosmos within the context of the greater industry could be tipping into the "Too-Big-Too-Fail" territory. 4. Contribution to Web3 Technology From its consensus mechanism (CometBFT) to the inter-chain communications protocol (IBC) to its appchain thesis and beyond, so many solutions have tapped into the tech pioneered by Cosmos and made available through their SDK. Value in the form of new technological primitives can be found laden throughout their excellent documentation. If a project could truly be valued on its merits, Cosmos would dwarf 99% of other base layers. 5. Shift of Security Model Cosmos has been undergoing tectonic transformations in its architecture. Previously acting as a relay point, the Cosmos Hub will now act as a point of unified security provision. Effectively, the shift signifies an emphasis on shared security (whereby multiple different networks leverage the same validator set). While there has been some valid rebuttal against using economic primitives (price) for security due to the implied relationship between price and security, the conversation has primarily been based in theory and cannot be proven until something happens. The new model just might be enough to help Cosmos stand out from the increasing pool of infrastructure providers in Web3. 6. Stake Rate over 67% Stake rate is a direct expression of an ecosystem's community's willingness to support a project. With over 2/3's of all ATOM staked, Cosmos happens to have one of the highest rates among other networks of the same caliber. Taking into consideration that ATOM was among the worst performers (purely from a price perspective) this last year, the fact that long-term stakeholders did not abandon their positions (in fact, actually grew them from 62% same time last year) shows deep commitment. The higher the stake rate, the more constrained the circulating supply and the sharper the reflexivity between demand and price. If this trend continues, it would be unlikely that ATOM does not reflect it. 😞 Weaknesses (Internal) (Harmful) While a SWOT analysis does not usually account for price action, it is impossible to ignore the fact that ATOM is one of the worst performers among tier-1 crypto projects. Regardless of the parabolic growth taking place across independent Cosmos chains and the market at large, it seems that market participants are simply not interested in ATOM. The expression of interest is similar to liquidity, a self-feeding mechanism where interest begets more interest. 1. Economic Underperformance 2. Tokenomics A contentious point that has long been discussed around Cosmos is the design of its core system; while the technology has been amazing and certainly seen adoption, the ATOM token's economics have been lackluster in their ability to capture value. With its relatively high double-digit perpetual inflation, absence as a requirement for Cosmos chain's fees, and inability to address these issues earlier, has resulted in a prolonged period of sub-optimal performance attributable to the inefficient initial implementation forces the project to ensure invisible costs in the form of early community members. The problem can be (and is currently being) fixed but it does not guarantee that the new model will not be flawed in its own right. 3. IBC's Lack of Asset Interoperability A lesser talked about nuance with the technical design of the Inter-blockchain-Communication protocol is the accounting system that takes place under the hood during the movement of assets between chains. Every transfer instantiates its own trail. ETH on Osmis is (osm)ETH) moving it from Osmosis to Kujira turns it into (osm-kuji)ETH). If moved to Cronos, the asset becomes (osm-kuji-cro)ETH). Therefore, it loses its composability because other ETH will have different trails depending on how it has been transferred. Imagine party A has 10 ETH in a liquidity pool on KAVA, and party B wants to provide liquidity in that same pool. Moving their 10 (osm-kuji-cro)ETH) to KAVA, party B's asset becomes (osm-kuji-cro-kava)ETH) which is different than Party A's (kava)ETH) in the pool; therefore, party B is unable to join the KAVA liquidity pools; unless there have been sophisticated customizations built in to accommodate that or they retrace their ETH's footprint. 4. IBC's Performance Waning The Interblockchain Communications Protocol was once heralded as one of the industry's most promising innovations in the interoperability space and contributed to the blossoming of Cosmos's hosting of over >45 independent chains. However, it seems that over the last year demands for IBC have been dwindling. Total transfers are down over -38%, Unique senders are down -48%, and Unique Receivers down -48%. If this trend continues, it could be a matter of time before we see the once-glorified technology disappear into an oblivion of obsolescence. 🧐 Opportunities (External) (Helpful) 1. ATOM 2.0 Initiatives have been put forth by the Foundation to transform ATOM tokenomics. A multitude of parameter adjustments to address centralization concerns, value accrual, and inflation. Already slowly being rolled out through governance proposal 848, the staking rate has been cut from ~14% to 10%, lowering the real yield from 19.3% to 13.4%. With lower inflation, there is a higher proclivity from users to hold on to their assets and find DEFI applications for it. Value accrual will be imposed through the alignment of independent environments with the use of ATOM tokens to facilitate cross-chain settlements. As it pertains to centralization, Cosmos currently scores 8 on the Nakamoto coefficient, meaning that it only takes 8 of the 177 validators to subvert the network. Under the new regime, there will be disincentives put in place for delegators that over-concentrate their allocation; a tax that increases alongside validator balances and, in turn, economically incentivizes end users to increase their delegations to smaller validators. 2. Widespread adoption of IBC This one is a bit of a wildcard, shot-in-the-dark, roll-of-the-dice potentiality, but one with gargantuan positive implications. In the event that the new ATOM token model delivers on its promise to adequately capture the value, and IBC delivers on its promise to provide seamless interoperability functionality, there is a good chance that Cosmos becomes further engrained into the industry through an acceleration of adoption. 3. Fork Proposal Jae Kwon, founder of Tendermint and co-creator of Cosmos, is known for his activism and radical attitude. He has recently come out and said that given the circumstance of Cosmos currently suffering from inadequate governance, it would be best to fork the network. By and large, forks a notoriously malicious event that can negatively impact the integrity of the original chain and result in communities being split. However, this appears to have an inverse potential for Cosmos as it would put an end to the continual disputes within the network and enrich the holders with new tokens. Be it purely speculative airdrop hunting or some genius economic resolution, talk of a possible fork has actually been accepted relatively well by the crypto markets. This can have very strong short-to-medium-term impacts on price as people try to front-run each other and qualify for the hard fork. 😳 Threats (External) (Harmful) 1. Terra Luna Debacle Built with the Cosmos SDK, Terra was an IBC-compatible network that handled tens of Billions of dollars in UST transactions. After a spectacular blowout that literally wiped hundreds of billions from the Crypto market's capitalization within days, the crippling whiplash crept across the entire industry, with Cosmos suffering a loss of over -75% 2 months post-mortem. Frankly, no direct value correlation between Cosmos and Terra Luna existed; however, based on the fact that their SDK was used, the image of Comsos has been tainted by possibly the most notable failures of any crypto protocol. 2. Declining Activity and Revenue In spite of an extremely positive market sentiment, Cosmos has seen declines across the board in terms of its utilization. The amount of daily active addresses has shrunk from >17,000 to ~16,000, the amount of daily transactions fell by nearly 33% from ~63,000 to ~40,000, and average revenue fell by nearly 50%, from a laughable $4,000 to an even more laughable $2,000. Luckily, the project does not seem to rely on the revenue it generates to sustain itself, otherwise it might have already been dead. 3. Rise of Advanced Alternative Competition Scalability and interoperability have been, are, and likely will continue to be the most aggressively researched sectors of the Web3 economy. With each new generation of blockchain-based technology, new superior solutions come to market with the capacity to outperform and displace predecessors. Rollups, Subnets, Parachains, Payment Channels, Nested side-chains; the growing amount of similar tech that enables similar capabilities currently available will likely continue to dominate mindshare and further squeeze OG's like Comsos out of public consciousness. Takeaway: Jokingly referred to as the "Dogecoin for Intellectuals", Cosmos is floating on the fringes between techno-economic paradise and irrelevance. The architectural pivot towards becoming providers of a validator set for other networks is not something entirely new; other projects, such as Eigen Layer, are ahead in this regard. However, if Cosmos's approach finds better market adoption, it holds a lot of promise for the ATOM token. There remains an elephant in the room; valid rebuttals about a logical gap in Cosmos's economic modeling. If the security provision by validators is based on their stake, then the security itself hinges upon speculative elements; if the price goes down, then so does security. Conclusion: It seems that despite the internal techno-political headwinds, Cosmos continues to be a domineering force on the layer 0/1 scene. Outside of what was mentioned earlier, is the fact that Cosmos has the support and material endorsement from many of the industry's Giga-brains (such as Chris Burniske from Placeholder Ventures) that make the case as to why Cosmos is a better option than its two leading competitors Polkadot and Avalanche. Cosmos is living proof that even with an incredibly talented team, good intentions, innovative technology, and a flourishing community, nothing is ever guaranteed in crypto. A cool piece of information about Cosmos that is hardly ever mentioned is the brilliance in the intentions behind the Cosmos Hub's design. The Hub itself is just an account-based model based on an environment that does not support smart contracts. This minimalism is distinctly reminiscent of Bitcoin, where the product is hyper-focused and purpose-built to mitigate the attack vector surface area and prevent fees from running out of control. Thank you so much for reading,
I hope this serves you well on your journey. Live long and prosper 🥂 Also published here.

STRIDE AHEAD

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STRIDE AHEAD

strideahead.in

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Since 2019

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