Apillon 2023: A Year in Review
From idea and humble wireframes to a powerful development platform, strong community, and boosted Web3 adoption. This is Apillon’s journey…
From idea and humble wireframes to a powerful development platform, strong community, and boosted Web3 adoption. This is Apillon’s journey in the past twelve months.
Time flies when you’re building the future of the internet, and again, that time of the year has come. As we cross off the final days on the calendar, let’s review the highlights of the Apillon journey and the direction ahead of us.
· Apillon platform
∘ Adoption
∘ From Closed Beta to v1.0
∘ Web3 services
∘ Apillon APIs
∘ SDK, CLI
∘ UI
∘ Apillon governance
∘ Apillon website
∘ Partner initiatives
· Ecosystem Contribution
· Community
∘ Ambassador Program
∘ Referral Program
∘ Success Stories
· Marketing & Events
· Horizons to conquer
· 2024, here we come
Apillon platform
Since its beginnings about a decade ago, the decentralized/distributed way of exchanging information and assets has been seen as a niche segment of computer technology. Albeit powerful, too often, it had been approached cautiously as too complex for the average programmer and hard to understand, even dubious for everyday users.
At Apillon, we decided to change the paradigm of building projects and apps on Web3 into an enjoyable and intuitive experience that produces quality results quickly, saving programmers and end users much headache and resources.
What started as a humble wireframe in Figma morphed into a sophisticated platform for Web3 builders that keeps on evolving and expanding in services, features, and possibilities offered.
The Apillon dashboard before and after: Figma wireframe in January vs live version 1.0.2 in December 2023
Adoption
The need for a more streamlined way of building Web3 products was evident in the developer community, and since its launch, the Apillon platform has brought in dozens of new users every week. One-off events such as releases of Closed Beta or the subscription version led to notable peaks, with a typically weekly user count flocking in within a day.
Today, the Apillon platform hosts more than 1,200 builders of Web3 projects and keeps growing with every new feature.
Every day, those same users also performed multiple log-ins and interacted with the platform-provided services more than once.
Perhaps the most clear picture, however, is painted by the number of successful server requests. Gradually but steadily increasing since the beginning, the activity spanned from hundreds of requests for a single Web3 service to over a thousand, even two thousand server requests per day in the latter part of the year, with multiple services to choose from.
With 116,492 total server requests throughout the year, the Apillon platform brought in on average over 320 daily development activities.
From Closed Beta to v1.0
At the beginning of the year, the platform saw the light of day in a free, Closed Beta version, allowing everyone to get a practical walk-through and experience the streamlined way of using Web3 technologies.
In months that followed, hundreds of developers logged in and utilized a range of Web3 services for their projects to much success.
But recently, it was time for an upgrade.
With newly introduced full-stack subscription plans powered by Stripe, old and new Web3 builders can now manage resources better and tap into greater development opportunities based on their project’s needs.
Apillon’s subscription plans are designed to defy the high volatility of the economic side of Web3 with stable monthly pricing based on a scheme that balances the underlying tokens of utilized parachains.
Plus, by introducing credits to the equation, Apillon lets builders utilize rarely-needed services without having to upgrade their plans.
Check out the complete pricing system in Apillon 1.0.2. 👉 here.
Web3 services
Web3 services are plug-and-play solutions that allow anyone — even non-developers — to take advantage of decentralized technologies of the supported parachains.
With a few clicks, they can select a Web3 service fit for the purpose, upload relevant files, and deploy them to the blockchain network of choice.
The current 1.0.2 version of the Apillon platform supports the following services:
- Web3 Storage
- Web3 Hosting
- NFTs
- Web3 Authentication
Web3 Storage
The first service offered to the Apillon users was Web3 Storage. It allows users to store files of any kind — be it photos of their pets or files that run their business website — on a decentralized IPFS network via Crust Network.
The Crust parachain pins the uploaded files on the IPFS network and replicates them on dozens of servers across the globe. This way, they remain permanently accessible with a link and don’t stay hostage to centralized servers or clouds.
Web3 Hosting
The service that immediately followed Web3 Storage and stemmed from it was decentralized/Web3 Hosting.
Based on the same technology — decentralized pinning of files on IPFS via the Crust Network — the Hosting service allows users to host their website in a fully decentralized fashion and grants it the unstoppable status.
To complement the decentralized nature of files pinned to IPFS, Apillon also gives users access to the IPNS technology, letting them alter and update files as needed without having to upload them from scratch every time a change should be made.
NFTs
Then, around the middle of the year, something even more exciting landed on the Apillon platform. The Web3 services menu started serving non-fungibility in a few-click manner and never looked back.
The Apillon NFT service lets anyone create and launch their very own NFT collection in minutes. Once the files are uploaded and settings fixed, the NFT collection can be deployed to the network of choice and used for all kinds of purposes — to offer giveaways with delayed minting, launch exclusive deals with souldbound tokens, or simply immortalize unique artwork.
Currently supported by the Moonbeam and Astar networks, the EVM compatibility of NFTs unlocks even greater liberty in terms of network choice.
Giving builders more freedom in owning and managing digital assets, the NFT collection launched with Apillon is end-to-end decentralized, including the website that brings the unique assets to life. With Apillon, users can go wild with designing their NFT-bearing website using JavaScript, React, or Vue.js templates and align it fully with their project or brand.
Web3 Authentication
Finally, the last service to have landed on the Apillon platform is Web3 Authentication powered by KILT Protocol.
The service lets you add a decentralized authentication approach to your projects or website using a decentralized identifier (DID) stored on the KILT parachain.
KILT-powered decentralized identity includes a credential that comprises a user’s email address, which can be attested by Apillon or SocialKYC. Users can create their own decentralized identity, verify their email address through Apillon’s OAuth protocol, and then use the decentralized account and credential to verify their identity on third-party platforms, including those built through Apillon.
Apillon APIs
To complement the array of opportunities for developers, the Apillon team has also added API connectivity to the supported Web3 services.
Those who want more customization and make the code play by their rules can obtain API keys and secrets from the Apillon dashboard and integrate the chosen Web3 services with select permissions to their project or dapp.
SDK, CLI
One of the recent additions to the platform is also one of the most important ones.
By adding platform-specific SKD and CLI, Apillon has simplified the experience of integrating decentralized technologies into any project.
With readily accessible libraries and tools, users can integrate automation, utilize scripting, and deploy websites automatically without having to go heavy on using Apillon’s REST API. With multiple-step flows condensed into single operations, they can get to the finish line faster while saving on resources.
UI
Apart from taking care of the nuts and bolts that sustain the Apillon platform, certain improvements were also made to the way users interact with it at the front end.
Polkadot Wallet log-in
Aligned with the complete centralization goal, Apillon has complemented the email-and-password user log-in combo with a log-in method utilizing Polkadot wallets.
Builders can connect their Apillon user profile to either Polkadot{.js} wallet, SubWallet, or Talisman and accelerate their log-in process. The option to register an Apillon account using this method, however, will become available in one of the future versions of the platform.
Discord connectivity
Nurturing our developer and user community is one of the main reasons we do what we do. And the Apillon Discord channel has become home to hundreds of Web3 builders exchanging tips and supporting newly released projects.
Users can link their Apillon accounts to our Discord server and participate in daily discussions. Besides, once Apillon’s community-based governance rolls out, Discord connectivity will play an important role in granting users their seat at the decision-making table.
KILT log-in
The latest addition to how users can interact with the Apillon platform comes in the form of a truly decentralized identity powered by the KILT Protocol.
The self-sovereign log-in method allows users to ditch identification using email and password. Instead, they can hold control over their digital identity and unlock the Apillon platform using KILT-based credentials and a Sporran wallet.
Apillon governance
Our long-term goal is for Apillon to grow into a developer-first platform. And just adding new features does not cut it.
Earlier this year, we spent weeks brainstorming how to deliver the Apillon users, developers, and other Web3 enthusiasts a means to participate in the platform’s evolution so that it serves them best.
We devised a detailed plan to grant weighted voting to active platform users and implement it with a three-phase approach. 👇
Apillon website
While the Apillon platform is where the actual coding magic happens, it can’t go without the channel that introduces its benefits to newcomers — the apillon.io website.
Recently, it underwent some neat redesign and restructuring and now delivers plenty of user-oriented guidance, from detailed information on Web3 Services and Recipes to developer-focused documentation, templates and libraries, as well as other resources needed for a swift and easy start into Web3.
What’s more, we also took care of its back end. Practicing what we preach, we migrated the website from AWS and hosted it on a decentralized IPFS network via Crust, making it unstoppable and cutting its reliance on centralized servers.
Partner initiatives
Reaching outside the Apillon platform’s walls, we frequently exchanged views and best practices with our ecosystem peers.
In several instances, the ideas turned into tangible reality as we packed the complex code into short but sweet solutions, unlocking new possibilities on the Web3 frontier.
Web3Approved
In the Web3Approved initiative, Apillon has partnered with Crust Network to grant free IPFS hosting service to 100 projects and websites — not for a year but for a century.
This way, we brought Web3 services available in the Apillon platform directly to the end users and keep boosting the adoption of decentralized opportunities one website at a time.
Schrödinger’s NFT
Another use case of morphing the Apillon-provided Web3 technologies into purposeful solutions is Schrödinger’s NFT, a method of encrypting and decrypting private files using an NFT key.
After partnering with Phala Network and incorporating Phat contract logic, Apillon repurposed the NFT smart contract into unique keys that give users access to locked contents.
w3ndi
And, on another front, the Apillon team partnered with Nova Wallet, took the features of web3name by KILT Protocol, and gave them another life in w3ndi.
w3ndi is a digital address index based on KILT’s w3n that makes the user experience on Nova Wallet more enjoyable and efficient. It allows users to browse their address book by typing in the recipient’s web3name instead of a mile-long sequence of meaningless numbers and characters.
Ecosystem Contribution
The endeavors of the Apillon development team didn’t go unnoticed. Apart from receiving ecosystem backing for the Proposal we submitted to Polkassembly, the back-end progress of the platform satisfied even the strictest code reviewers of the Polkadot ecosystem, the Substrate Builders Program team.
Substrate Builders Program
Earlier this year, Parity Technologies’ initiative to support new projects with guidance and high standards welcomed the Apillon platform to its program. The services and features we completed up to that point led to the successful reach of Milestone 1 and ranged from Crust-powered Web3 Storage and Polkadot wallet login to Moonbeam-based NFT smart contracts.
Just three months later, we submitted another stack of updates to the SBP team for review. These included the integration of the Phala Network’s Phat contract to power Schrödinger’s NFT key solution, Phase 1 of DID Vault based on KILT Protocol’s technology, penetration tests, the start of SDK development, integration of Astar into the NFT service, and more. The hard work led us to accomplish Milestone 2 of the Substrate Builders Program and move toward the final stage.
Finally, just a month ago, we reached the finish line by completing Milestone 3 in SBP, armed with Parity’s invaluable resources, expertise and support. In the last phase, Apillon incorporated Astar’s EVM compatibility, created a one-click-deploy solution for launching NFT collections, released Vue and React templates for NFT-showcasing websites, and introduced the first samples of platform-specific SDKs in Beta version. Also, it crossed some extra-curricular tasks off the lists, proving it tries to overdeliver whenever possible.
“Apillon’s vision has won the support of the Polkadot community. The platform is now leading in simplifying Web3 development in a user-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective manner, aiming to drive Polkadot adoption.”
— SBP review team
Polkadot Treasury Proposal
Encouraged by the SBP feedback and guidance and aligned with Apillon’s vision to create a user-first development platform, the team set off to create a chance for the Polkadot community to get involved in the platform’s evolution.
Acknowledging the feedback we received from the community, ecosystem leaders, and decision-makers months prior, we sat down, compiled, and, in late September, submitted the Treasury Proposal #161 to Polkassembly with a clear set of milestone tasks to deliver and goals to achieve in order to meet (and exceed) the backers’ expectations.
With 92% in favor, the Proposal passed and gave Apillon an extra boost in working towards a community-oriented solution that would strengthen the adoption and impact the whole Web3 ecosystem.
Community
As said many times before, the Apillon platform serves no purpose without the people using it, creating Web3 magic, and spreading the word.
Ambassador Program
The Apillon Ambassador Program has been live pretty much since the platform’s inception and has attracted numerous online creators since. Thanks to their support, Apillon keeps growing and reaching far-flung corners of the internet.
Referral Program
A similar goal has led us to launch the Apillon Referral Program, which rewards Apillon dashboard users for referring it to their peers and others looking for an easier way through the Web3 labyrinth.
Success Stories
Of course, the Apillon rewards are not limited to branded merch and earned points.
The benefits of decentralized services that allow Apillon users to reach new heights or speeds in Web3 are a goal worth coding for in itself.
Among over 1,200 Web3 builders of Apillon, there are some that stand out. In our Success Story series, we highlight some of the trailblazers who seamlessly incorporated decentralized technologies into their projects and upped their Web3 game overnight.
The Great Escape
The creators of this Web3 game based on the Moonbeam Network switched to decentralized hosting on IPFS via Crust, provided by Apillon. The minor change went a long way and instantly improved the game’s performance.
The Genesis Meerkats
The NFT collection deployed on Moonbeam through the Apillon platform didn’t stop just there. The project’s home website is also hosted on IPFS via Crust, making it fully in control of its creator, and the files that make up the non-fungible artworks, metadata included, are stored in decentralized storage buckets through Apillon.
Team STEP
The young but prominent Web3 game-building team switched to Apillon-provided services to accelerate their output. The Web2 way of coding was especially convenient for team members who have yet to become familiar with decentralized technologies.
Moonbeans NFT marketplace
Apart from serving plug-and-play solutions, Apillon is also happy to build custom solutions for our partners. The latest example is a tailor-made gateway to decentralized storage servers on IPFS for the Moonbeam-based NFT marketplace. A dedicated server cluster helped Moonbeans leverage higher efficiency at a lower cost, ultimately improving its price performance.
Marketing & Events
When everything is coded and done, it’s time to spread the word about it, too.
Since our audience is quite specific, both in terms of the typical meeting points, the knowledge they have, and the solutions they seek, we went all in with presenting the Apillon platform and vision at niche-specific events around the globe.
The year-round tour kicked off at Polkadot Meetup Ljubljana, where CEO Matjaž Sobočan and CPO Nino Kutnjak revealed the first glimpse into the then-fresh Apillon platform and its initial batch of Web3 services. It also hosted HydraDX’s Head of Propaganda Valery Gantchev, and experienced software engineer Stanko Krstič.
Soon after, we joined forces with the Astar team to organize the inaugural edition of Polkadot Meetups in Zagreb, Croatia. The large audience demonstrated a strong interest in decentralized technologies, and we’re proud to have been one of the agents of the Web3 movement in the region.
Apillon’s CPO Nino Kutnjak dived into Web3 services and their API accessibility through the platform. The presentation schedule was completed by Astar CEO Hoon Kim, Urban Osvald, Developers Relations Partnerships Lead at Parity Technologies, and Bruno Škvorc, Founder of RMRK.
Next up, we crossed the pond and landed at ETHDenver, home to the largest #BUILD festival, where we joined other exciting projects to represent the Polkadot corner of Web3.
After only a handful of interactions, the visitors recognized Apillon’s potential to improve the user experience — the weak link in the decentralized space — with its sleek, performance-oriented, one-stop-shop development platform.
Back in the European leg of the tour, we touched ground in the capital of France for Paris Blockchain Week, one of the main Web3 events in Europe.
Besides CEO Matjaž Sobočan joining the panel on UX-centered design at dotSocial, the Apillon team took care of the social aspect of the conference with a Web3 Taco party, a perfect spot to brew new ideas.
Back home in Ljubljana, Slovenia, we hosted the fourth edition of the Polkadot Meetup franchise. This time, instead of focusing on the code that makes the Web3 world go round, we gave the stage to the experts who know the legal side of decentralized space like the back of their hands.
Some of the country’s most prominent legal minds sat with host Domen Uršič, Apillon CMO, to talk about different approaches to regulating the Web3 space.
Drawn by the beauty of Adriatic and the potential of the Web3 space in the region, stopping by BlockSplit 2023 in Split, Croatia, was a must.
CEO Matjaž Sobočan took the stage with a keynote on how Apillon helps lower the threshold for newcomers in the Web3 space, while CPO Nino Kutnjak showcased the platform’s demo at the Polkadot In Use workshop.
Soon after, it was time for the Polkadot event of the year — Polkadot Decoded 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The whole Apillon team joined the brightest minds in the magenta-pink corner of Web3 and spread the word about a new paradigm of programming using decentralized tech.
CEO Matjaž introduced it live on stage, while the Apillon booth showed the visitors first-hand how the platform operates and the opportunities it delivers. Plus, as a cherry on top, we revealed the aforementioned Schrödinger’s NFT key, a new way of encrypting and decrypting private files using an NFT smart contract.
Moving South, sub0 2023, the Polkadot Developer Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, was the perfect spot for Apillon CTO Tadej Vengust to deliver the latest updates, Schrödinger’s NFT included, to a live audience.
His talk was topped off by Apillon’s Showcase Station, which demonstrated hands-on how to navigate the platform, utilize Web3 services, and deploy projects using decentralized technologies in minutes.
Once the team was settled nicely in the new headquarters in Ljubljana, it was time for the autumn edition of the Polkadot Meetup Ljubljana, which focused on all things NFTs.
With the venue packed to the last seat, the event was led by CEO Matjaž Sobočan and joined by Klemen Peternel of Kalmia, Apillon CTO Tadej Vengust, and an established NFT artist Miha Artnak, discussing every aspect of NFTs from their technological backbone to tangible use cases, both technical and artistic.
And lastly, a first experience of this kind for Apillon but certainly not last, we touched ground in Bangalore, India, at Polkadot Pulse 1.0, a side event to India Blockchain Week 2023.
CEO Matjaž had the privilege to present the platform to the Indian audience and was taken aback by the outstanding interest in the product and the work we do to accelerate the adoption of Web3 tech.
Horizons to conquer
It’s always a pleasure to serve Web3 builders on the ground and build new connections at events, conferences, and video calls. But the hard work goes on behind the scenes.
As per the Apillon Proposal in Polkassembly Referendum #161, we will devote much energy to deliver the tasks of Milestone 1:
- Schrödinger’s NFT service
- User accounting
- Subscription module
- Fiat payment
- DOT payment
- PAPI refactor
- NFT one-click deploy improvements / UX upgrades
- SDK for all Web3 services
- CLI for all Web3 services
- Code samples
- WASM support on Astar
- RMRK NFTs no-code wizard
- Wunderbar integration
- Dashboard UX split into services, multiple chains and premade solutions
- 5 premade NFT-based template solutions
- IPFS cluster and load balancer
- IPFS Web3Approved domains
- IPFS CDN
- IPFS custom gateways
- IPFS bandwidth monitoring
- Sign in with wallet SDK
- Flutter SDK
- Cloud functions
And perhaps, some more extra-curricular tasks following user or partner demand.
2024, here we come
The past year’s achievements have made us proud, no doubt, but also committed to delivering even more.
We’re beyond grateful to have our incredible community of developers, partners, and backers joining us on the journey of building a more user-friendly, adoptable, immersive and powerful future of Web3. Without you, the Apillon story would have been evolving quite differently.
In the year that is around the corner, we wish everyone much joy in whatever they devote their time to.
Stay curious. Stay creative. Stay inspired. 🎄
And off to new heights! 🚀
⧓ About Apillon
The Apillon platform serves as a unified gateway to the Web3 services provided by linked Polkadot parachains. Following the multi-chain vision, Apillon powers the transition of developers to Web3, simplifying its adoption in the real economy, and expanding its versatility as the ecosystem grows. With Apillon, Web3 services are within reach for every developer, regardless of their background and experience with blockchain technology.