Cardano moves to upgrade ecosystem with sidechain toolkit launch

Later this month, the Cardano team will release a software toolkit that will allow programmers to use a specially created sidechain to enhance the ecosystem.

Along with additional capabilities tailored to certain applications, the toolkit will allow sidechain developers to select their own consensus protocol.

IOG opens Cardano sidechain toolkit to developers

Input Output Global (IOG) announced the news along with the official sidechain toolkit technical documentation.

A sidechain is a separate blockchain that operates next to the main blockchain, also known as the mainnet. The mainnet usually prioritizes security and decentralization, therefore sidechains frequently try to increase scalability.

As a “proof-of-concept,” IOG developers have already used the toolkit to build an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible sidechain public testnet. Once the audit is completed, anyone will be able to deploy decentralized applications, create smart contracts, and move tokens between different testing chains.

More Cardano enhancements

In addition to sidechain enhancements, the protocol will soon include parallel accounting styles as part of its “Basho phase” to boost interoperability in the Cardano ecosystem, according to its roadmap.

IOG expects the development of the sidechain to pave the road for widespread acceptance of the Cardano ecosystem and anticipates the emergence of a family of Cardano sidechains and partner chains soon.