# Interchain Applications: The Future of Blockchain As the world of blockchain evolves, developers are turning their attention to a revolutionary concept known as Interchain applications. Jake from HackWasm, in his insightful talk on YouTube, underscored the growing relevance and potential of this new paradigm, which could potentially disrupt the current multi-chain world. ## The Emergence of Interchain Applications The past few years have witnessed the rise of various Layer 1 (L1) blockchains, each operating independently with their bridges, creating a multi-chain world. However, this siloed structure often leads to subpar interoperability, limiting the full potential of blockchain technology. The year 2023 marks a shift towards an interconnected blockchain universe, the ‘Interchain’, consisting of over 60 blockchains. One key technology propelling this shift is the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol. The IBC facilitates seamless interaction between different blockchains, enabling the creation of new types of applications — the ‘Interchain applications’ or ‘Interchain protocols’. ## Interchain Applications and their Advantages Interchain applications are protocols deployed across multiple chains, leveraging the IBC’s capabilities. These applications might involve building new protocols or harnessing existing ones. The crucial advantage they offer is the network effects due to their presence on multiple chains, leading to more user adoption and usage. Interchain apps such as Mesh Security, Croncat, and Abstract exemplify this concept by implementing cross-chain functionalities. For instance, Mesh Security uses CosmWasm for fast and efficient protocol writing and deployment. Croncat, on the other hand, provides an ‘If-This-Then-That’ functionality for Web3, achieving wider developer adoption by having a presence on multiple chains. ## The Role of CosmWasm and Interchain Application Development Jake emphasized that CosmWasm plays a pivotal role in building Interchain applications due to its superior developer experience and faster go-to-market capability. By making protocol writing and deployment ten times faster, CosmWasm has become a preferred choice for developers aiming to create Interchain applications. Moreover, CosmWasm modules will enable developers to deploy their own contracts with custom lower level features for their applications, instead of requiring changes through the Cosmos SDK which necessitate a software upgrade across the entire chain. This significantly gives more control to the developers for shaping their applications and reduces the chain upgrade overhead per their needs. ## Encouraging Development of Interchain Applications Despite the obvious benefits, the development of Interchain applications hasn’t been as rapid as expected. This lack of development is primarily because of the difficulty in conceptualizing these applications, given the current one-chain dominance mindset. To combat this, Jake encourages developers to consider the multi-chain or Interchain strategy for their products. By showcasing the likes of Mars Protocol and Mesh Security, he argues for the idea of deploying protocols on ‘outposts’ on other chains to reap the benefits of the network effect. ## The Future of Interchain Applications The future seems promising for Interchain applications. By enabling a more intertwined ecosystem, the Interchain fosters more collaboration and less competition among different chains. Tools like Polytone, for instance, make the transition smoother by providing a reliable way to send an IBC message and receive a callback on its success. The scope of Interchain applications is broad, and we are just scratching the surface. From creating a yield farming protocol like Yearn Finance for the interchain to developing covenants (Interchain agreements), the possibilities are endless. The key to unleashing the potential of interchain applications lies in collective efforts, innovative thinking, and moving beyond the siloed mindset. In conclusion, Interchain applications are the next big thing in the world of blockchain. As we transition from a multi-chain world to an interconnected one, these applications will serve as the building blocks of the future blockchain ecosystem. To all developers and blockchain enthusiasts, it’s time to dive into this new paradigm and contribute to the revolutionary shift it promises to bring.