Overview
Before diving into code or running nodes, let's understand the four technologies that make 0G unique. This 10-minute read will give you the foundation to build effectively on 0G.
💡 Why read this? Understanding these concepts will help you:
- Choose the right components for your project
- Optimize performance and costs
- Troubleshoot issues effectively
Quick Reference
| Component | What It Does | Who Needs It | Time to Learn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain | Fast blockchain for AI | dApp builders | 8 min |
| Compute | Run AI models | AI developers | 7 min |
| Storage | Store files/data cheaply | Everyone | 5 min |
| DA | Scale data availability | Rollup devs | 6 min |
🎯 Important: You Don't Need to Use Everything
Most projects only use 1-2 components of 0G. That's perfectly fine! Our architecture is designed for à la carte usage.🧑🍳
Common Integration Patterns:
- Just Storage: Many Ethereum dApps use only 0G Storage for large files
- Compute + Your Chain: Run AI on 0G Compute while staying on your existing chain (Ethereum, Polygon, etc.)
- Full Stack: Some projects use all four for maximum performance
🤔 Still confused about modularity?
Think of it like cloud services:
- You can use AWS S3 (storage) without EC2 (compute)
- You can use Google's AI APIs without Google Cloud Storage
- 0G works the same way - use what you need, ignore what you don't!
Example: A DeFi protocol on Ethereum can use only 0G Storage to store historical trading data, without touching 0G Chain or Compute.
The Four Pillars of 0G
⛓️ Chain
The Problem It Solves: Current blockchains can't handle AI-scale data volumes
0G's Solution: Modular blockchain built specifically for AI throughput
Read Time: 8 minutes
🤖 Compute
The Problem It Solves: Running AI on blockchain is impossibly slow and expensive
0G's Solution: Distributed GPU network for AI inference and training
Read Time: 7 minutes
💾 Storage
The Problem It Solves: Storing AI models on-chain costs millions in gas fees
0G's Solution: 100x cheaper decentralized storage that works with any chain
Read Time: 5 minutes
📊 Data Availability (DA)
The Problem It Solves: Data bottlenecks kill rollup and blockchain performance
0G's Solution: Infinitely scalable data layer for any chain
Read Time: 6 minutes
Key Design Principles
All 0G components are built with these principles in mind:
- Scalability First: Every component is designed to scale horizontally without limits
- AI-Optimized: Purpose-built for AI workloads, not retrofitted from general-purpose systems
- Modular Architecture: Each component can be used independently or as part of the full stack
- Developer-Friendly: Simple APIs and comprehensive tooling make integration straightforward
- Decentralized by Design: No single points of failure or control
How Components Work Together
While each component functions independently, they achieve maximum efficiency when combined:
- Chain + Storage: Smart contracts can directly access and manage stored AI models and datasets
- Storage + Compute: Models stored in 0G Storage can be seamlessly loaded for inference or training
- Compute + DA: Training results and inference outputs can be efficiently propagated across the network
Your Learning Path
Choose your path based on your goals:
📚 Full Understanding
Read all four concepts in the order presented above to understand the basics
🚀 Just Want to Build?
Skip to the Developer Hub and reference concepts as needed