What is a DApp?
A DApp is a decentralized application that runs on a peer-to-peer network of computers rather than a single computer. The underlying protocol of a DApp can be based on any blockchain, but the most popular one is Ethereum.
What is Ethereum?
Ethereum is a decentralized platform that runs smart contracts: applications that run exactly as programmed without any possibility of fraud or third party interference.
What are the characteristics of a DApp?
A DApp has the following characteristics:
1. Open source: the code of a DApp is open source and anyone can contribute to its development.
2. Decentralized: a DApp is not controlled by any single entity.
Instead, it is run by a network of nodes, each of which has a copy of the DApp’s code and data.
3. Token-based: a DApp has its own cryptocurrency or “token” that is used to power its operations and incentivize its users.
For example, the Ethereum blockchain itself is powered by ether, the native cryptocurrency of Ethereum. Similarly, many DApps have their own tokens that are used to pay for transactions within the DApp or to reward users for their contributions to the DApp’s development.
4. Incentivized: users are incentivized to contribute to the development and maintenance of a DApp through rewards (in the form of tokens) or through other means such as reputation points.
5. Trustless: because a DApp is decentralized and runs on a blockchain, it is trustless, meaning that users don’t need to trust any central authority in order to use it.
This also makes it much more resistant to censorship than traditional centralized applications.