[Feature Request] Implement Subgraph To Track Payment Channels

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Feature Request: Implement Subgraph to Track Payment Channels

In the ever-evolving landscape of blockchain technology, the need for efficient and scalable solutions has become increasingly crucial. One such solution is the implementation of a subgraph to track payment channels, which would enable seamless querying and fetching of active payment channels for users. In this article, we will delve into the proposed solution, its benefits, and the potential impact on the user experience.

Currently, the SDK does not provide a straightforward way to fetch all active payment channels for a user, whether they are a payer or a merchant. This limitation can be attributed to the complexity of on-chain data and the associated gas costs. Instead of modifying the smart contract, we propose utilizing The Graph to index payment channels and query them efficiently.

To address the issue of fetching active payment channels, we suggest deploying a subgraph that indexes relevant events and stores channels between payers and merchants. The proposed solution involves the following steps:

1. Deploy a Subgraph

  • Index Events: Index the ChannelCreated, ChannelRedeemed, and ChannelClosed events to track changes in payment channels.
  • Store Channels: Store channels between payers and merchants to facilitate efficient querying.

2. Update the SDK

  • Query Open Channels: Add a function to query the subgraph for a list of open channels by payer.
  • Query Open Channels with Merchant: Add a function to query the subgraph for a list of open channels with merchant.

3. Expose API for Frontend

  • Fetch Open Channels: Allow frontends to easily fetch all open channels for a user without scanning on-chain data.

The implementation of a subgraph to track payment channels offers several benefits, including:

1. Cheaper & Faster

  • No Additional Gas Costs: No additional gas costs for storage, reducing the financial burden on users.
  • Nearly Instant Queries: Queries are nearly instant, providing a seamless user experience.

2. Better User Experience

  • Fetch All Active Channels: Fetch all active channels in a single GraphQL query, eliminating the need for multiple on-chain scans.

3. Scalable

  • Easily Extendable: Easily extendable to add more analytics, filtering, or historical data, making it a scalable solution.

In conclusion, implementing a subgraph to track payment channels offers a cost-effective, efficient, and scalable solution for fetching active payment channels. By leveraging The Graph, we can provide a seamless user experience while reducing the financial burden on users. The proposed solution is easily extendable, making it a scalable solution for future growth. We believe that this feature request will significantly improve the user experience and provide a competitive edge in the blockchain landscape.

  • Implement Subgraph: Deploy the subgraph and index relevant events.
  • Update SDK: Update the SDK to query the subgraph for open channels.
  • Expose API: Expose the API for frontends to fetch open channels.

By implementing a subgraph to track payment channels, we can provide a more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective solution for fetching active payment channels. We believe that this feature request will have a significant impact on the user experience and provide a competitive edge in the blockchain landscape.
Q&A: Implementing a Subgraph to Track Payment Channels

In our previous article, we discussed the feature request to implement a subgraph to track payment channels. This solution aims to provide a cost-effective, efficient, and scalable way to fetch active payment channels for users. In this article, we will address some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to this feature request.

A subgraph is a decentralized application (dApp) that indexes data from a blockchain and makes it queryable using GraphQL. It acts as a bridge between the blockchain and the application, allowing for efficient and scalable data retrieval.

Currently, the SDK does not provide a straightforward way to fetch all active payment channels for a user. A subgraph can index relevant events and store channels between payers and merchants, making it easier to query and fetch active payment channels.

The subgraph indexes the ChannelCreated, ChannelRedeemed, and ChannelClosed events to track changes in payment channels. This allows for efficient querying and fetching of active payment channels.

The benefits of using a subgraph include:

  • Cheaper & Faster: No additional gas costs for storage, and queries are nearly instant.
  • Better User Experience: Fetch all active channels in a single GraphQL query.
  • Scalable: Easily extendable to add more analytics, filtering, or historical data.

The SDK will be updated to include functions that query the subgraph for open channels by payer and merchant. This will allow for seamless querying and fetching of active payment channels.

The frontend will expose an API that allows users to fetch all open channels for a user without scanning on-chain data. This will provide a seamless user experience and reduce the financial burden on users.

The future work plans include:

  • Implement Subgraph: Deploy the subgraph and index relevant events.
  • Update SDK: Update the SDK to query the subgraph for open channels.
  • Expose API: Expose the API for frontends to fetch open channels.

The subgraph will be maintained and updated by the development team to ensure that it remains efficient, scalable, and cost-effective.

In conclusion, implementing a subgraph to track payment channels offers a cost-effective, efficient, and scalable solution for fetching active payment channels. By addressing the FAQs related to this feature request, we hope to provide a clearer understanding of the benefits and implementation details of this solution. We believe that this feature request will have a significant impact on the user experience and provide a competitive edge in the blockchain landscape.

  • The Graph Documentation: For more information on The Graph and its features.
  • SDK Documentation: For more information on the SDK and its updates.
  • Frontend Documentation: For more information on the frontend and its API exposure.