What is Avalanche?
Avalanche is a blockchain platform launched in 2020 by Ava Labs. It was designed to solve the "blockchain trilemma" — achieving decentralisation, security, and scalability simultaneously. Avalanche can process over 4,500 transactions per second with near-instant finality (under 2 seconds).
The three-chain architecture
- X-Chain: For creating and trading digital assets.
- C-Chain: Ethereum-compatible chain where smart contracts and DeFi apps run. This is where most users interact with Avalanche.
- P-Chain: Coordinates validators and manages the creation of custom blockchains (called "Subnets").
💡 Avalanche's Subnet system lets businesses create their own custom blockchains that connect to the Avalanche network. This has attracted institutional interest from financial firms.
Avalanche vs Ethereum
Because the C-Chain is Ethereum-compatible, most Ethereum tools and wallets work on Avalanche. Developers can port Ethereum apps to Avalanche with minimal changes. The main advantages are faster finality and lower fees.
The main DEX on Avalanche — Trader Joe
Trader Joe is the leading DEX on Avalanche. It offers token swapping, liquidity provision, and yield farming. MetaMask works with Trader Joe — you just need to add the Avalanche network to your MetaMask settings.