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Architecture ​

Farcaster has a hybrid architecture that stores identity onchain and data offchain.

Architecture

Onchain ​

Farcaster's onchain systems are implemented as contracts on OP Mainnet. Actions are performed onchain only when security and consistency are critical. Use of onchain actions is kept at a minimum to reduce costs and improve performance.

Only a handful of actions are performed onchain, including:

Offchain ​

Farcaster's offchain system is a peer-to-peer network of servers called Hubs which store user data. The majority of user actions are performed offchain. These include:

  • Posting a new public message.
  • Following another user.
  • Reacting to a post.
  • Updating your profile picture.

Actions are performed offchain when performance and cost are critical. Use of offchain actions is typically preferred when consistency isn't a strict requirement. Offchain systems achieve security by relying on signatures from onchain systems.