What is ZeppelinOS (Smart contract framework)?

Based on microservices built on top of Ethereum Client, ZeppelinOS is an open-source framework to simplify the creation, deployment, and upgrading of smart contracts. Based on platforms such as Ethereum, it is simply upgrading contracts in a contract upgrading way, with easy tools to manage contract upgrading without redeploying the whole system. In addition to that, ZeppelinOS has secure pre-audited libraries to build contracts and raise the level of security and reliability of decentralized applications (dApp).

Key Concepts of ZeppelinOS (Smart Contract Framework)

The most important one under this is for upgradeable smart contracts, this is why Zeppelin OS is named that. A deployed smart contract cannot be modified anymore. Developers must deliver some new version at any moment, if there’s a bug or a need for a patch, that’s disruptive to users. This is where ZeppelinOS comes in by taking advantage of a proxy pattern; a contract can be upgraded without changing its address or interface. The proxy contract talks to the user, leaving the logic upgradeable behind the scenes.

Besides that, ZeppelinOS also brings a secure, standardized contract UI. Its libraries are pre-audited, reusable smart contract modules that developers can adopt instead of common vulnerabilities. When developers use these standardized modules, they get help in reducing a coding error and security flaws.

ZeppelinOS provides the command line interface (CLI) for easier management of contracts. This tool makes it easy for developers to deploy contracts, upgrade them, and have easy, smooth, and effective interactions with the blockchain. Compared to of Ethereum, Zeppelin provides various functional services; it can be integrated into a bridge on top of existing blockchain platforms such as Ethereum, which is interoperable with the community’s provisioning and documentation of tools and follows the ecosystem and standards.

Advantages of ZeppelinOS (Smart Contract Framework)

One of the greatest pros for ZeppelinOS is that it allows contractual upgrades without redeploying the contract. This feature helps the dApp not break any user experience while it grows, fixes bugs, or introduces new features. ZeppelinOS makes sure that changes to decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms can be deployed quickly and easily without adding downtime to the network.

Pre-audited libraries reduce security risks, and upon inspection, we can audit libraries by ZeppelinOS. Unfortunately, writing smart contracts is hard, and small issues can result in critical vulnerabilities. From the point of view of development, those components are well-tested and standardized, so developers are less likely to introduce security risks when using them, and create applications much faster without sacrificing safety.

It’s worth noting that ZeppelinOS simplifies the deployment and management of smart contracts. It implements the proxy pattern which changes the main contract logic without changing the same interface. No disruption takes place when a user or an application interacts with the contract, which means upgrades. ZeppelinOS also provides command-line tools that allow developers to easier manage contracts enabling smoother contract upgrades and interactions.

Disadvantages and Considerations

But, there are a few challenges when it comes to using ZeppelinOS. Smart contract development is further complicated by the proxy-based architecture. The implementation of and managing proxies can be causing a learning curve for Developers who don’t know about this Pattern. The proxy system solves the problem of upgradeability, but then its implementation needs to be carefully done without any bugs or errors to make the contract work properly.

The second thing to keep in mind is that it depends on external libraries. Risk is eliminated with pre-audited libraries but this is taken out by preboarding that guarantees security and QA of external components which, in turn, developers have to trust their security and quality. If any of these libraries had a vulnerability, should that not affect the projects that use them? However, to maintain the security of projects that are built on top of ZeppelinOS, it is mandatory to keep up to date with the libraries to which we belong.

But there are advantages and disadvantages to upgrading and the latter is directly interrelated with the issue of decentralization. One basic principle of blockchain is that contracts are immutable. With the includes of upgrades to ZeppelinOS — developers or admins can change the contract logic after deployment — this centralization is introduced. It might be that users will put trust in contracts on the blockchain, which should be immutable on launch, and they won’t.

In other words, while the sheer number of versions or upgrades to a contract could be too much for a project to constantly adhere to each time a new contract update is released, controlling multiple contract versions or upgrades can be very difficult. Since deployment and upgrade of the contract logic and proxy setup are all handled by the developers themselves, the overall deployment and upgrade process is much less efficient than the traditional smart contract.

Common Use Cases for ZeppelinOS (Smart Contract Framework)

This is particularly useful for decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms which constantly need to update and maintain their platform. For example, new DeFi platforms have to constantly optimize smart contracts to perform better or stay more secure thanks to new threats and changing market conditions. With ZeppelinOS, updates like these can be deployed non-disruptively to the platform.

For token issuance and management, another common case exists. If a project launches tokens via the initial coin offering (ICO), or security token offering (STO) they may need to update their contracts to meet regulations or to add new functionalities. With ZeppelinOS, token contracts can upgrade their tokens and not disrupt token holders.

ZeppelinOS also invokes gaming apps. With the development of blockchain-based games, they need to change at times in the form of in-game features or mechanics. Through ZeppelinOS, it’s simple to roll these changes in, without forcing players to jump onto a new set of smart contracts in order to maintain continuity around the game and assets themselves.

Conclusion

It’s no secret that building secure, upgradeable smart contracts can be hard work, but ZeppelinOS is a powerful tool. It solves one of the biggest limitations of traditional blockchain systems: by allowing developers to upgrade contracts without needing to redeploy these. Pre-audited libraries also make it easier to avoid common vulnerabilities and are used to increase security and make it easier for developers to work.

But proxies are complex to manage and libraries are required. Expecting any system to run forever also means that developers must weigh up the pros of upgradeability against the likely challenges such as centralization and trust. As a flexible and secure solution for smart contract maintenance for projects that require frequent updates — such as DeFi platforms, token management systems, and blockchain games — ZeppelinOS provides a way to maintain the integrity and functionality of smart contracts over time.

ZeppelinOS (Smart contract framework)

Key Concepts of ZeppelinOS (Smart Contract Framework)

Advantages of ZeppelinOS (Smart Contract Framework)

Disadvantages and Considerations

Common Use Cases for ZeppelinOS (Smart Contract Framework)

Conclusion

Related Articals