Skip to main content

Why Atlas?

The Atlas Protocol is designed to revolutionize how decentralized applications (DApps) interact with blockchain networks by addressing key challenges in value capture, execution integrity, and system modularity. Here's why Atlas stands out:

Key Benefits​

Value Capture and Internalization​

  • Equitable Distribution: Atlas empowers applications and wallets to control who captures the value generated by user transactions. This allows value to be redirected to users, DAO treasuries, or public goods funding, promoting a fairer ecosystem.
  • Reduction of Third-Party Extraction: By internalizing value, Atlas minimizes the influence of external entities like miners and validators that traditionally extract value without contributing to the system's integrity.

Enhanced Execution Integrity​

  • Preventing Manipulation: Utilizing operations (EIP-712 signed messages) bundled into a single transaction, Atlas prevents manipulation of execution order within transactions.
  • Execution Order Integrity: Ensures that block builders and validators cannot alter the sequence of operations, maintaining the intended execution flow and safeguarding against value leakage and manipulation.

Atomicity and Flexibility​

  • Inter-Operation Referencing: Allows operations to reference each other within the same transaction, providing atomicity where either all operations succeed or none do.
  • Consistency: This flexibility ensures consistent execution even during chain reorganizations, enhancing the reliability of complex transactions.

Decentralized and Permissionless Auctions​

  • Smart Contract-Based Auctions: Employs smart contracts to manage how operations interact and to select auction winners.
  • Reduced Trust Assumptions: Eliminates the need for whitelisted solvers or trusted infrastructure, preserving the permissionless nature of the protocol and protecting users from potential manipulation.

Comparative Advantages​

For a deeper understanding of how Atlas compares with other solutions, explore the following sections:

  • Atlas vs. Appchains: Learn how Atlas maintains enhanced composability and lowers infrastructure demands compared to standalone appchains in the Use Cases section.

  • Atlas vs. Flashbots: Understand the advantages of Atlas's value capture mechanisms over existing MEV extraction methods (like Flashbots) below.

Atlas vs. Flashbots​

FeatureAtlasFlashbots
Transaction TypeUses operations (EIP-712 signed messages) as building blocks, bundled into a single transaction by a bundler. Prevents execution order manipulation within transactions.Uses private bundles where miners agree not to front-run transactions, ensuring transactions are not seen by other miners.
Value CaptureEnables apps and wallets to capture and internalize value, allowing it to be redirected to users, DAOs, or public goods. No third-party value extraction.Does not focus on value internalization; instead, miners and validators extract value through MEV (Miner Extractable Value).

Flashbots is a competitive product to Atlas, but Atlas offers enhanced value capture mechanisms and execution integrity features that differentiate it within the ecosystem.

Building the Future of Decentralized Applications​

By leveraging execution abstraction and a modular design, Atlas provides a strategic approach for modern applications. It combines the benefits of a controlled execution environment with the security and scalability of established blockchain networks, fostering innovation while ensuring a fair and efficient ecosystem.

Next Steps:

  • Get an Overview of the Atlas Protocol.
  • Explore the System Architecture to understand how Atlas's components interact.
  • Explore specific Use Cases where Atlas brings significant advantages.
  • Familiarize yourself with key terms in the Glossary.