☭ Comrades! Krasnograd '93 opens its gates. Rob kiosks, smuggle vodka, pick your neighbour's pocket and climb from Gopnik to Pakhan, in a living 3D Soviet town, fully on-chain on #ICP. Closed beta: reply or DM for an invite code. citxg-6iaaa-aaaai-aya2q-cai.…

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Query vs Update Calls on the Internet Computer $ICP On the Internet Computer, every app uses two types of calls: queries and updates. Together they balance speed and security. Query calls are the fast ones. They’re read-only, run on a single node, and return results in under 200 ms. Perfect for loading UI data or anything that doesn’t change state. Update calls are for real changes. They go through full network consensus, which takes 1–3 seconds, but the result becomes permanent and secure. Queries give you Web2 speed, updates give you Web3 trust and that combination makes the IC feel smooth, responsive, and reliable.

Authentication vs Authorization When you log into an app, two things happen behind the scenes. First, the system checks who you are: that’s authentication. This could be Face ID, a password, a wallet signature, or Internet Identity. Once your identity is confirmed, the app checks what you’re allowed to do: that’s authorization. Can you edit your profile? Delete a post? Access admin features? One proves your identity. The other controls your permissions. Together, they keep apps secure and user-friendly. $ICP

🔄 What’s “Reverse Gas” and why is it important? Most blockchains make users pay gas for every action. Every click. Every update. Every interaction. Great for decentralization, terrible for UX. The Internet Computer flips this model. This is called reverse gas. 💡 Developers pay, users don’t. Apps run on cycles loaded into the canister, and the canister pays for computation. Not the user. And the best part: anybody can top up a canister to keep it running. ✨ Why it matters - Smooth, web-like experience - Zero-friction onboarding - Predictable developer costs - Anyone can fund the app - Makes fully on-chain frontends possible - Web2 convenience with Web3 security On the Internet Computer, apps feel like the normal web: fast, free, and seamless, without sacrificing decentralization. $ICP

🛂 What Is Internet Identity? Internet Identity is the Internet Computer’s passwordless login system. No usernames. No passwords. No seed phrases. Just secure sign-in using the devices you already own. 🧠 How it works You register your phone, laptop, YubiKey or biometric login. Your device creates a unique, anonymous key for each dapp you use. So apps can’t track you across services. 🔒 Why it’s secure - Powered by WebAuthn - Hardware-backed authentication - No passwords to steal - No private keys to manage - Phishing-resistant 🌍 Why users love it - One-click login - No wallet required - Private by default - Easy recovery by adding new devices ✨ Internet Identity feels like single sign on but without Big Tech and tracking. $ICP

📦 What Are the Storage Limits on the Internet Computer? The IC isn’t like traditional blockchains with tiny storage limits. It’s built to store real application data directly on-chain. 🧠 Per-canister storage - Heap memory: ~4 GB (fast runtime state) - Stable memory: up to hundreds of GB per canister. Perfect for large datasets, files, logs, and user data. 🧱 Scale across multiple canisters Need more than a single canister can hold? Just add more. Your app scales horizontally, like sharded storage or microservices. 🌍 No global cap The IC expands by adding new subnets, so total network storage grows as demand grows. 🧪 Blob Storage (announced) A new upcoming feature designed for massive, low-cost storage of large files and media. Making it even easier to handle heavy on-chain data workloads. ✨ In short: A single canister can store hundreds of GB and your app can scale to unlimited storage. $ICP

What’s the IC Equivalent of REST APIs? On the Internet Computer, you don’t build REST routes. You expose Candid methods inside your canister; typed functions your frontend can call directly. It’s different from traditional APIs so it takes a moment to get used to… but once it clicks, it feels cleaner and more direct. 🧠 Candid = the IC’s API layer Every method, input and output is defined with strong typing. No JSON endpoints or URL-based routing, the interface is the contract. 🗂️ Canisters take the role of API servers In Web2, you call a URL like GET /users/123. On the IC, you call a method defined in your canister, such as get_user(“123”). Same idea; fetch data from your backend but without HTTP routes or manual parsing. Your app communicates with the canister via an agent, which handles serialization and transport for you. ⚡ Two types of calls • Query calls: fast, read-only • Update calls: state-changing, processed through consensus ✨ Why it’s great • Strong typing end-to-end • Automatic serialization • Predictable, self-documenting interfaces • Simpler than REST once you understand the model • Fully on-chain backend logic On the Internet Computer, your backend isn’t a REST API. It’s a typed, decentralized interface you call like a function. $ICP

What Is PocketIC? PocketIC is like having a mini Internet Computer on your laptop. Perfect for fast, reliable testing. It simulates the IC locally so you can test your canisters without deploying to mainnet or running a full replica. 🧠 Why developers use it • Run multiple canisters locally • Test cross-canister calls • Advance time for timers or governance logic • Zero cycles needed • Fast, deterministic, repeatable tests • Works great in CI pipelines ⚙️ What it can do - Test updates and queries - Simulate subnets - Try upgrades safely - Reproduce real IC behavior more accurately than dfx start ✨ In short: PocketIC gives you a lightweight, programmable Internet Computer you can use for development and automated testing. $ICP

What Is Chain Key Cryptography? Chain Key Cryptography is the tech that lets the Internet Computer act like one unified blockchain, even though it runs across thousands of independent nodes. 🧠 One public key The entire network uses a single public key to verify messages and signatures. No matter how big the IC grows, it still behaves like one system. 🔐 Threshold signatures No node has the full secret key. Each node holds only a share, and only a threshold working together can create a valid signature, keeping the network secure and decentralized. 🔄 Keys evolve automatically As nodes join or leave, the IC updates its cryptography on the fly without downtime and without changing its identity. ⚡ Why it matters • Lets the IC run at massive scale • Enables direct Bitcoin & Ethereum integrations • Allows canisters to serve the web (HTTPS) • Makes the network self-healing and secure ✨ Chain Key Cryptography is what powers the Internet Computer’s speed, security, and seamless interoperability. $ICP

Can I Use a Custom Domain for My Dapp? Yes, you can use your own domain like rem.codes for any Internet Computer $ICP dapp. Every canister gets a default URL, but you can easily connect your own custom domain to make your app feel polished and professional. 🔗 How it works You point your domain’s DNS to the IC’s boundary nodes using a simple CNAME or A record. The Internet Computer handles the rest. 🔐 Automatic HTTPS TLS certificates are managed for you, so your domain is always secure. No setup, no renewal, no server configs. ⚙️ Smooth setup You can configure everything manually with dfx, or use a service like @junobuild for easy domain management, cycle top-ups, and seamless deployments. ✨ Your app, your branding, your domain, running fully on the open internet.

How Do I Connect My IC Backend to Web2 APIs? Your Internet Computer $ICP backend can call Web2 services using HTTPS outcalls. Your canister sends a secure request, the network performs the HTTPS call, and the response comes back on-chain. 🧠 How it works Your canister calls the system method http_request. The Internet Computer performs the HTTPS request and returns the response. It works just like a normal backend, but fully decentralized. ⚙️ Consensus vs. Non-Consensus Calls There are two modes of HTTPS outcalls on the IC: Consensus calls • All nodes perform the request • The network agrees on the same response • Fully trustless, fully decentralized • Ideal for public APIs and deterministic data Non-consensus calls • Only one node performs the request • Faster and cheaper • Good when full decentralization isn’t required • Useful for real-time data or less predictable APIs 💡 Most developers use consensus calls for reliability and integrity, and non-consensus calls when performance or flexibility is more important. 🧹 Transform function Some Web2 APIs include unstable headers like timestamps. A small transform step cleans the response so nodes can agree on one result. 💸 Who pays? The canister pays in cycles, so users never need tokens or gas. ✨ You can fetch Web2 data, call external APIs, or trigger workflows. Directly from your on-chain backend, no oracle needed.

How Do I Connect My IC Backend to Web2 APIs? Your Internet Computer $ICP backend can call Web2 services using HTTPS outcalls. Your canister sends a secure request, the network performs the HTTPS call, and the response comes back on-chain. 🧠 How it works Your canister calls the system method http_request. The Internet Computer performs the HTTPS request and returns the response. It works just like a normal backend, but fully decentralized. ⚙️ Consensus vs. Non-Consensus Calls There are two modes of HTTPS outcalls on the IC: Consensus calls • All nodes perform the request • The network agrees on the same response • Fully trustless, fully decentralized • Ideal for public APIs and deterministic data Non-consensus calls • Only one node performs the request • Faster and cheaper • Good when full decentralization isn’t required • Useful for real-time data or less predictable APIs 💡 Most developers use consensus calls for reliability and integrity, and non-consensus calls when performance or flexibility is more important. 🧹 Transform function Some Web2 APIs include unstable headers like timestamps. A small transform step cleans the response so nodes can agree on one result. 💸 Who pays? The canister pays in cycles, so users never need tokens or gas. ✨ You can fetch Web2 data, call external APIs, or trigger workflows. Directly from your on-chain backend, no oracle needed.

How Is the Internet Computer Updated? The Internet Computer $ICP can update itself: securely, automatically, and without downtime. This is powered by the Network Nervous System, the IC’s on-chain governance. 🧠 1. Governed by the NNS The NNS controls network upgrades, adds new nodes, expands subnets and adjusts the protocol. Anyone with voting neurons helps decide the future of the network. 🗳️ 2. Everything happens through proposals When an upgrade is needed, a proposal is submitted: • protocol improvements • subnet changes • replica upgrades • performance boosts • new features If the community votes “yes,” the update is approved. 🚀 3. Automatic rollout Nodes download the new version and upgrade automatically. Subnets update safely, one step at a time. 🛡️ 4. Secure and transparent All changes are public, voted on, and recorded on-chain. ✨ The Internet Computer is a network that improves itself. Decentralized, autonomous, and always evolving.

Is the Internet Computer $ICP just another blockchain? No, it’s much more than that. Most blockchains can only run smart contracts with tiny amounts of storage and slow, expensive execution. They store things… but they don’t run real applications. The Internet Computer is different: 🌐 It runs full applications, not just smart contracts Frontends, backends, APIs, and data storage all live directly on the network. No AWS, no servers, no off-chain infrastructure. ⚡ It executes at web speed Fast queries, seamless UX, and real-time interactions. Not the slow, transaction-based model of traditional blockchains. 🧠 It upgrades itself autonomously The Network Nervous System (NNS) manages updates, scaling, and new features without downtime. 💾 It acts like a decentralized cloud Apps store gigabytes of data, serve web content, and scale horizontally. All on-chain. 🔌 It feels like Web2, but built on Web3 principles Users don’t need wallets, tokens, or gas fees thanks to reverse gas.

Can I Use My Existing Frontend Frameworks on the Internet Computer? $ICP Yes, absolutely. 🙌 You can keep using React, Vue, Svelte, Vite, Next.js, or even plain HTML/CSS/JS. Your workflow stays the same: build your app, generate your dist/ folder… and instead of deploying to Vercel or Netlify, you deploy it to a canister. You can do this directly using dfx,
or use a hosting service like Juno.build that also supports automated cycle top-ups, easy custom domains, and smooth deployments. 🧠 How it works:
Your frontend is just static assets: HTML, JS, CSS. A canister serves those files on the open internet like a global CDN…but fully decentralized. ✨ Same tools. Same frameworks.
Just a new way to host without servers.

Local vs Mainnet Development on the Internet Computer $ICP On the Internet Computer, everything runs on mainnet. You create different environments by deploying separate canister groups, not separate servers. 🖥️ Local development
Run your entire project on your machine. Instant deploys, no costs, fast iteration and full control over resets. Perfect for building, debugging and experimenting. 🧪 Testnet
A dedicated set of canisters on mainnet that you use for testing.
Same network, same performance, same behavior as your live app.
A safe environment for testing upgrades, migrations and new features. 🌍 Production
Another set of canisters on the same mainnet, serving your real users.
Identical architecture to testnet, just a different deployment dedicated to live traffic. 🔄 Build locally → deploy to testnet → promote to production.
All on the same decentralized network. Only the deployment targets differ. ✨ On the Internet Computer, environments aren’t servers.
They’re separate deployments running side by side on mainnet.

How Do Canisters Differ From Smart Contracts? Most blockchains use smart contracts; small pieces of logic with limited storage and strict constraints. Great for simple transactions, not great for full applications. The Internet Computer $ICP does it differently.
It uses canisters: powerful, self-contained units that hold both code and data, and can run entire apps on the open internet. ⚙️ More than logic
Canisters store large amounts of state, run complex workflows, and power real apps. Not just functions. 🌐 Ability to host full frontends
Websites, dashboards, and UIs can run directly from a canister.
No servers. No cloud hosting. 💾 Built-in storage
Data lives inside the canister itself, replicated across independent nodes. ⚡ Fast execution
Queries respond in ~200 ms, updates in a few seconds.
Real-time experience, fully decentralized.

How Is Data Stored on the Internet Computer $ICP? On the Internet Computer, all data lives inside your canisters, powered by two core storage layers. 🧠 Heap storage
Fast in-memory data used while your code runs.
Great for runtime state, maps, counters and caches.
Doesn’t survive upgrades unless you store it. 🧱 Stable storage
Durable, long-term memory that does survive upgrades.
Scales to hundreds of gigabytes per canister.
Ideal for large datasets, files, logs and user data. 🔥 Higher-level storage layers Developers are building tools on top of stable memory to make storage easier and more powerful. - ic-rusqlite: beings SQLite-style tables and SQL queries fully on-chain. - Mimic: a storage framework that gives developers high-level, type-safe data structures built directly on stable memory.

How fast is the Internet Computer? Very fast and not just compared to other blockchains, but to the traditional internet itself. 🚀 The Internet Computer delivers true web-speed performance: read-only queries respond in around 200 milliseconds, while updates that change data are securely finalized in just 2–3 seconds. All while running apps directly on the open internet. Real-time experience Users interact with apps as smoothly as with any cloud-based website or service. Parallel processing Each subnet of nodes handles its own workloads, allowing the network to scale and stay lightning-fast. No matter how big it grows. Globally distributed Independent data centers around the world share the load, keeping everything responsive, stable, and always online. The Internet Computer isn’t just fast for Web3. It’s built for real-time, internet-scale experiences. Speed, scale, and stability without servers. $ICP

How secure is the Internet Computer? The Internet Computer is designed with security at its core, not as an add-on, but as a built-in part of how it works. Redundant by design Apps run across many independent data centers around the world, so even if one goes down, your service stays online. Verified communication Every request and response in the network is authenticated and validated, ensuring data can’t be altered or faked. Tamper-resistant software Once deployed, applications can’t be secretly changed. This guarantees that what you see is what was published. Automatic updates, no human access Nodes operate autonomously so no engineers logging in, no manual patching, just secure, automated infrastructure. Security on the Internet Computer isn’t about passwords or firewalls, it’s about architecture. It’s a network built to run software safely, reliably, and independently. $ICP

How do you pay for hosting? No subscriptions, no monthly server bills and no cloud providers. On the Internet Computer, you pay for hosting using cycles: a digital resource that powers computation, storage, and network use. Think of cycles as fuel for your app. When you deploy a website or service inside a canister, it consumes cycles as it runs. Similar to how gas powers a car. You can convert ICP tokens into cycles, then load them into your canister to keep it running. The more active your app is, the more cycles it uses. But the costs are predictable, efficient, and far lower than traditional hosting. On the Internet Computer, you don’t rent servers, you power canisters and pay only for what your app actually uses. $ICP

As of today, we are a Certified Training Company for students in The Netherlands. Ready to inspire and support the next generation on the possibilities of building on the Internet Computer. $ICP

How do URLs work on the Internet Computer? On the Internet Computer, websites and apps don’t live on corporate servers but directly on the network itself. So, how do you reach them? Every app or website on the IC runs inside a canister: a smart container that gets its own unique URL. When you visit that URL, your browser connects through a boundary node, which securely routes your request to the right canister running on the network. Example: A website hosted on the Internet Computer can be reached at: l5wk7-miaaa-aaaal-acfla-cai.… Or, even better, you can link your own custom domain like: rem.codes/, while it still runs fully on the Internet Computer. Your URL becomes a direct gateway to decentralized apps on the open internet. $ICP

Can I host a website without a server? Sounds impossible, right? But on the Internet Computer, it’s completely real. You can host full websites, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and even backend logic, directly on the open internet. No AWS, no Google Cloud, no traditional servers. How does it work? Your website lives inside a canister, that’s a smart container that runs on a global network of independent nodes. Each node contributes computing power, keeping your site fast, secure, and always online. You build your site just like any other but when you deploy it, you’re publishing to the internet itself, not a company’s cloud. Because on the Internet Computer, the network is the server. $ICP

What are nodes? The Internet Computer runs on a global network of nodes: independent machines that work together to keep the network secure, fast, and always online. Each node runs part of the blockchain and validates data within the network. Together, nodes reach consensus on what’s true and ensure that apps run exactly as intended. The more nodes there are, the more decentralized, reliable, and scalable the Internet Computer becomes. These nodes are operated by independent data centers around the world. They host and execute canisters, the smart contracts that power decentralized apps, websites, and services. So when you open an app on the Internet Computer, you’re not connecting to a company’s server, you’re connecting to a worldwide network of nodes working together as one Internet-scale computer. $ICP

What programming languages can I use? On the Internet Computer, developers can choose from multiple languages: Motoko, Rust, Python, TypeScript, and C++. All powered by their own Canister Development Kits (CDKs). 🧩 Each CDK gives your language the tools to build, deploy, and manage canisters on-chain. 🔥 Motoko is made by DFINITY for ICP. ⚡ Rust brings performance and control. 🐍 Python, TypeScript, and C++ shine through community-built CDKs. All canisters connect seamlessly through Candid, the common language of the Internet Computer. $ICP

Canisters on the Internet Computer need cycles to run. Without them, your app stops functioning. Here’s what happens: ⚠️ Computation stops: your canister can’t run logic or process data. 🔗 Communication fails: canisters can’t talk to each other, and HTTP calls to Web2 services don’t work. ⏳Default 30-day threshold: if your canister stays out of cycles for 30 days, it’s automatically deleted to free network resources. 💰 Refuel to restart: convert ICP → cycles and top up your canister to get everything running again. Keep your canisters fueled and your apps alive, decentralized, and fully functional! $ICP

On the Internet Computer, apps run inside canisters: smart containers that hold your code, logic, and data. To keep them running, canisters need cycles: the fuel that powers everything they do. Cycles are used for: ⚙️ Performing computations (running your app’s logic) 💾 Storing data inside your canister 🔗 Communicating with other canisters 🌐 Making HTTP requests to Web2 services You get cycles by converting ICP tokens → cycles, and your canister spends them as it works. When it runs out, the canister stops until you top it up. $ICP

Canisters that talk to each other directly on-chain. On the Internet Computer, every app runs inside canisters. Inter-canister calls let them exchange data, trigger actions, and coordinate like cloud microservices, but fully decentralized. 💬 Async communication 🔗 Defined Candid interfaces 🧠 Modular and scalable by design That’s how large-scale apps on ICP stay fast, secure, and connected. All without external APIs or servers. $ICP

On the Internet Computer, every app (canister) needs a way to talk to others and that’s where Candid comes in. Candid is like OpenAPI for the blockchain. It describes what a canister can do and what data it understands, so frontends, backends, and other canisters can communicate even if they’re written in different languages. It’s the universal translator of the Internet Computer. $ICP

Hosting your frontend, on-chain. On the Internet Computer, your app’s frontend isn’t on a server or CDN. It’s stored directly inside a canister on the blockchain. That means: 🚀 React, Svelte or Vanilla JS apps fully on-chain 💾 Code and assets can’t be tampered with 🌍 Always online, globally accessible Open, secure, and verifiable by design. $ICP

It’s like a microservice on the blockchain. It handles your logic, stores your data, and can even serve your frontend. You can build, among other things: 🌐 Websites 🔗 APIs 📊 Dashboards ⚙️ Connected services Basically, anything you’d host in a Web2 stack, but on a system that’s open, verifiable, and runs without any middleman. That’s the power of canisters on the Internet Computer. $ICP

The Internet Computer is an open platform where developers can run complete applications, not just smart contracts, directly on the network. Frontends, backends, and storage all live on-chain, providing a secure, decentralized alternative to traditional cloud hosting. 💡 Build social apps, tools, or games 🔗 Integrate with other blockchains 🌍 Host directly from the internet itself It’s the next step for open, trustless infrastructure where software truly runs on the web, not just on someone else’s server. $ICP

Come again

here you go

Debugging much by doing actual canister calls? On @ic_toolkit you can do (authenticated) calls, search in the response and track different response versions. Feel free to reach out with any suggestions @DFINITYDev ic-toolkit.app/canister/lhdf… Example 👇🏻

Nice! @DFINITYDev

Did you know that you are now able to check project performance and swap details of SNS projects through @toolkit? Check out @TheGoldDAO for example 👇 ic-toolkit.app/launchpad/vie… What are other details you would like to see? Maybe adding ICP/USD value during swap for reference? 🤔

It was a struggle, but soon you’ll be able to create chained proposals with @ic_toolkit. Governance automation just got a lot more powerful. 💪🧠 #ICP #DAO #buidl

I finally got a functional SNS deployed within pocket-ic #SNS #IC #dfinity @DFINITYDev

Yep

Thanks! For some reason cycles burning like crazy the last few days (5T per day), and our topup system was experiencing a bug. But thanks for the heads up!

Another uneducated one #dfinity #icp Can’t knowledgeable people do something? @kylelangham @sowmaler @domiwoe youtu.be/dLhvbd0nFjU?si=qx-V…

I just read through the IC explainer deck again (deck.internetcomputer.org) and I think the best way to explain what the IC is trying to accomplish is with the following 2 slides. #ICP

It's really satisfying to see the sentiment around ICP shift into a positive vibe and proving its place within the crypto world #ICP