Detailed Explanation of Solana's Latest Blink Feature: Launch Sparks Community Debate, Killer App or Just Showy Moves?
The Blink feature, once announced, has been called the most Web3 application, and it may open a bridge between the Web2 and Web3 worlds. Can the Blink feature really take on this responsibility? Or is it just another flashy little plugin?Author: Frank, PANews
The latest Blink feature launched by Solana has ignited discussions in the crypto community.
This new feature allows on-chain actions, such as transactions, voting, payments, and minting, to be converted into a shareable link or QR code, enabling users to complete these on-chain actions directly on Twitter without navigating away from the page. Once announced, this feature has been dubbed the most Web3 application, potentially bridging the gap between the Web2 and Web3 worlds. Can the Blink feature truly take on this responsibility, or is it just another flashy little plugin?
One-Click Tool for Pumping Meme Coins on Twitter
The Blink feature is merely a plugin page visible to users. Behind it, another protocol called Actions works in tandem to achieve this product effect. According to the official introduction, Actions is a protocol for creating and transmitting Solana transactions via URL, allowing Solana to share Blinks or blockchain links anywhere, detecting operation URLs and expanding them into a complete experience on the client side.
In simple terms, developers use the Actions protocol to create a link for the on-chain action they wish to share, while the interactive page for users is referred to as Blink.
This feature was developed by Dialect Labs. Previously, Dialect Labs developed Dialect, a protocol specifically for messaging via smart contracts. In 2022, Dialect Labs completed a $4.1 million seed round of financing, co-led by Multicoin Capital and Jump Capital. Currently, this feature is available on Twitter, and Phantom and Backpack wallets can directly interact with the Blink program.
However, to use this feature, users must first enable the Twitter associated application button in their wallet settings to see such links. The biggest highlight of this protocol is that it saves developers a significant amount of development time; they only need to create a recognizable link, which can be applied across various web pages.
This logic is somewhat similar to Web2's QR codes, except that QR codes convert a webpage into a QR code, while Blink converts an on-chain action into a front-end page.
Developers no longer need to develop or call APIs like Jupiter separately for each adapted page; one link works for all pages. For users, in the future, if they see a Solana meme coin project on Twitter, they won't need to copy the token address and then open an exchange or bot to interact; they can complete the transaction process directly on one interface, speeding up the process of pumping meme coins.
Additionally, activities that require on-chain voting have also become more convenient. Some artists can directly share links on Twitter and other social media to sell NFTs or other tokens with one click. According to Solana's official demonstration, more social media applications or websites may be supported in the future, including creating Blink as a QR code for more convenient mobile payment scenarios.
All-Powerful or Just a Simple Upgrade?
It seems that the changes brought by Blink are significant, but many crypto users also believe that Blink has substantial flaws and may ultimately be short-lived.
The main reason for this skepticism lies in the basic product logic of Blink. As a Web3 application, Blink cannot avoid the realms of Chrome plugins and wallets. Essentially, the implementation of the Blink feature relies on a protocol built into Phantom and Backpack, which is used to identify whether the Actions protocol exists on the web page. Only recognizable links can be displayed as Blink cards. If the browser or application chosen by the user does not support wallet application plugins, the Blink application cannot be recognized. From this perspective, Blink's capability seems to enhance the Web3 application experience rather than directly bridging Web2 clients.
Moreover, Dan Romero, the founder of Farcaster, commented that "they can't work on mobile. 88% of Twitter usage is mobile." In response, some users countered Dan Romero, stating that the Solana ecosystem has its own Web3 mobile phone.
Another topic of discussion on social media revolves around security; many users are concerned that such an application protocol could become another avenue for phishing or Rug teams to exploit users. Dialect seems to have considered this issue, as current rules indicate that only registered project teams can create such links.
However, according to PANews' investigation, the current registration rules are quite simple and do not have strict limitations. Interestingly, the current registration domain appears to have not been renewed, displaying information that the domain is for sale when accessed.
Additionally, according to the official documentation, malicious projects that are reported or discovered will need to be marked as malicious by the community, with reminders displayed on the page. However, this manual marking mechanism may only serve as a stopgap measure.
An Imaginative Attempt
Furthermore, many users on social media have discussed that Blink at least provides a more reliable solution for token distribution rewards (which is good news for KOLs) and, if embedded in Web3 mobile phones, could become a relatively prominent advantage of Web3 phones.
It is worth mentioning that as early as 2022, Dialect partnered with Solana's Web3 phone Saga to launch the open-source chat application Dial. Therefore, it is highly likely that the Blink feature will be embedded in Solana's Web3 phone.
Whether or not the Blink feature can truly become a killer application, it represents an important attempt at expanding Web3 applications. With Blink now launched, Solana's official team is also actively participating in promoting this application, and several key projects in the Solana ecosystem, such as Jupiter, Phantom, and Backpack, have integrated this feature promptly.
At least from the perspective of unified action within the ecosystem, the importance of Blink in Solana is evident. A Twitter user @fjun99 commented on Blink, "The Ethereum ecosystem really needs to step up; building infrastructure every day is like constructing countless buildings, but the interiors and even the lobbies are not decorated." As this user pointed out, focusing on user experience may be the key priority for public chains at this moment.
