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Web3 technologies are reshaping how we interact with the digital world. They are steadily making strides toward achieving a fairer, freer, and more user-centric internet, where data sovereignty is paramount. As Japan’s most popular smart contract platform, Astar Network is a key player driving this revolution.

Amid the growing web3 growth frenzy, reminiscent of the dot-com boom, a prime unsolved issue remains— User Onboarding. Daunting technical jargon and a steep learning curve, even for simple account operations such as P2P token transfers, have made it tough for novices to enter the web3 space. To bridge this divide, a crucial tool has emerged on the horizon: ERC-4337.

ERC-4337: The Gateway to Account Abstraction

ERC-4337, also known as Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4337, is not a token, per se, as is sometimes expected with ‘ERC-X’ designations, but rather, a standard, and introduces a concept known as account abstraction. In the context of Ethereum and EVM smart contracts, account abstraction can be understood as a feature that simplifies the interface between users and their accounts, enhancing the variety of interactions they can have with EVM networks.

To break down the basics of ERC-4337:

Consider a pocket multi-tool. This kind of tool isn’t just a knife, pair of pliers, or a screwdriver; it can transform itself into whatever you need at a particular moment. Similarly, a smart wallet isn’t only for cryptocurrencies; it can transform and accommodate a wide range of different functions. This could involve becoming a portal for interacting with DeFi applications, a signing authority for transactions, or a digital ID, all based on what the user needs at a particular moment.

Just like how a good multi-tool aims to make the user’s life easier by integrating a variety of functions, a smart wallet strives to simplify the user’s interactions with blockchain technologies and decentralized applications.

Historically, several attempts have been made to propose account abstraction, such as EIP-86, EIP-2938, and EIP-3074. Each proposal had a specific focus, such as enabling smart contracts to initiate and approve transactions or creating new methods for efficient execution of smart contracts.

ERC-4337 introduces something called ‘User Mode.’ This feature provides smart contract-level security where users can optionally transact without requiring actual Ether (ETH) or other chain-native tokens like ASTR, or can pay transaction fees in other tokens through a decentralized validator/bundler market that pays using the native token on the users behalf. This offers the potential of reducing operational friction and making the onboarding process into the web3 ecosystem even more seamless for EVM users.

The Banana SDK

The Banana SDK is a powerful tool that allows developers to make user-friendly dApps that can be interacted with as if there is no wallet at all. With Banana SDK, users can spin up a smart contract wallet (Banana Wallet) using the primary authentication method of the device (TouchID / FaceID), to start using dApps quickly and easily — ie: within 30 seconds.

Banana SDK shields users from the complexity of web3 interactions, allowing simple, secure onboarding. Installing Banana SDK and incorporating it into a JavaScript or TypeScript-based frontend unlocks the potential to create seamless and transparent user experiences, that are easy enough for Grandma to use!

Revolutionizing Web3 with Astar Network and Banana SDK

These tools offer transformative potential for global adoption of web3 technologies. The Banana SDK and Astar Network act as pivotal stepping stones, greatly easing the transition into web3 for non-technical users.

This strategic combination simplifies the user experience to ultimately yield greater participation, and as the world moves at a record pace toward decentralized growth, tools like these will continue to encourage widespread blockchain adoption, and reinforce Astar Network’s vision to achieve ‘web3 for billions.’

For More Information

Learn more about account abstraction and ERC-4337:

About Astar Network

Astar is Japan’s most popular smart contract blockchain, supporting both EVM and WebAssembly (Wasm) environments, and interoperability between them using a Cross-Virtual Machine. Backed by the shared security of Polkadot, Astar shines brilliantly on its own within a vibrant and healthy ecosystem, and is a leading star in the blockchain industry overall, driving international corporate adoption, and consumer interest in web3 technologies.

Astar’s Build2Earn program is designed to grow the network in an innovative way, while simultaneously rewarding participants and builders. It allows developers to earn incentives for building and maintaining their decentralized applications, and users to earn incentives for supporting their favorite projects, all while encouraging growth of the ecosystem overall.