Cosmos

Cosmos is an open-source ecosystem of interoperable and sovereign blockchains designed to enable developers to build scalable, customizable, and secure app-specific blockchains, often called appchains. It provides a modular technology stack that includes the Cosmos SDK for blockchain development, CometBFT as a high-performance consensus engine, Cosmos EVM for Ethereum compatibility, and the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol for secure cross-chain messaging. This architecture allows developers to create blockchains tailored to their specific use cases while benefiting from interoperability with other chains in the Cosmos ecosystem.

The Cosmos SDK offers a flexible framework to build blockchains with customizable governance, consensus, and transaction logic, supporting multiple programming languages including Go and Rust. CometBFT ensures fast finality and high throughput, enabling chains to scale without bottlenecks. Cosmos EVM allows developers to deploy Ethereum-compatible smart contracts, easing migration and integration with Ethereum tooling. The IBC protocol, inspired by TCP/IP, is a secure and decentralized messaging standard that facilitates token and data transfers across heterogeneous blockchains without relying on third-party intermediaries.

What sets Cosmos apart is its focus on sovereignty and interoperability. Developers retain full control over their blockchain's consensus, governance, and runtime, while leveraging IBC to connect with a growing network of 200+ chains and a $110B+ USD economy. Features like interchain accounts and interchain security extend cross-chain capabilities and shared security models. The ecosystem supports a wide range of applications from DeFi to gaming, with notable integrations including Celestia and Oasys. Cosmos Labs maintains the core stack and provides extensive documentation, developer tools, and community support to help teams onboard quickly and build robust interchain applications.