Steem Dollars (SBD)
Steem is a social blockchain that enables communities to grow and rewards users with cryptocurrency for sharing content.
Overview
Steem is a blockchain platform designed specifically for social applications, enabling users to earn cryptocurrency rewards for their content contributions. It uses a unique "Proof of Brain" consensus algorithm that allocates tokens based on social engagement, effectively flipping the traditional social media model by rewarding content creators rather than platform owners. Steem supports fast, free transactions with block confirmations every 3 seconds, making it suitable for scalable social apps and decentralized applications (dApps).
Developers can build on Steem using open-source tools and APIs, with support for running full nodes or lightweight peer-to-peer nodes via Docker. The platform also plans to integrate Smart Media Tokens (SMTs), allowing anyone to create custom tokens for their communities or projects. Steem's architecture includes delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS) consensus, hierarchical role-based permissions, and a freemium model for resource credits that enables free transactions.
Steem is actively used by over one million users across more than 324 apps, including popular dApps like Steemit (a social blogging platform), SteemPro, and HARI RAID (a Tap2Earn game). Its ecosystem supports entrepreneurs building apps, content monetization, and community growth. Getting started involves creating an account on Steemit or running a node using pre-built Docker images, with comprehensive documentation and developer resources available on the official site and GitHub repository.
The Problem
Traditional social media platforms generate significant revenue from user-generated content but do not compensate the content creators fairly. Additionally, many blockchains are too slow or costly to support scalable social applications with real-time interactions.
The Solution
Key Features
Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS)
Efficient consensus mechanism balancing security and performance.
Smart Media Tokens (SMTs)
Custom token creation protocol enabling monetization and community incentives.
Hierarchical Role-Based Permissions
Fine-grained access control for accounts and applications.
Key Strengths
How Developers Use Steem Dollars (SBD)
Decentralized Social Blogging
Platforms like Steemit allow users to publish content and earn STEEM tokens based on community votes.
Gaming with Token Rewards
Games such as HARI RAID integrate Steem blockchain to reward players with tokens for in-game achievements.
Community Tokenization
Entrepreneurs can create custom Smart Media Tokens to incentivize and monetize niche communities.
Works Well WithSteem
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Pricing
Free | |
|---|---|
| Price (Monthly) | Free |
| Price (Annual) | Free |
| Messaging | N/A |
| Support | Community support via GitHub and forums |
| Analytics |
Resources
Steem provides extensive developer resources including whitepapers, bluepapers, SMT technical papers, quickstart guides, and open-source code repositories. These resources cover blockchain architecture, consensus mechanisms, token economics, and node operation instructions.