As blockchain technology evolves and adoption increases, smart contracts will inevitably become the backbone of the global economy and Nexus intends to lead the way. Nexus’ novel contract platform creates a very accessible environment for Dapp developers. Many of today’s contract platforms still depend on Bitcoin’s original UTXO architecture, albeit in an account-based form. Alternatively, Nexus has developed a seven-layered register-based virtual machine, accessible by API (Application Programming Interface). The creation of digital assets and contracts are both possible via the API. Therefore, developers only require basic web development skills to build a whole range of DApps to manage digital property.

An upcoming release is Hybrid mode, which will allow DApps to be built as private networks while maintaining a connection to the public network to provide increased security. Also under development is the Nexus P2P Market API, which will allow developers to easily deploy a DEX for the decentralized exchange of digital assets and Tokens. 

Contract Architecture

The more common stack-based script virtual machines (EVM, JVM), handle the translation of an application's source code language to the VMs bytecode, which then executes the instructions. Whereas with Nexus, each layer of the software stack carries out a specialized process, this also increases the efficiency of contract processing.

The Nexus virtual machine innately performs many useful actions through a set of operation codes, instructions that define contract logic. Operations mimic actions between people in the real world, by acting on data stored as registers.

For instance, Nexus registers store many different types of data including accounts, tokens, names, and digital assets. Nexus currently has 16 primitive operations, which are actions that take place on the register such as: WRITE, DEBIT, TRANSFER, APPEND, etc. These actions cause the register to change its state, including the transfer from one signature chain (a blockchain account) to another. All the actions are recorded in signature chains as a sequence of transactions.

Unlike other virtual machines, Nexus is built to verify the authenticity, as well as verify the computation of data, making it a very suitable contract platform to build applications for the purpose of verifying data integrity, and history. Under development are specific contract programming languages for different aspects of contract functionality. If you would like to find out about Nexus contract fees please click here.

Hybrid Networks

Hybrid Networks are designed for individuals, businesses and organizations who have a need for a dedicated network for their DApp or ecosystem. A hybrid network has all the features of a public chain, while granting access for free transactions, contract execution, and token and asset creation, at the cost of dedicated hardware and hybrid network fees.

With the release of Tritium++, Hybrid Mode will be made available as an out of the box solution. It will supply security services, such as permission access, while granting autonomy, and privacy. The owners of the network can also design their own fee schedule for transactions, as well as tokenomics

Blockchain Accounts

Nexus has built a groundbreaking transactional architecture called ‘Signature Chains’ that replaces the legacy UTxO, to simplify application development. A Signature Chain is a blockchain account containing the historical record of every single transaction and digital asset ownership of a single user on the blockchain, and is accessed with user-generated credentials (username, password, and PIN) by a decentralized login system. 

Signature Chains make Nexus the perfect mobile-friendly Web3 development stack by eliminating manual dependency on key management plugins such as MetaMask, enabling developers to build tokenized Dapps with simplified UI/UX that are as easy to use as Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok. Signature Chains also enable DApps to be integrated into existing application frameworks that already rely on authorization systems. Below we outline some uses of digital assets on Nexus. 

Assets & Governance 

Environmental & Energy: Nexus assets provide the technology to trade and track environmental and energy assets. With the release of the P2P Market API, developers will be able to build exchange platforms for their assets, eliminating the need for intermediaries, such as brokers. Assets include, but are not limited to Carbon and Solar credits.

Securities & DAO: Tokenized assets can be used for securities and DAO tokens, where the asset represents the registration of the organization and the tokens represent shared ownership. Payment of dividends or surplus revenue can then be automatically distributed to token holders.

Voting & Governance: Tokens or assets can be used to record cryptographic and transparent votes, and with the release of the DAO API, DApps can add features for the decentralized management of funds and resources.

Creative & Entertainment 

Digital Rights Management: All types of digital creations can be registered as unique assets on Nexus. They can then be tokenized allowing for shared ownership, as well as the automatic distribution of royalties to token holders. Artists across the creative scenes are learning how they can monetize their creations while cutting out the middleman. 

Digital assets include: 

• Music
• Audiobooks
• Art
• Photography
• E-books
• Film

Virtual & Physical Collectibles: Assets can be used to build entire metaverses that can integrate into games, art galleries, events, etc. 

Virtual assets include:

• In-Game Items
• Skins
• Weapons
• Digital Art

Alternatively, assets can be linked to physical objects such as Clothes, Jewelry, Antiques or Physical Art to prove authenticity and scarcibility.

Tickets: Assets can be used to issue tickets in order to reduce fraud, and with the release of Protected Assets, tickets can be made to be revocable to prevent resale on secondary markets.

Titles & Records 

Public Titles: Assets can be used as a record for legal titles that represent private property. Being transparent, anyone can easily verify the authenticity of a public title on Nexus, without having to access a central database. Contracts can also be used for the decentralized exchange of public titles, eliminating counterparty risk. Public titles include, but are not limited to: Automotive, Real Estate, Internet Domains and Trademarks. 

Non-transferable Titles: With the release of Protected Assets, will have the additional functionality of being non-transferable and revocable by the issuer, therefore are suited to certified systems such as:

• Identity Cards
• Memberships
• Educational and Professional Certificates
• Licenses
• KYC (Know your Customer)

Copy Rights & Unforgeable Records: Any important digital document can be hashed and authenticated as an asset generating a timestamped immutable fingerprint. Documents include, but are not limited to: 

• Legal Agreements
• Waivers
• Insurance Records
• References (landlord and employment)
• Copyrighted Material
• Patents
• Medical Records.

Supply Chains: Assets can be used to provide transparency into the supply chains of different products such as Agricultural Produce, Commodities, Manufactures, and Electrical Components etc. Product certificates include: Organic, Fair Trade, Sustainable, and Quality Assurance, etc. The Asset API can also be used to develop DApps to streamline production processes and prove chain of custody.

No-Code Development

If you would like to explore developing on Nexus, though you don't have any coding skills, then check out bubble.io. Bubble is a leader in the no-code movement, which offers a powerful point-and-click web editor and cloud hosting platform that allows users to build fully customizable web applications and workflows. Non-coders can build low cost DApps with the bubble plugin plugin that connects to the Nexus API. 

Bubble is similar to WIX, though is geared towards building API driven web-apps rather than static pages. If you are familiar with JSON-APIs, you can work directly with the Bubble API connector. It is a powerful tool for anyone eager to build tokenized peer-to-peer asset marketplaces, visual art galleries, music and video streaming platforms, social networks, and many other services, creations, and ideas for the Web3 era

Private Mode Testnet

Nexus provides access to a private-mode testnet, if you would like to test or develop the functionality of Nexus without paying fees. Note, our testnet is not permanently maintained, and you are advised to move your DApp to a private network or the public chain when possible.

Tritium++

Nexus is about to release a huge update which includes a lite node mobile wallet, a P2P API, many additions to the API, and hybrid mode that provides tools to developers to create individual networks.