landing.md
1 --- 2 title: Introduction to Waku 3 hide_table_of_contents: true 4 slug: / 5 displayed_sidebar: null 6 --- 7 8 Waku is a family of robust, censorship-resistant, peer-to-peer communication protocols that enable privacy-focused messaging for Web3 applications, allowing you to integrate decentralised communication features into your dApp without compromising security or privacy. 9 10 <div class="cta-buttons"> 11 <a href="/build/javascript/" class="button button--primary">Start Building</a> 12 <a href="/run-node/" class="button button--primary">Run a Node</a> 13 <a href="/learn/" class="button button--primary">Learn More</a> 14 </div> 15 16 17 18 <div class="video-container"> 19 <iframe class="yt-video" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nIWx5Vp_Qxk" title="Waku Tutorial 001: Introduction to Waku" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> 20 </div> 21 22 :::tip 23 Check out our [Learn section](/learn/), [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@wakuorg), and [Blog](https://blog.waku.org/) to dive into how Waku works behind the scenes! 24 ::: 25 26 ## What isn’t Waku? 27 28 - Waku is not a blockchain but a network composed of protocols designed for Web3 communication, operating without the need for gas fees. 29 - Waku is not just for messaging applications; it supports the development of complex applications that require secure and private data transmission. 30 - Waku is not a long-term data storage network; it focuses on short, ephemeral, real-time messaging. 31 32 ## What can Waku be used for? 33 34 1. **Chat Messengers**: Waku can be used to build private, decentralised chat apps resistant to censorship. 35 2. **Voting and Proposals**: Exchange votes on proposals off-chain via Waku to save gas fees, then submit aggregated results to the blockchain. 36 3. **NFT Marketplaces**: Use Waku to handle off-chain NFT bids and offers for gas savings, and to integrate social interactions like likes and comments. 37 4. **State Channels**: Establish and maintain state channels with Waku, facilitating seamless message exchanges and updates without blockchain interaction. 38 5. **Signature Exchange for Multi-Signature Wallets**: Allow multi-signature wallet owners to exchange signatures privately and securely through Waku. 39 6. **Game Mechanics Communication**: Implement Waku as a communication layer for decentralised, peer-to-peer gaming, avoiding centralised infrastructure. 40 7. **Layer 2 Coordination (Open Market, Spam Protected Mempool)**: Broadcast and aggregate Layer 2 transactions via Waku to enhance privacy and scalability, reducing network load. 41 8. **Social Media Platforms**: Beyond chat messengers, use Waku for decentralised, censorship-resistant social media platforms like news feeds and multimedia sharing. 42 43 :::tip 44 Looking for what to build with Waku? Discover a collection of sample ideas and use cases for inspiration, curated by our community at: [https://ideas.waku.org/](https://ideas.waku.org/) and [Awesome Waku](https://github.com/waku-org/awesome-waku/). 45 ::: 46 47 ## Case studies 48 49 <div class="case-study-container"> 50 <a href="https://blog.waku.org/2024-05-13-the-graph-case-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="/img/graph-use-case.jpeg" /></a> 51 <a href="https://blog.waku.org/2024-04-26-railgun-case-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="/img/railgun-use-case.jpeg" /></a> 52 </div>