All-In-One Polkadot App Is Here!

For developers and users on the Polkadot blockchain, the challenge of runtime upgrades is a well-known hurdle. These upgrades, crucial for network evolution and security, often disrupt the functionality of Polkadot and parachain applications.

With the Universal Polkadot app, designed to seamlessly manage all parachains and the relay chain, minimizing disruptions typically caused by runtime upgrades. This app aims to unify the ecosystem within a single application, combining new functionalities with uncompromised security.

The need for a Universal Polkadot app arised from the chain's frequent runtime upgrades. These upgrades require not only development work but also rigorous testing and security audits. Since these upgrades can impact parachains, their associated Ledger apps also need updates, resulting in significant costs and delays for the affected parachains.

The Universal Polkadot app for Ledger is set to revolutionize how users interact with the Polkadot ecosystem. By integrating all parachains into a single app, Zondax, Parity, and Alzymologist are addressing one of the key pain points for Polkadot users: the complexity of managing multiple parachain assets across different apps.

1. Unified Access: The app will allow users to access all their parachain assets in one place, streamlining the user experience and reducing the need for multiple apps.

2. Enhanced Security: As always, Ledger provides top-notch security for cryptocurrency assets. This app will leverage Ledger’s security features, ensuring that users’ assets are protected against potential threats.

3. Seamless User Experience: The integration of all parachains into a single app means that users can manage their assets more efficiently, with fewer steps and less hassle.

This project is a result of the collaborative efforts of three major players in the blockchain space:

• Zondax: Known for its expertise in developing secure and efficient blockchain applications.

• Parity: The leading technical contributor to Polkadot

• Alzymologist: A rising star in blockchain technology, contributing innovative solutions to enhance the app’s functionality.

The Universal Polkadot app for Ledger is scheduled for release during Polkadot's next runtime upgrade (around July 1st). This timing ensures that the app will be fully compatible with the latest features and improvements in the Polkadot network, providing users with the best possible experience right from the start.

For Polkadot users, this app represents a significant step forward in usability and convenience. No longer will you need to juggle multiple apps to manage your parachain assets. With the Universal Polkadot app for Ledger, everything you need is in one place, securely stored on your Ledger device.

Every parachain team that wants to support this functionality has to do three things:

1. Be compatible at least with Polkadot-SDK v1.1.0 which is the first version of the Polkadot-SDK monorepo. This is because a new crate has been backported 1 to that version that you will need.

2. You need to add a new SignedExtension to your runtimes. The guide and PR linked above provide the needed details to see what changes are needed.

3. You need to make sure your runtime supports metadata v15.

This is an exciting development for the Polkadot community, and we can’t wait for you to experience the benefits of this all-in-one app!