Learn NEAR Protocol
Everything you need to understand NEAR, its cutting-edge technology, and how Voidspace helps you find your next build.
What is NEAR Protocol?
OVERVIEWNEAR Protocol is a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain designed for usability and scalability. Often called “The Blockchain for AI,” NEAR combines sub-second transaction finality, human-readable account names (like alice.near), and innovative sharding technology to deliver an experience that feels more like using a traditional web app than a blockchain.
What sets NEAR apart is its focus on chain abstraction — the idea that users shouldn't need to think about which blockchain they're on. With technologies like Intents, Chain Signatures, and Shade Agents, NEAR is building toward a future where one account works seamlessly across every chain.
Why Build on NEAR?
3Performance
Sub-second finality with Nightshade sharding. NEAR processes thousands of transactions per second with negligible fees, making it practical for consumer-scale applications.
Developer Experience
Build with JavaScript or Rust. Human-readable account names (alice.near), familiar development patterns, and comprehensive SDKs make NEAR one of the most accessible L1s for developers.
Ecosystem Support
Active grants program, regular hackathons, and a growing community of builders. The NEAR Foundation actively supports projects aligned with its strategic roadmap.
Key NEAR Technologies
3STRATEGICShade Agents
AIAutonomous AI agents that run in Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). Shade Agents can hold private keys, manage funds, and execute complex strategies — all verifiably and trustlessly on-chain.
Use Cases
- •Autonomous trading bots
- •AI-powered portfolio management
- •Automated DAO operations
- •Intelligent DeFi yield optimization
Intents & Chain Abstraction
UXUsers declare what they want to achieve ("swap 10 NEAR for USDC at the best rate") and a network of solvers competes to fulfill the intent optimally. No manual bridging, no chain switching — one account works everywhere.
Use Cases
- •Cross-chain swaps without bridges
- •Unified portfolio across chains
- •Gas-free user experiences
- •Seamless multi-chain dApp interactions
Chain Signatures
CRYPTOA multi-party computation (MPC) scheme that enables a single NEAR account to sign transactions on any blockchain — Ethereum, Bitcoin, Cosmos, and more. The cryptographic foundation for true chain abstraction.
Use Cases
- •Control Bitcoin from a NEAR account
- •Sign Ethereum transactions from NEAR
- •Build cross-chain dApps natively
- •Unified identity across all chains
How AI Creates Your Void Brief
POWERED BY CLAUDEVoidspace uses Claude AI by Anthropic to generate personalized build plans called Void Briefs. Each brief is tailored to a specific void in the NEAR ecosystem and includes everything you need to start building.
When you request a Void Brief, our system feeds Claude real-time ecosystem data from 6 sources — project registry, DeFiLlama TVL data, GitHub activity, NearBlocks chain metrics, FastNEAR on-chain data, and Pikespeak wallet analytics. This means every brief is grounded in actual ecosystem data, not generic templates.
Problem & Solution
What the void is and how to fill it
Why Now
Market timing and ecosystem readiness
Tech Stack
Frontend, backend, and NEAR-specific requirements
Key Features
Prioritized feature list with must-haves
Next Steps
5 concrete actions for your first week
Funding & Monetization
Grants, revenue models, and build complexity
Free tier includes 3 mission briefs per month. Upgrade for more.
Understanding Voidspace
METRICSVoidspace analyzes the NEAR ecosystem to find underserved voids where new projects can make the biggest impact. Here's how to read the data:
Void Score (0–100)
Measures how deep the void is in a category. Calculated from: capital demand (TVL flow), active project count (how many builders are present), and NEAR priorities. Higher score = deeper void = bigger opportunity.
Void Status
“Open Void” means 0–2 existing projects (massive opportunity). “Closing” means 3–10 builders are moving in. “Filled” means 10+ established players. Open voids with strong signals = best opportunities.
NEAR Priority Categories
NEAR Foundation has designated certain categories (AI & Agents, Privacy, Intents, RWA, Data & Analytics) as strategic priorities. These get boosted Void Scores, reflecting extra grants, support, and ecosystem attention.
Resources
6LINKSReady to Build?
Explore detected voids, generate your AI-powered Void Brief, and find your opportunity in the NEAR ecosystem.