Networks / TON / GRAM
TON
A sharded blockchain of workchains and shardchains with asynchronous smart contracts, integrated with Telegram.
THE OVERVIEW
What TON does
TON presents itself to applications as if it were a single server executing all code, while its internals are sharded. Accounts live in workchains, each a blockchain with its own rules and account space. There are currently two: the basechain for ordinary use and the masterchain for internal bookkeeping. Each workchain is split into shards whose number adjusts dynamically to network load, and every shard is implemented as a separate blockchain. [1]
Smart contracts on TON communicate by asynchronous messages rather than synchronous calls. An internal message can only be sent by another contract executing code, a contract cannot call another contract’s get methods, and a single logical operation can span several blocks. The documentation describes this as a deliberate limit on the complexity of atomic computation that aids scalability. [2]
Execution happens in the TON Virtual Machine, which runs contract bitcode and deducts fees as it goes. Contract developers estimate compute fees in gas units, forward fees for messages and storage fees that are deducted from a contract’s balance over time, so contracts are expected to hold a reserve. [3]
IN PRACTICE
What people use it for
Deploy asynchronous contracts
Design contract logic around messages exchanged between accounts, with results arriving over subsequent blocks. [2]
Reach Telegram users
Telegram apps use TON Connect to access a wallet integrated into Telegram. [1]
Budget for fees
Account for compute, forward and storage fees when funding a contract. [3]
UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY
Key concepts
Workchains and shards
Workchains define account spaces; shards split each one dynamically, and each shard is its own blockchain. [2]
Actor model
Each contract processes incoming messages in turn and sends messages of its own instead of calling other contracts directly. [2]
TVM fees
Compute is priced in gas whose cost is set by blockchain configuration; storage fees accrue against contract balances. [3]
MARKET CONTEXT
GRAM market
$1.50-3.39% 24hPrice history, market data and signal →FOLLOW THE STORY
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Official resources & sources
Dextape explanations based on the primary documentation below.