# Linera Documentation

> Linera is a decentralized protocol designed for highly scalable, low-latency Web3 applications using microchain architecture.

## Protocol

- [The Linera Manual](https://linera.dev/): Introduction to Linera and entry point for developer documentation.
- [Overview](https://linera.dev/protocol/overview.html): How microchains work, what makes Linera real-time and agent-friendly, and comparison to traditional multi-chain protocols.
- [Roadmap](https://linera.dev/protocol/roadmap.html): Technical development roadmap across four testnets (Archimedes, Babbage, Conway) and mainnet.

## Getting Started

- [Getting Started](https://linera.dev/developers/getting_started.html): Entry point for Linera developer documentation.
- [Installation](https://linera.dev/developers/getting_started/installation.html): Install the Linera toolchain from crates.io or GitHub, including system requirements.
- [Hello, Linera](https://linera.dev/developers/getting_started/hello_linera.html): Create a wallet, connect to the testnet or a local network, build and publish your first application.

## Core Concepts

- [Microchains](https://linera.dev/developers/core_concepts/microchains.html): Lightweight single-user blockchains that enable parallel execution, cross-chain messaging, and chain ownership semantics.
- [Wallets](https://linera.dev/developers/core_concepts/wallets.html): Creating developer wallets, selecting wallets, managing chains, and opening multi-user chains.
- [Node Service](https://linera.dev/developers/core_concepts/node_service.html): Running a local node service, GraphiQL IDE, system and application GraphQL APIs, and connecting AI agents via MCP.
- [Applications](https://linera.dev/developers/core_concepts/applications.html): Application deployment lifecycle, anatomy (contract, service, state), operations, messages, and authentication.
- [Common Design Patterns](https://linera.dev/developers/core_concepts/design_patterns.html): Five design patterns using microchains — user-chain apps, client/server, personal chains, temporary chains, and just-in-time oracles.

## Writing Backends

- [Writing Linera Applications](https://linera.dev/developers/backend.html): Guide to building Web3 applications using the Linera SDK with Rust smart contracts and GraphQL services.
- [Creating a Linera Project](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/creating_a_project.html): Initialize a new project with `linera project new` and overview of scaffolded files.
- [Creating the Application State](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/state.html): Define persistent application state using linera-views for on-chain storage.
- [Defining the ABI](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/abi.html): Define the Application Binary Interface with marker structs, contract ABI, and service ABI.
- [Writing the Contract Binary](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/contract.html): Implement the contract lifecycle, handle operations and messages, and declare the ABI.
- [Writing the Service Binary](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/service.html): Implement the read-only service with GraphQL compatibility for querying application state.
- [Deploying the Application](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/deploy.html): Deploy to local networks, devnets, and testnets, then interact with the application.
- [Cross-Chain Messages](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/messages.html): Send and handle messages between microchains, with a fungible token example.
- [Calling other Applications](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/composition.html): Cross-application calls using `call_application`, with a crowd-funding example.
- [Using Data Blobs](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/blobs.html): Store and retrieve large data blobs in Linera applications.
- [Printing Logs from an Application](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/logging.html): Add logging to Linera contracts and services for debugging.
- [Writing Tests](https://linera.dev/developers/backend/testing.html): Unit tests with mock runtime and integration tests with simulated validators using `cargo test`.

## Writing Frontends

- [Writing Linera Application Frontends](https://linera.dev/developers/frontend.html): Build interactive web frontends using Linera's JavaScript API with push notifications.
- [Frontend Architecture Overview](https://linera.dev/developers/frontend/overview.html): How the Rust client library compiles to WebAssembly and wraps with JavaScript APIs via wasm-bindgen.
- [Setting up the Frontend Development Environment](https://linera.dev/developers/frontend/setup.html): Supported browsers, creating HTML pages, serving frontends, and getting the client library.
- [Interacting with Linera](https://linera.dev/developers/frontend/interactivity.html): Import the client library, initialize wallets, communicate with applications, and handle notifications.
- [External Wallets](https://linera.dev/developers/frontend/wallets.html): Integrating external wallet providers like MetaMask and Dynamic via the Signer interface.

## Advanced Topics

- [Advanced Topics](https://linera.dev/developers/advanced_topics.html): Supplementary topics for Linera protocol developers.
- [Contract Finalization](https://linera.dev/developers/advanced_topics/contract_finalize.html): How contract finalization works and when to use it for cleanup operations.
- [Validators](https://linera.dev/developers/advanced_topics/validators.html): Architecture of a validator, including workers, shards, and the consensus process.
- [Creating New Blocks](https://linera.dev/developers/advanced_topics/block_creation.html): How blocks are created, proposed, and confirmed across microchains.
- [Applications that Handle Assets](https://linera.dev/developers/advanced_topics/assets.html): Safely handle assets on temporary chains with ownership, permissions, and chain closure.

## Experimental

- [Experimental Topics](https://linera.dev/developers/experimental.html): Experimental features unavailable on testnet that require compiling from source with specific Cargo features.
- [Machine Learning on Linera](https://linera.dev/developers/experimental/ml.html): Run ML models on the edge using the contract/service split for secure and efficient inference.
- [Using EVM Smart Contracts on Linera](https://linera.dev/developers/experimental/ethereum.html): Run Ethereum Virtual Machine smart contracts within Linera microchains using Revm integration.

## Operators

- [Node Operators (moved)](https://linera.dev/operators.html): Validator deployment docs have moved to <https://docs.infra.linera.net/>; deployment artifacts live at <https://github.com/linera-io/linera-artifacts>.

## Appendix

- [Glossary](https://linera.dev/appendix/glossary.html): Definitions of 50+ technical terms including microchain, validator, view, epoch, certificate, and more.

## API Reference

- [Linera SDK (docs.rs)](https://docs.rs/linera-sdk/latest/linera_sdk/): Rust API reference for the Linera SDK crate — contracts, services, views, and runtime.
- [Linera Views (docs.rs)](https://docs.rs/linera-views/latest/linera_views/): Rust API reference for linera-views — persistent storage with MapView, CollectionView, and more.

## GitHub Repositories

- [linera-protocol](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol): Main Linera protocol repository — validator, client, SDK, views, and example applications.
- [linera-agents](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents): AI agent skills for building on Linera and trading on Linera prediction markets.
- [mcp-demo](https://github.com/linera-io/mcp-demo): Demo MCP server connecting Claude to a Linera counter application via GraphQL.
- [linera-web](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-web): The Linera Web client for browser-based chain interaction.
- [pm-app](https://github.com/linera-io/pm-app): Prediction market demo app — parimutuel contracts, fungible tokens, faucet, and oracle.

## Example Applications

- [Counter](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/counter): Minimal counter application demonstrating basic Linera SDK usage.
- [Fungible Token](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/fungible): ERC-20-style fungible token with cross-chain transfers.
- [Crowd Funding](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/crowd-funding): Campaign-based crowd funding with cross-application calls to fungible tokens.
- [Social](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/social): Social media application with posts and subscriptions across microchains.
- [AMM](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/amm): Automated market maker for token swaps.
- [Matching Engine](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/matching-engine): Order book matching engine for trading.
- [Non-Fungible Token](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/non-fungible): NFT application with minting and transfers.
- [LLM](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/llm): On-chain LLM inference example.
- [Agent](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/agent): AI agent integration example.
- [Ethereum Tracker](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/ethereum-tracker): Track Ethereum state from within Linera.
- [Hex Game](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-protocol/tree/main/examples/hex-game): Two-player hex board game on microchains.

## AI Agent Skills

- [Linera Dev Skill](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-dev/SKILL.md): AI assistant skill for building Linera applications — SDK, views, cross-chain messaging, GraphQL, MCP, testing, and deployment.
- [Linera Markets Skill](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-markets/SKILL.md): AI assistant skill for interacting with Linera prediction markets — market queries, placing predictions, P&L tracking, and automated trading strategies.

## AI Agent Skill References

- [Cross-Chain Messaging Guide](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-dev/cross-chain-messaging.md): Advanced cross-chain messaging patterns for Linera applications.
- [Deployment Guide](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-dev/deployment-guide.md): Testnet and production deployment guide for Linera applications.
- [Linera Views Guide](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-dev/linera-views-guide.md): Storage patterns and view types for persistent state.
- [MCP Integration Guide](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-dev/mcp-integration.md): Full MCP setup guide for connecting AI agents to Linera.
- [Testing Patterns](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-dev/testing-patterns.md): Unit and integration testing patterns for Linera applications.
- [API Examples](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-markets/references/api-examples.md): Full GraphQL query and mutation examples with sample responses for prediction markets.
- [Faucet Claim Recipe](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-markets/references/faucet-claim-recipe.md): Step-by-step recipe for claiming tokens from the Linera faucet.
- [RocksDB Locking Patterns](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-markets/references/rocksdb-locking.md): Workarounds for RocksDB single-process locking in multi-wallet setups.
- [Resolution Timing](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-markets/references/resolution-timing.md): Market resolution timing, oracle delay, and generation lifecycle.
- [Multi-Wallet Setup](https://github.com/linera-io/linera-agents/blob/main/skills/linera-markets/references/multi-wallet-setup.md): Running multiple Linera wallets and environments on one machine.

## Community Demos

- [Atoma Demo](https://github.com/linera-io/atoma-demo): Linera application demonstrating interaction with Atoma Network.
- [Walrus Demo](https://github.com/linera-io/walrus-demo): Linera application demonstrating interaction with Walrus decentralized storage.
- [DePIN Map-Reduce Demo](https://github.com/linera-io/depin-map-reduce-demo): Map-reduce computation across microchains example.
- [Buildathon Template](https://github.com/linera-io/buildathon-template): Dockerized application template for Linera buildathon submissions.