Interchain Security is the Cosmos Hub's restaking product, allowing anyone to launch a Cosmos chain secured by the staked ATOM and validator set of the Cosmos Hub. Validators opting in to validate consumer chains can earn rewards for them and their delegators.
This website, Forge, is the user interface for Interchain Security. It allows ATOM holders to see which validators are opted in to validate any consumer chain, see the validator's relative reward rates, and switch their delegation if desired.
Forge is also the place to consolidate information about your chain, and showcase it to the community of ATOM holders and users. Forge features chain descriptions and links, along with customizable widgets that can be used to direct users to your chain's apps and promotions.
Create your chain
Cosmos chains are built using the Cosmos SDK. This is a powerful framework that allows you to build your own blockchain, while customizing application logic, performance, and consensus. Here are some resources to get you started:
- Use the Spawn CLI tool to create a Cosmos chain
- Use Cosmos SDK to build applications.
Populate your forge.json
The forge.json file is used to configure your chain listing on Forge. It is a JSON file that contains information about your chain, such as its name, description, and links. This file must be served from a public URL, which Forge reads from to populate your chain's listing. The easiest way is to put it in the root of your Github repository, but it could also be served from your website, or anywhere else.
Example forge.json:
{
"display": {
"name": "MySpace",
"description": "MySpace on the blockchain is a revolutionary social network that reimagines the way we connect, share, and engage online...",
"links": {
"logo": "https://example.com/myspace-logo.png",
"discord": "https://discord.gg/myspace",
"email": "[email protected]",
"github": "https://github.com/myspace-network",
"telegram": "https://t.me/myspace",
"twitter": "https://twitter.com/myspace",
"website": "https://myspace.network",
"whitepaper": "https://myspace.network/whitepaper.pdf"
},
"widget": {
"title": "Create your own space on the blockchain",
"description": "Create your profile, share your thoughts, and connect with friends on the blockchain.",
"buttonText": "Create your space",
"buttonUrl": "https://myspace.network/create"
}
}
}
List your chain
You can preview your chain listing by pasting the link to your forge.json file (if hosted on Github it might look like https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jtremback/MySpace/refs/heads/main/myspace_forge.json) into the input field below. The preview will also let you create a consumer chain on the Cosmos Hub, in pre-launch stage. In the pre-launch stage, validators can opt in, but will not yet start the chain.
Next steps
When your chain is first created, it will have no validators opted in. At this stage, it will not be shown on the list of chains, and direct links to the chain listing will display a warning. This is a spam prevention measure. Validators can opt in to show support for your chain and get it to show on the list of chains, but the chain will still not be running in testnet or mainnet modes.
To build a validator set and move your chain into testnet and mainnet modes, please get in touch with the Cosmos Hub support team to be guided through the process, or email [email protected].