Web3 is about decentralization and freedom. But let's be honest - if data is sometimes slow to move across the web, and then all this ideology means little.
Imagine you have a Ferrari... but you're stuck in traffic. That's what happens when peer-to-peer systems can't move data efficiently.
In decentralized systems, nodes communicate directly with each other - no central boss. This is a good thing, but it's also chaotic. Each piece of data has to be passed around, and not infrequently multiple times. If one piece gets lost, you’re stuck waiting, re-requesting, wasting bandwidth, wasting time.
The more nodes and data, the messier it gets. Like trying to crowdsource a pizza delivery using walkie-talkies.
Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC) flips the whole idea of data transfer on its head. It doesn’t just send pieces of data — it mixes them. Think of it like Tetris: instead of waiting for the exact block you need, RLNC throws you combo blocks. With just a few of them, you can rebuild the full line.
You don’t need all the original ingredients if you can taste a few different dishes and reverse-engineer the recipe. RLNC works the same way — it sends combined “flavors” of data that, together, are enough to reconstruct the original.
Web3 apps rely on fragmented, distributed nodes. RLNC is like giving them all a common language and better memory.
It helps:
Reduce redundancy – no more resending the same chunk ten times.
Speed up delivery – nodes don’t need to wait for specific parts.
Improve reliability – losing packets doesn’t break the process.
Save resources – less traffic, less energy burned.
With traditional methods, if one segment is missing, playback pauses. With RLNC, you just keep receiving mixed chunks until the full video reconstructs itself on your device. Smooth. Seamless. Smarter.
Feature | Traditional Forwarding (Gossip) | IPFS / BitTorrent | RLNC (Random Linear Network Coding) |
|---|---|---|---|
Redundancy | High (lots of duplicate data) | Moderate | Low (coded packets carry more info) |
Packet Loss Handling | Poor (requires re-request) | Partial (needs retry) | Excellent (can reconstruct from mixes) |
Scalability with Nodes | Poor (more nodes = more chaos) | Moderate | Excellent (more nodes = more options) |
Bandwidth Efficiency | Low | Moderate | High |
Latency (Speed of Delivery) | High latency | Medium | Low latency |
Energy Consumption | High | Moderate | Low |
Application Layer Integration | Difficult | Requires specific tools | Transparent (works at network layer) |
Deployment | Easy | Moderate | Easy (no need to change the app layer) |
Optimum is building exactly that — a network-layer solution that brings RLNC into Web3 infrastructure. Their protocol doesn’t need to reinvent everything. It just makes existing networks actually usable under real pressure.
It’s like upgrading your peer-to-peer pizza delivery system with drones that carry combo ingredients — and everyone still ends up fed.
Alex44
