Apillon Wiki

Web3 Cloud Functions

Introduction

Apillon's Cloud Function service provides developers with the ability to deploy decentralized computing tasks across a distributed network of mobile devices. This ensures that applications and scripts can run in a secure, unstoppable manner, avoiding reliance on centralized infrastructure. By utilizing Acurast's decentralized compute architecture, Apillon offers an alternative to traditional cloud services, ensuring privacy, resilience, and global scalability.

What is Acurast?

Acurast is a decentralized, serverless cloud framework that separates the layers of cloud infrastructure into distinct components: consensus, execution, and application. By using mobile devices as decentralized processors, Acurast enables verifiable and confidential computations. This design allows developers to deploy applications without needing to rely on centralized systems, ensuring privacy and data verifiability throughout the entire process.

Through Acurast, developers can run decentralized applications (dApps) that interact seamlessly with both Web3 and Web2 systems. Acurast matches computational jobs to a network of processors using its consensus layer, ensuring secure and efficient task execution. Learn moreopen in new window.

Core Features of Apillon's Cloud Function Service

  1. Script Deployment and Execution Apillon Cloud Functions offer developers a familiar environment similar to centralized cloud providers like AWS or Google Cloud. Developers can deploy scripts (e.g., JavaScript or Node.js) as on-demand functions or long-running tasks. These scripts can handle tasks like calling APIs or hosting continuous services such as Discord bots. Apillon also supports scheduled executions through cron expressions, enabling automatic execution without manual intervention.

  2. Decentralized, Verifiable Compute Apillon leverages Acurast’s execution layer, which includes both the Acurast Secure Hardware Runtime (ASHR) and Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP)-based runtimes. This setup allows for secure, tamper-proof execution of sensitive computations. Developers can store secrets like API keys or wallet private keys in encrypted environments, which are used as part of their cloud function deployments without the risk of exposure.

  3. Unstoppable Application Execution Apillon ensures that once a cloud function is deployed on the decentralized network, it remains unstoppable by any central authority. By distributing the execution across multiple processors, Apillon guarantees that a single point of failure cannot disrupt the task. This makes Apillon especially suitable for decentralized applications (dApps) that require continuous, reliable execution.

  4. Cross-Chain and Web3 Integration The Cloud Function service integrates smoothly with various blockchain ecosystems, including Ethereum, Tezos, and others. Developers can specify where the results of their computations are delivered, whether to a blockchain or a Web2 system. This cross-chain functionality allows Web3 developers to build highly interoperable, decentralized applications.

How It Works

  1. Cloud Function Creation: Developers can create cloud functions via Apillon by providing parameters like the function name, description, and project UUID. This is done either through a simple API call or through Apillon’s developer console. Once created, the cloud function is registered on the decentralized network and ready to be executed on available processors.

  2. Job Creation and Matching: After creating a cloud function, developers define specific tasks or jobs. These jobs include parameters like memory usage, storage needs, and scheduling details. Once a job is created, Acurast’s consensus layer matches it with appropriate processors based on their capabilities and reputation. Apillon automates aspects of job creation, such as uploading and pinning the script file to IPFS. Apillon also monitors job status, ensuring it is successfully matched with a processor, simplifying the entire deployment process.

  3. Job Execution: Once matched, processors execute the jobs within Acurast’s secure hardware or ZKP-based runtimes. Apillon provides a dedicated API gateway for developers to trigger job executions, making it easy to initiate compute tasks just like with centralized cloud services. This seamless access eliminates the need for direct interaction with Acurast’s underlying infrastructure.

  4. Environment Management: Developers can set up and manage runtime environments by defining environment variables, which are fully encrypted and securely handled by Apillon. If a new job is deployed under the same cloud function, Apillon automatically transfers the environment variables, ensuring continuity in execution without manual intervention.

  5. Execution Control and Monitoring: Apillon offers real-time monitoring and execution control. Developers can track usage statistics, success rates, and deployment health through a dashboard. In the case of processor failure, Apillon’s health check mechanism automatically redeploys jobs to new processors, ensuring continuous execution without downtime.

  6. Job Versioning: Apillon supports versioning, allowing developers to maintain multiple versions of their cloud functions. They can switch between versions or roll back to previous versions without disrupting the API endpoint. This ensures flexibility in managing application updates.

  7. Load Balancing: Apillon implements a load balancing mechanism that distributes jobs across multiple processors. If a processor becomes overloaded or inaccessible, Apillon automatically switches to an alternative processor, ensuring uninterrupted service and optimal performance.

Conclusion

Apillon’s Cloud Function service provides a groundbreaking solution for developers seeking decentralized computing. By leveraging mobile devices and Acurast’s secure, verifiable compute architecture, Apillon allows developers to deploy unstoppable, cross-chain applications in a simple, seamless manner. Key benefits include easy integration with Web3 platforms, real-time monitoring, environment management, job versioning, and load balancing—all ensuring a reliable, privacy-focused, and scalable solution for decentralized computing.