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# What is Dash Platform

Dash Platform is a [Web3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web3) technology stack for building decentralized applications on the Dash network. The two main architectural components, [Drive](../explanations/drive.md) and [DAPI](../explanations/dapi.md), turn the Dash P2P network into a cloud that developers can integrate with their applications.

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## Key Advantages

### Decentralized Cloud Storage

Store your application data in the safest place on the Internet. All data stored on the Dash network is protected by Dash's consensus algorithm, ensuring data integrity and availability.

### Reduced Data Silos

Because your application data is stored across many nodes on the Dash network, it is safe and always available for customers, business partners, and investors.

### Client Libraries

Write code and integrate with Dash Platform using the languages that matter to your business. Don't worry about understanding blockchain infrastructure: a growing number of client libraries abstract away the complexity typically associated with working on blockchain-based networks.

### Instant Data Confirmation

Unlike many blockchain-based networks, data stored on the platform is instantly confirmed by the Dash consensus algorithm to ensure the best user experience for users. With Dash Platform, you can gain the advantages of a blockchain-based storage network without the usual UX compromises.

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```

## Key Components

### DAPI - A decentralized API

DAPI is a _decentralized_ HTTP API exposing [JSON-RPC](https://www.jsonrpc.org/) and [gRPC](https://grpc.io/) endpoints. Through these endpoints, developers can send and retrieve application data and query the Dash blockchain.

DAPI provides developers the same access and security as running their own Dash node without the cost and maintenance overhead. Unlike traditional APIs which have a single point of failure, DAPI allows clients to connect to different instances depending on resource availability in the Dash network.

Developers can connect to DAPI directly or use a client library. This initial client library, dapi-client, is a relatively simple API wrapper developed by Dash Core Group to provide function calls to the DAPI endpoints.

The source for both DAPI and dapi-client are available on GitHub:

- DAPI: <https://github.com/dashpay/platform/tree/master/packages/dapi>
- DAPI-Client: <https://github.com/dashpay/platform/tree/master/packages/js-dapi-client>

### Drive - Decentralized Storage

Drive is Dash Platform's storage component, allowing for consensus-based verification and validation of user-created data. In order for this to occur, developers create a [data contract](../explanations/platform-protocol-data-contract.md). This data contract describes the data structures that comprise an application, similar to creating a schema for a document-oriented database like MongoDB.

Data created by users of the application is validated and verified against this contract. Upon successful validation/verification, application data is submitted to Drive (via DAPI), where it is stored on the masternode network. Drive uses Dash's purpose-built database, [GroveDB](https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb/), to provide efficient proofs with query responses, so you don't have to trust the API provider to be certain your data is authentic.

The source is available on GitHub:

- Drive: <https://github.com/dashpay/platform/tree/master/packages/rs-drive>