When discussing Chainbase, many people compare it to The Graph. Both belong to the 'data indexing' track, but there are significant differences in essence.
The Graph is positioned as 'Google for Web3', emphasizing the structuring of on-chain data through the subgraph mechanism. Its advantage lies in its early launch and a wide range of ecological applications. However, the problem is that deploying a subgraph requires developers to write and maintain it, which still poses a high barrier, and the data is mostly 'static indexing', with limited real-time capabilities.
Chainbase, on the other hand, has taken a different path. It does not rely on developers to write subgraphs, but rather unifies abstraction through the Manuscript framework, directly converting complex data into SQL queries. This significantly lowers the barrier for developers. More importantly, it provides real-time data streams that can support AI and high-frequency applications.
From a strategic positioning perspective, The Graph resembles a search engine, while Chainbase is more like an AI-ready data operating system. One solves 'how to find data', while the other addresses 'how to make data usable'. This is the fundamental difference between the two.
With the rise of AI and AgentFi, real-time capability and verifiability will be more important than 'searchability'. Chainbase has a natural advantage in this regard, which is also the confidence that allows it to catch up later.
