Why Aragon?
Setting up a DAO involves making many important choices, each shaping the final form of the DAO. Today, we have many platforms that make creating a DAO easier compared to building one from scratch. Among these, we've chosen Aragon as it best meets our needs and goals. This page will explain why we made this choice.
Why use a DAO platform in the first place
Building a DAO from scratch is a complex task, mainly due to the lack of widely accepted standards and diverse use cases. It's also a huge responsibility as it involves dealing with numerous technical and security aspects. However, DAO platforms like Aragon help alleviate this burden by providing a well-structured and secure base to build upon.
Reduced complexity
DAO platforms considerably decrease the complexity involved in building a DAO. They provide well-tested templates and pre-configured components, which help streamline the development process. Additionally, these platforms integrate common security measures into their smart contracts, thereby minimizing the risk of security flaws and errors.
Less maintenance
Using a DAO platform results in lower maintenance requirements. Platforms like Aragon not only offer a reliable foundation but also actively maintain and update their codebase. This ongoing support ensures that the DAO operates smoothly and consistently over time, which in turn reduces the number of developers needed to maintain the DAO.
Good code quality/audits
Adopting a well-established DAO platform assures high-quality code that has undergone thorough audits, reinforcing the safety and reliability of the DAO. Moreover, DAO platforms have dedicated teams of full-time developers, ensuring that the underlying code that forms the foundation of your DAO is robust and reliable.
Why Aragon over other DAO platforms?
When embarking on the journey to build a DAO, choosing the right platform is crucial. While a number of DAO platforms exist, such as Aragon (opens in a new tab), Colony (opens in a new tab), DAOStack (opens in a new tab), and XDAO (opens in a new tab), they each come with their unique features and capabilities. However, for the needs of our project, Aragon stood out for several reasons:
Active community and proven track record
An active community and development team not only signify a robust platform but also provide a solid support network for troubleshooting and knowledge sharing. Aragon has an engaged community and an active development team, making it an excellent choice for our project. Furthermore, as of 2021, Aragon managed $900M across 1700 DAOs, indicating its reliability and wide adoption.
Support for custom functionality
One of the key requirements of our project was the ability to extend the functionality of our DAO beyond the built-in features. Aragon's support for custom plugins or modules, facilitated by their Software Development Kit (SDK), allowed us to implement custom features tailored to our specific needs.
Smooth testing experience across multiple networks
Aragon supports various blockchain networks, offering a seamless testing experience. While XDAO supports numerous blockchain networks, it lacks support for sufficient free-to-use testnets, limiting its usefulness for testing purposes.
Conclusion
While other platforms like Colony and DAOStack might seem like viable options, their lack of support for custom functionality made them less suitable for the needs of our project.
Please note that the features and capabilities of these other DAO platforms might have evolved since the start of this project, and it's always recommended to refer to the most recent sources for up-to-date information.
To learn more about how we have utilised Aragon for our project, please visit our Our Aragon Use page.