Polkadot is a Substrate-based layer 0 blockchain and distributed ledger node software. It functions as a multi-chain runtime environment and cross-chain interoperability protocol designed to connect and secure multiple independent blockchain shards through a shared relay chain.
The system utilizes a relay-chain hub architecture to provide shared security and communication for parallel blockchains. It implements cross-chain message passing to route data and value between networks and uses a WebAssembly-based state transition for deterministic execution of blockchain logic.
The software covers blockchain node operation and network infrastructure, including the ability to operate network nodes and simulate local multi-node environments. It also includes capabilities for blockchain performance monitoring by exporting system metrics to external dashboards.
