The Graph (GRT) is an indexing protocol that aims to facilitate data querying for networks such as Ethereum and IPFS. It is designed to power numerous applications in the DeFi and broader Web3 ecosystem. The Graph allows anyone to build and publish open APIs, known as subgraphs, which applications can query using GraphQL to retrieve blockchain data. The Graph currently supports indexing data from Ethereum, IPFS, and POA, with the intention to include more networks. The Graph has a global community, including over 200 Indexer Nodes in the testnet and more than 2,000 Curators in the Curator Program.

The Graph operates by using Graph Token (GRT), a work token that is locked up by Indexers, Curators, and Delegators to provide indexing and curating services to the network. GRT is an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain, used to allocate resources in the network. Active Indexers, Curators, and Delegators may receive compensation from the network proportional to the amount of work they perform and their GRT stake. Indexers are compensated with indexing rewards and query fees, while Curators receive a portion of query fees for the subgraphs they signal on. Delegators receive a portion of the compensation received by the Indexer they delegate to.

The Graph aims to bring reliable decentralized public infrastructure to the mainstream market. It is designed to ensure the economic security of The Graph Network and the integrity of data being queried. The Graph can be used by developers to build and publish open APIs, called subgraphs, that applications can query to retrieve blockchain data. This eliminates the need for third-party facilitators, making it easier for developers to get started building on The Graph. The Graph has been used by thousands of developers for DApps like Uniswap, Synthetix, Aragon, AAVE, Gnosis, Balancer, Livepeer, DAOstack, Decentraland, and many others.

The Graph was founded by Yaniv Tal (project lead), Brandon Ramirez (research lead), and Jannis Pohlmann (tech lead). The founders have engineering backgrounds and have worked together for 5-8 years. Tal and Ramirez studied electrical engineering at USC and worked together at MuleSoft, an API developer tools company that underwent an IPO and sold to SalesForce. They previously co-founded a developer tools startup together and have spent a significant portion of their careers working to optimize the API stack. The Graph was born from this vision to create immutable APIs and data access, using the GraphQL query language. To support network development, The Graph received contributions from community members, strategic VCs, and influential individuals in the blockchain community.