Decentralized Applications (dApps): A Short Primer

Abstract

This discussion paper offers a short primer on decentralized applications (dApps), which share a utility function similar to computer system applications but are hosted in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, insofar as they pertain to the growth of blockchain technologies. The primer suggests that substantial development of dApps is likely to occur in the next few years, but that the durable appeal of most of these dApps is questionable in the longer-term.