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On-Chain Governance

Polkadot's on-chain governance system, OpenGov, enables decentralized decision-making across the network. It empowers stakeholders to propose, vote on, and enact changes with transparency and efficiency. This system ensures that governance is both flexible and inclusive, allowing developers to integrate custom governance solutions and mechanisms within the network. Understanding how OpenGov functions is crucial for anyone looking to engage with Polkadot’s decentralized ecosystem, whether you’re proposing upgrades, managing referenda, or exploring voting structures.

At the core of Polkadot’s governance system are three key pallets: Preimage, Referenda, and Conviction Voting. These components enable flexible, decentralized decision-making, providing developers with the tools to create tailored governance solutions. This modular approach ensures governance remains dynamic, secure, and adaptable, fostering deeper participation and alignment with the network’s goals. By leveraging these pallets, developers can build custom governance models that shape the evolution of the Polkadot ecosystem.

Start Building Governance Solutions

To develop solutions related to Polkadot's governance system, it’s essential to understand three key pallets:

  • Preimage - stores and manages the content or the detailed information of a referendum proposal before it is voted on
  • Referenda - manages the lifecycle of a referendum, including proposal submission, voting, and execution. Once a referendum is proposed and voted on, it can be enacted if it passes the required threshold
  • Conviction Voting - manages the voting power based on the "conviction" or commitment of voters, providing a more flexible and nuanced voting mechanism

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