Algorand has achieved a significant performance boost in its latest protocol upgrade, which is now live on Mainnet. The update has resulted in a reduction of block time to approximately 3.3 seconds, representing a speed increase of more than 10%. This enhanced speed has been achieved without sacrificing the ability to provide instant transaction finality, which is a unique feature of Algorand.
The latest protocol upgrade also comes with other performance enhancements that enable Algorand-built applications to deliver a user experience similar to that of traditional Web2 applications, while leveraging the inherent security and decentralization of blockchain technology.
The release has incorporated valuable feedback from the developer community to ensure that Algorand-based application development is faster, more accessible, and cost-efficient. Among the latest products and enhancements available to Algorand builders are Simulate, a simulator for smart contracts, new developer capabilities like group resource sharing for application calls, and Conduit, a tool for flexible and lightweight data access. These technologies will allow developers to test rigorously, identify issues, and rectify them before deploying to Mainnet, while also ensuring that they have easy access to their specific data requirements in an affordable manner.