Essential is a declarative Layer-2 blockchain built around the concept of intents. Instead of imperative instructions, users define goals and constraints, while off-chain solvers find the optimal way to achieve them. This approach eliminates redundant on-chain execution, reduces gas costs, and increases predictability. The project includes the Pint language, a system of constraints, its own devnet, and an open specification.
- Why the Declarative Blockchain Essential Is Needed
- How Essential Works: Intents, Solvers, Validation
- Pint and Constraints: Difference from the Imperative Approach
- Devnet, Ecosystem, and Project Funding
- Advantages, Risks, and Development Prospects
Why the Declarative Blockchain Essential Is Needed
Modern blockchains require users to specify each action precisely, which raises the entry barrier and increases the risk of mistakes. Essential offers a different path — users only need to describe the goal, not the process of achieving it. The network itself determines the optimal way to reach that goal, checking all constraints and rules along the way.
The project’s main features explain why its approach stands out:
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Intents — users define their goal and constraints, for example “swap token X for Y at a rate no higher than 1.2.”
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Off-chain solvers — participants of the network that find the best solution within given limitations.
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Constraint engine — a system that checks whether the intent can be fulfilled without violating network rules.
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Solver competition — solvers compete to provide the best result, minimizing losses and MEV.
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Composition of conditions — the ability to combine compatible intents to create new interaction scenarios.
This approach shifts the focus from programming to the result. Users no longer need to understand the mechanics of transactions — they simply set a task, and the network turns it into a specific outcome. This makes blockchain interaction more intuitive and accessible even for newcomers.
How Essential Works: Intents, Solvers, Validation
The Essential architecture was built from scratch to replace traditional execution mechanisms with a logical decision system. Each component has a defined role, and their interaction is based on transferring intents and validating constraints. This structure improves transparency and distributes responsibility between the user, solvers, and the network.
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The user signs an intent with specific conditions.
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The intent is sent to solvers, who find the optimal way to execute it.
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Solutions are aggregated, validated by the network, and included in a block.
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The network state updates, and the user receives the result.
Unlike traditional models where every node executes code line by line, in Essential, nodes verify the correctness of the solution. This significantly reduces network load and speeds up operations.
After execution, the network keeps a transparent activity log, allowing users to analyze processes and trust the outcomes. Thanks to its modular design, solvers can specialize in different tasks — from DeFi to NFTs — ensuring that the network adapts to real-world use cases.
Pint and Constraints: Difference from the Imperative Approach
To implement this new model, Essential uses the Pint language, which replaces step-by-step coding with logical rules. Instead of writing “do step 1, then step 2,” developers describe what the end result should be and under which conditions it’s valid.
It’s worth noting that a declarative model simplifies development and reduces errors since every operation must fully satisfy all constraints.
| Criterion | Imperative Approach (EVM, Solidity) | Declarative Approach (Essential, Pint) |
|---|---|---|
| Logic | Code executes line by line | Conditions and constraints are verified |
| User role | Signs a transaction | Defines a goal with constraints |
| Network role | Executes commands | Validates the correctness of the result |
| Interaction model | Transactions and function calls | Intents and constraint-based solutions |
| Performance | Depends on code complexity | Depends on constraint complexity |
| Predictability | Possible execution errors | Clear rule: “feasible / not feasible” |
This model changes the very principle of blockchain operation. Instead of step-by-step execution, the network verifies outcomes, making transactions predictable and eliminating random errors. As a result, Essential lays the foundation for future Web3 standards, where users interact with networks through goals rather than commands.
Devnet, Ecosystem, and Project Funding
To demonstrate its model, the team launched a pre-alpha devnet where developers test Pint contracts and solvers. The environment serves as an idea lab — testing intent merging, predicate interaction, and conflict handling.
In August 2024, Essential raised $11 million in a Series A round led by Archetype with participation from IOSG, Spartan Group, Amber Group, and Big Brain Holdings. The funds are directed toward tool development, SDK enhancement, and infrastructure scaling.
Beyond technical work, the project actively builds its community through hackathons, Pint workshops, and developing the ERC-7521 standard for intent interoperability between wallets and DApps. All this strengthens Essential’s position as one of the most experimental Web3 infrastructure initiatives.
Advantages, Risks, and Development Prospects
The declarative model offers numerous advantages: transparency, predictability, and execution efficiency. Through solver competition, users get the best possible outcome while the network avoids redundant computation. This approach could become the new standard for DeFi and Telegram-based apps, emphasizing simplicity and safety.
However, there are risks: the complexity of solution algorithms, potential constraint conflicts, and the challenge of convincing developers to transition from Solidity to Pint. The project’s success depends on how effectively the team addresses these issues and delivers real-world adoption.
If Essential proves its architecture in practice, it could become the foundation of a new wave of intent-based blockchains, where users interact with the network on the level of goals rather than code.
