near

Near is a common English word used to indicate proximity in space or time. As an adjective, it describes something that is close in distance or relationship (the near corner, a near victory). As an adverb, it modifies verbs to express proximity (the store is near). The word also appears in phrases such as near future or near miss. Its comparative and superlative forms are nearer and nearest.

Near Protocol is a blockchain platform designed for scalable, user-friendly decentralized applications. It is developed by the NEAR Collective, with the mainnet launching in 2020. The network employs a sharded proof-of-stake architecture called Nightshade, along with a finality gadget named Doomslug, to improve throughput and responsiveness. NEAR aims to provide a developer- and user-friendly experience, featuring human-readable account IDs, fast transaction confirmations, and relatively low fees.

Developers can write smart contracts in Rust or AssemblyScript, which compile to WebAssembly. Applications run on a network of validators that stake NEAR tokens to participate in consensus. The native token, NEAR, serves multiple roles, including staking rewards, transaction fees, and participation in network governance. The NEAR ecosystem includes developer tools, software development kits, wallets, and Explorer, as well as bridges to other chains, such as the Ethereum network through the Rainbow Bridge.

In broader use, near denotes proximity in ordinary language and may appear in place names, personal names, or various product and project titles. The term remains common across discussions of distance, time, and digital networks.