Providing a better and more efficient blockchain is the sole aim of newer blockchain-based projects and protocols. If you’re an avid crypto enthusiast, projects like Harmony One that focus on improving efficiency should not be new to you.
Harmony is an open blockchain network that uses the Effective Proof of Stake consensus mechanism and a Sharding technology to achieve scalability. Therefore, it has a highly scalable and extremely fast transaction throughput.
Harmony has become one of the most popular protocols that provide a solution to the blockchain trilemma of decentralization, scalability, and security.
Adding Harmony network to Metamask is as simple as adding other networks to the wallet. However, since it has different shards, you must note some important details before adding Harmony to Metamask.
Nonetheless, the article will guide you through the basics of Harmony blockchain, its sharding technology, and how to add the network to your Metamask wallet.
Harmony Blockchain
Launched in 2019, Harmony is a special type of decentralized layer one blockchain that uses a special PoS technology called Sharding to achieve unrivaled scalability.
Sharding allows partitioning in order to share the network load between participants, including delegators, validators, and users.
Apart from its scalability, Harmony effectively solves the blockchain trilemma since it is based on a highly secured Ethereum blockchain and is decentralized.
Another important feature contributing to the high efficiency of this blockchain is its Effective Proof of Stake consensus mechanism. This enables the network to provide an effectively trustless and scalable ecosystem.
The consensus mechanism works closely with regular Proof of Stake, allowing validators to attest and add new blocks in a decentralized way.
Harmony also has a cross-chain finance model that enables seamless asset transfer between popular EVM-compatible blockchains and the Bitcoin blockchain. Meanwhile, this also allows for interoperability across different blockchain networks.
The network has a native token, the $ONE token, that controls decision-making activities within its ecosystem. It is also useful for paying transaction fees and staking to earn yield rewards. You can store your $ONE token in EVM-compatible wallets, including Metamask or Coinbase wallets.
Sharding and Proof of Stake in Harmony
Sharding is a type of partitioning technique used in PoS blockchains to improve scalability. This breaks down the whole network into smaller independent partitions called SHARDS. Sharding also provides increased security and decentralization.
Harmony comprises four shards that work in tandem with each other. Therefore, any Harmony user can choose the shard they’d like to work with.
Shard enables the distribution of workloads, including validation, blockchain creation, staking, or transacting on the network. Therefore, validators don’t need to worry about maintaining transaction history on the whole blockchain.
Sharding is one side of Harmony’s innovative features. The Effective Proof of Stake mechanism, similar to regular PoS, is the other.
Like in regular PoS, the Effective PoS of Harmony blockchain allows validators to stake the native token, ONE, in order to add and attest blocks or run a node.
However, unlike in regular PoS, this mechanism features the delegators. When people do not have enough technical know-how or financial capacity to stake ONE token enough to run a node, they stake their token to a validator as a DELEGATE. As a result, they will earn a meager incentive from the transaction fee once the validator adds or attest a block.
Another difference is that there is a limit to what a validator can stake in EPoS. Validators may get penalized or earn lower rewards for staking excess ONE tokens. This way, the network distributes its power evenly among validators.
The main unique, innovative features of Harmony include:
- Highly scalable framework
- Secure sharding
- Effective Proof of Stake consensus mechanism
- Cross-chain transaction
- EVM Compatibility
- Asynchronous Cross-Shard Transactions
Ways to Connect Harmony to Metamask Wallet
You can add the Harmony network to your Metamask wallet in many ways.
The first and most simple one is using Chainlist.org. Navigate to the website and look for Harmony network.
Ensure you connect your wallet before adding the network to your Metamask. Accept the Metamask prompt that pops up to successfully apply the changes.
Alternatively, you can manually add the network profile to your Metamask wallet. Open your Metamask network list and click on ADD NETWORK.
Input Harmony’s network details and tap SAVE.
Here’s a list of ways how to add Harmony to your Metamask wallet:
1. Using Chainlist.org
Chainlist is a third-party website that allows you to connect to several Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) networks. The website has an intuitive interface with a SEARCH filter to choose from more than 205 supported EVM-compatible networks and testnets.
To use Chainlist:
1. Connect your wallet
Navigate to Chainlist.org on your web browser.
In the upper part of the home screen, tap CONNECT WALLET to link your wallet to the platform.
Tap CONNECT in the prompt that pops up to accept the linking.
2. Add Harmony network
After connecting your wallet to Chainlist, use the search bar to look for HARMONY.
As mentioned earlier, Harmony has four Shards, from Shard 0 to Shard 3.
Choose a preferred Shard and tap ADD TO METAMASK.
Accept the Metamask prompt that pops up to approve the new network in your Metamask.
Finally, switch your network to Harmony.
2. Using Network Details
Chainlist provides a faster and more efficient way to seamlessly add complicated networks like Harmony to your Metamask wallet. However, you can also add Harmony with its network details manually.
To add Harmony network manually on your Metamask wallet:
1. Login to Metamask
Manually adding the Harmony network is not exceedingly complicated as you think. However, it is important to take note of Shards and their corresponding network information.
Open your Metamask wallet from the list of your Chrome extensions.
On the log-in page, input your wallet password and tap UNLOCK to access your wallet.
In case you don’t have a Metamask wallet, you can easily download it by going to Metamask.com on your PC or mobile device.
On the homepage, click on DOWNLOAD METAMASK. This should redirect you to your respective device app store or extension store to download the wallet.
Once you’ve downloaded the wallet, you can import an existing wallet with your 12-word mnemonic phrases or create a new wallet.
2. Add Harmony network details
After gaining access to your wallet, it’s time to add Harmony to your wallet.
In your wallet, click the Network Dropdown where you have ‘ETHEREUM MAINNET’ from the upper part of your wallet.
This should show you the list of active networks in your wallet. Then click on ADD NETWORK.
A new window where you can add Harmony network details will pop up.
Carefully input the following details in their respective fields. You can choose any one of these.
Harmony Mainnet Shard 0
- Network Name: Harmony Mainnet
- New RPC URL: https://api.harmony.one
- Chain ID: 1666600000
- Currency Symbol: ONE
- Block Explorer URL: https://explorer.harmony.one/
Harmony Mainnet Shard 1
- Network Name: Harmony Mainnet
- New RPC URL: https://s1.api.harmony.one
- Chain ID: 1666600001
- Currency Symbol: ONE
- Block Explorer URL: https://explorer.harmony.one/
Harmony Mainnet Shard 2
- Network Name: Harmony Mainnet
- New RPC URL: https://s2.api.harmony.one
- Chain ID: 1666600002
- Currency Symbol: ONE
- Block Explorer URL: https://explorer.harmony.one/
Harmony Mainnet Shard 3
- Network Name: Harmony Mainnet
- New RPC URL: https://s3.api.harmony.one
- Chain ID: 1666600003
- Currency Symbol: ONE
- Block Explorer URL: https://explorer.harmony.one/
3. Save the changes
Once you’ve filled up the network details of your preferred shard, tap SAVE.
Copying and pasting the network details is recommended so you won’t make any mistakes.
After saving your preferred network settings, your Metamask network will automatically switch to Harmony, and that’s it!
Conclusion
Adding Harmony manually or with Chainlist is simple and easy. Once you’ve added the network, you can add ONE token and start using the network.
Harmony is an excellent network with a vibrant ecosystem where traders and developers can explore. Meanwhile, Harmony’s long-term roadmap fosters exciting updates, including better cross-shard capabilities to put the network at the top of its counterparts.
Even at the moment, it is a preferred network for developers to deploy their projects and dApps. Like many other networks, Harmony has testnets that developers can use to test their projects before deploying them mainnet.
Harmony Testnet
- Network Name: Harmony Testnet
- New RPC URL: https://api.s0.b.hmny.io
- Chain ID: 1666700000
- Currency Symbol: ONE
- Block Explorer URL: https://explorer.pops.one/
Other Testnet Shards and their RPC URL are as follows:
| Shard | New RPC URL |
|---|---|
| Shard 1: 1666700001 | https://api.s1.b.hmny.io |
| Shard 2: 1666700002 | https://api.s2.b.hmny.io |
| Shard 3: 1666700003 | https://api.s3.b.hmny.io |
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