Lens Protocol
A composable, decentralized social graph protocol that enables user-owned digital identity and portable social connections.
Lens Protocol (V2) represents a significant evolution in decentralized social infrastructure, introducing 'Open Actions' (LIP-2) and Momoka. It utilizes a modular system where every social interaction—following, collecting content, or referencing posts—is handled by specialized smart contract modules. Profiles are represented as ERC-721 NFTs on Polygon. To solve [scalability issues](/en/terms/scalability-issues), Lens implemented Momoka, an optimistic Layer 3 data availability (DA) layer that processes high-frequency social actions off-chain while anchoring results to the main chain. The 'Profile Manager' and 'Dispatcher' roles facilitate gasless transactions and improved user onboarding without compromising self-custody. By decoupling the social graph from the application layer, Lens enables a permissionless ecosystem where any developer can build social applications atop a shared, user-owned database.
graph LR
Center["Lens Protocol"]:::main
Pre_blockchain["blockchain"]:::pre --> Center
click Pre_blockchain "/terms/blockchain"
Pre_nft["nft"]:::pre --> Center
click Pre_nft "/terms/nft"
Pre_smart_contract["smart-contract"]:::pre --> Center
click Pre_smart_contract "/terms/smart-contract"
Rel_farcaster["farcaster"]:::related -.-> Center
click Rel_farcaster "/terms/farcaster"
Rel_decentralized_social_network["decentralized-social-network"]:::related -.-> Center
click Rel_decentralized_social_network "/terms/decentralized-social-network"
Rel_web3_social["web3-social"]:::related -.-> Center
click Rel_web3_social "/terms/web3-social"
classDef main fill:#7c3aed,stroke:#8b5cf6,stroke-width:2px,color:white,font-weight:bold,rx:5,ry:5;
classDef pre fill:#0f172a,stroke:#3b82f6,color:#94a3b8,rx:5,ry:5;
classDef child fill:#0f172a,stroke:#10b981,color:#94a3b8,rx:5,ry:5;
classDef related fill:#0f172a,stroke:#8b5cf6,stroke-dasharray: 5 5,color:#94a3b8,rx:5,ry:5;
linkStyle default stroke:#4b5563,stroke-width:2px;
🧠 Knowledge Check
🧒 Explain Like I'm 5
🌍 Imagine if you could take your Instagram followers, your posts, and your comments and move them all to a new app with one click. On the regular internet, you can't. On Lens, you own your 'profile' like a digital passport that works in every social app.
🤓 Expert Deep Dive
Lens V2 architecture prioritizes composability via the LIP-2 standard, enabling 'Open Actions' which allow external smart contracts to be triggered directly from social posts (e.g., minting an NFT or joining a DAO). The protocol uses a 'Follow NFT' logic where connections are on-chain assets. Momoka (L3) utilizes a DA-layer approach where transaction data is stored off-chain but remains verifiable via Merkle roots posted to Polygon, significantly reducing gas costs for social operations. The execution flow involves a 'Dispatcher' which can sign transactions on behalf of the user's Profile NFT for actions within defined security bounds, enhancing UX for high-frequency interactions. Security is maintained through modular execution: only whitelisted modules can interact with the core Profile contract, preventing state corruption from malicious plugins.