Introduction
Willow is verifiable data infrastructure: a blockchain whose job is to index other blockchains and to store structured records and files — and to return a cryptographic proof alongside every result.
When an app reads data from a normal database, it has to trust whoever runs that database. Willow removes the trust. Every value you read comes with a proof that it is part of Willow’s committed state, and that proof can be checked independently — in your backend, or even in the browser — without asking Willow to vouch for itself. We call a verified result Willow verified.
What you can do with it
Section titled “What you can do with it”- Index a blockchain. Point Willow at a contract on an external chain. Its network of indexers pulls the events, and the result becomes a live, queryable dataset where every row is provable.
- Store structured records. Write key/value JSON through consensus and read it back with a Merkle proof.
- Store files. Upload binary files that are chunked and Merkle-verified on download.
Each of these lives in a subgrove — the basic unit you create and own. See Subgroves for how they work.
Why it matters
Section titled “Why it matters”Indexed blockchain data is normally produced by a single indexer you have to trust. Willow makes the indexing itself verifiable: independent indexers do the work, their output is committed on-chain, and anyone can re-check it. That makes the data suitable for the cases where “trust the server” isn’t enough — audits, financial records, agents acting on your behalf, anything that might be disputed later.
How it fits together
Section titled “How it fits together”| Surface | What it is |
|---|---|
| Subgroves | The datasets you create — indexing jobs, key/value stores, or file stores. |
| Indexers | Nodes that pull external-chain data and submit it with proofs. |
| Validators | Run consensus and commit verified state. |
| SDKs | Clients in six languages that submit data and verify proofs locally. |
| Dashboard | dashboard.willow.tech — register subgroves and query data in the browser. |
| Explorer | explorer.willow.tech — browse blocks, subgroves, and proofs. |
Next steps
Section titled “Next steps”- Quickstart — make your first verified query.
- Create a subgrove — index a contract.
- Verification — how proofs actually work.