A Unified Glossary

Ecosystem
1

:construction: This initiative is part of the UX Bounty, and all necessary resources will be covered by its budget. You can access all relevant materials here.

Overview

“Our ecosystem’s UX is fragmented…”

OK – you might have heard it already too many times!

But maybe not from this angle:

“we are all using inconsistent terminology”

Different parachains and dapps often use varying language for the same actions, causing confusion and friction for users.

For example, terms like “Transfer” and “Cross In” may mean the same thing but differ across platforms like Hydration and Bifrost.

Additionally, many terms we use are unfamiliar to newcomers. We must take steps to align our language with the broader crypto industry.

It all starts with the words we use.

Proposed Solution: A Unified Glossary

We propose developing a unified glossary to establish consistent, user-friendly language across the Polkadot ecosystem.

To ensure smooth adoption by teams, this glossary will be released in versions, allowing for iterative improvements over time.

The first version (V01) will focus on:

  • DEXs
  • Liquid Staking
  • Bridges
  • Token States (e.g., reserved, locked, etc.)

Key Objectives:

  1. Consistency: Eliminate variations in terminology for the same functionality.
  2. Clarity: Prioritize using familiar, predictable terms to make the ecosystem more welcoming, especially for newcomers.
  3. Comprehensiveness: Over time, ensure that all critical terms are covered and clearly explained.

Methodology

We’ll begin by analyzing the terminology used across Polkadot dapps and align them with a benchmark of the broader industry, using top TVL dapps in EVMs and Solana.

This analysis will result in a raw list of terms that need to be unified. For each term, we’ll propose a clear definition that teams can use for tooltips when needed.

Midway through the process, we’ll host a workshop to present our progress and gather feedback from the community and stakeholders.

Later, we’ll conduct user testing to A/B test assumptions. Our user selection is still TBD but we’ll go for a diverse range of personas (beginners, advanced users, Polkadot OGs, newcomers, etc.).

Finally, Glossary V01 will be presented to teams for final input before being added into official wikis and docs.

Roadmap:

Phase 1 (Oct - Nov 24):

Analyze current terminology in Polkadot, EVM and Solana dapps.

Phase 2 (Nov 24 - Jan 25):

Create the unified glossary, conduct workshops and test terminology with users.

Phase 3 (Jan 25 → ):

Establish the glossary as the single source of truth in the wikis and docs.
Start of its implementation across dapps and parachains.

Summary

The creation of a Unified Glossary will eliminate inconsistent terminology across our ecosystem and help us being more accessible, particularly for newcomers.

While there will be challenges in getting teams aligned and ensuring widespread adoption, we will provide the resources and support necessary to make this transition smooth. Community feedback will be gathered throughout the process to ensure the glossary meets the needs of all stakeholders.

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Note: This glossary is intended as a guide — parachains and dapps are free to adopt their own terminology as needed. However, we highly encourage ecosystem-wide collaboration and integration to ensure a consistent user experience.

5 Likes
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Very important work!
We have to watch closely how the rest of the industry names things and uses existing terms. I realize this whenever I watch the Bankless show.

This will also be very important when we want to market to Ethereum, Solana, Sui, (etc.) developers. We have to know how they think, speak, and name things to be connectable to their language.

Something to discuss with the community is as well the terminology of
Parachains, and how we could rename them. Such as “Polkadot Rollups”, “Appchains” or just “Rollups”. I’m looping in @filippoweb3 since he is leading this discussion, as well as @replghost, with his onboarding manual.

1 Like
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Hey everyone, we’ve released the Glossary v01.

This first version addresses terms related to DEXs, Liquid Staking, and Bridge platforms.

We plan to work on other verticals, but first, we want to iterate and improve this version to ensure its value is proven before expanding to other terms.

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What’s in this glossary?

Each term has its own section, when applicable:

  • Definition – Clear explanation of the term.
  • Tooltip – A short definition to display next to the term (if needed). Assume users might not know it, so tooltips help provide quick context.
  • Considerations – Informative insights related to the term.
  • Recommendations – Key considerations when designing and building your product.
  • Alternative Phrases – Other terms you can use based on your audience and preferences.
  • ↓↓ Related Actions ↓↓ – Actions linked to the term that you might want to include in your feature.
  • ↓↓ Related UI Elements ↓↓ – UI components related to the term that you might consider in your design.

Who is this for?

Anyone building a user-facing UI in DEXs, Liquid Staking, or Bridges.

This glossary covers all end users—from beginners to experts.

I want to use this, where do I start?

Little tip: use the right side panel of Notion to navigate to the terms easily.

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Now, we understand it can be quite daunting to start with all those terms and content, but don’t worry, we are here to guide you!

If you need help, reach out to me on Telegram or email (alex@braille.wtf) and I’ll walk you through.

Final Note

This is the MVP version, and we’ll refine it over time. Notion isn’t the best place for this type of content, so we’re working on integrating it into the official docs.

4 Likes