Distributed and Adversarial Resistant Workflow Execution on the Algorand Blockchain

TL;DR

This paper presents a cost-effective method to execute complex business processes on the Algorand blockchain using a translation from DCR to TEAL, enabling decentralized, secure, and efficient process management.

Contribution

It introduces a practical translation from DCR process models to TEAL, demonstrating efficient, decentralized execution of business processes on Algorand with significantly reduced costs.

Findings

Implementation is four orders of magnitude cheaper than Ethereum-based solutions.

Enables decentralized execution of business processes without intermediaries.

Shows Algorand smart contracts can encode modern process models.

Abstract

We provide a practical translation from the Dynamic Condition Response (DCR) process modelling language to the Transaction Execution Approval Language (TEAL) used by the Algorand blockchain. Compared to earlier implementations of business process notations on blockchains, particularly Ethereum, the present implementation is four orders of magnitude cheaper. This translation has the following immediate ramifications: (1) It allows decentralised execution of DCR-specified business processes in the absence of expensive intermediaries (lawyers, brokers) or counterparty risk. (2) It provides a possibly helpful high-level language for implementing business processes on Algorand. (3) It demonstrates that despite the strict limitations on Algorand smart contracts, they are powerful enough to encode models of a modern process notation.