Open-Sourcing AlgoGazer The Algorand Blockchain Explorer

Governance Discussions xGov Proposals
1

AlgoGazer.app is a full-featured blockchain explorer, account browser and NFT viewer for Algorand. It enables users to explore the latest blocks, accounts, and transaction activity through a mobile-optimized experience that enhances transparency and discovery across the Algorand ecosystem.

AlgoGazer is built around a user-centric approach. Users can browse curated NFT collections, bookmark favorite accounts and assets, and explore detailed blockchain activity. Core features include robust NFD support, bookmarking, one-click ASA opt-ins, curated NFT collections, and rich historical data for accounts, rounds, and transactions. The interface emphasizes clarity, readability, and responsiveness across devices.

Asset pages display comprehensive ASA information, and verified tokens include full price charts powered by Vestige along with integrated swap functionality via Pera Wallet. Users can favorite any item to build a personalized list of accounts, ASAs, NFTs, rounds, and transactions. These asset detail pages also serve project creators by providing an easy way to monitor assets and offer their communities a reliable entry point for opt-ins and on-chain information.

If this proposal is approved, the explorer will be released as a public GitHub repository (AGPLv3). The community will be able to contribute to its ongoing development while also benefiting from a modern, efficient explorer that can easily be deployed on open-source infrastructure.

AlgoGazer has been under continuous development for more than 18 months and represents a significant body of completed engineering work to be delivered as an open-source public good. The requested grant is also retroactive and reflects the time, effort, and resources invested in designing, building, and maintaining the AlgoGazer open-source explorer codebase. To date, the project has received no external funding. Grant funds will also be used for the improvement of the AlgoGazer platform with much needed server upgrades and development work ensuring the AlgoGazer remains a reliable and evolving public resource for the Algorand ecosystem.

About the team
GlassWave is an independent software development studio focused on mobile-first solutions. The team, led by NFT crypto community member FR4X, specializes in building intuitive applications and digital platforms that deliver actionable insights and powerful tools. GlassWave has been developing on Algorand since 2021 and has supported numerous projects through consultation and onboarding within the Algorand ecosystem.

Additional Info
An independent and actively developed blockchain explorer strengthens the Algorand ecosystem by promoting transparency, resilience, and user choice. Multiple explorers reduce reliance on any single platform while encouraging innovation through diverse feature sets and design approaches. By remaining community focused and responsive to user needs, an independent explorer like AlgoGazer can rapidly adapt, surface underserved use cases, and provide tooling that benefits developers, projects, and everyday users alike. This diversity helps ensure long-term ecosystem health while supporting broader adoption and trust in the Algorand network.

2

Thank you for your proposal!
Blockchain explorers are important for users and the ecosystem.
However, they typically have a issues with their sustainability.
Do you have any ideas how you could make your explorer sustainable on the long-term?

The explorer space on Algorand is quite competitive already - from Allo to open-source ones like Lora, which is maintained by the Foundation, and AlgoSurf all to Vibekit’s agentic explorer. How would you say AlgoGazer compares to them?

W.r.t. the ask and the existing competition, I’d much prefer the project were open-sourced in advance.
The option to open-source after approval was meant for large asks and projects that are exceptionally vital for the ecosystem.

3

Hi uhudo, Thank you for the question and for your consideration.

At the core of your question is long-term sustainability. While we do have monetization strategies and several promising ideas, the success of those efforts is closely tied to growing a strong user base, both for AlgoGazer and the broader Algorand ecosystem, where network effects play a critical role.

AlgoGazer is built around a balanced, multi-pronged approach rather than reliance on a single revenue stream. Our focus is to maintain a lean and efficient infrastructure while exploring non-intrusive monetization options such as privacy-friendly advertising, featured listings for verified projects, and potentially premium tools or services for advanced users.

This grant plays an important role in bridging the early-stage gap. If approved, it would enable us to fund core operating costs, primarily infrastructure and hosting, for an estimated three years. This support would provide the runway needed to grow the platform, expand the user base, and move toward a self-sustaining model.

In terms of positioning within the ecosystem, AlgoGazer differentiates itself through a strong emphasis on usability, mobile-first design, and discovery. While other platforms each bring valuable capabilities to the ecosystem, AlgoGazer is designed to complement rather than compete directly. Its focus is on making blockchain data more accessible and engaging for everyday users, with features like simplified account insights, curated token and NFT discovery, and a streamlined interface optimized for mobile devices.

From a technical perspective, AlgoGazer is intentionally built using widely adopted technologies such as PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript. This makes the platform highly approachable for developers, easier to maintain, and well-suited for community contributions once open sourced.

Open sourcing the platform will play a key role in helping us reach this next stage, while also promoting transparency and trust within the ecosystem. In contrast, a closed development approach would limit visibility and community involvement, and would not offer the same level of value or appeal to users and developers.

4

I agree with @uhudo 100% and beleive the explorers and scanners solutions on Algorand are beyond the real requirements and current traffic and users of Algorand. The comparison provided by you is not satisfactory and convincing enough. May I ask you to provide a full comparison table and compare with existing serious solutions: Allo, Pera , Lora and AlgoSurf?

Please be specific on competencies and brutal about it since this proposal needs proven advantages on other existing solutions and simply “nicer for everyday users” does not justify the high ask of 250K.

5

Thank you for the question. It is an important one, and we agree that sustainability and differentiation are critical in a competitive explorer landscape. When I began developing AlgoGazer, the primary solution available was AlgoExplorer.io, a well-funded platform that was later discontinued without an open-source release. This underscored a key gap in the ecosystem and helped shape our focus on sustainability, transparency, and long-term accessibility.

On sustainability, our approach is pragmatic. AlgoGazer is intentionally designed to operate with a lean infrastructure footprint, which keeps baseline costs low. The purpose of this grant is to bridge the early-stage gap. If approved, it provides a clear runway to cover core operating costs while we grow the user base and reach the point where potential future revenue streams become viable. This is a measured path to sustainability, not a speculative one.

On competition, it is important to recognize that existing solutions are not all solving the same problem. Pera Explorer has strong distribution through its wallet and continues to expand its analytics capabilities. Allo explorer offers a broader platform approach with metrics and alerts alongside its explorer. I personally find these two market leaders serve the community well but are lacking in some critical aspects such as ease of use and understandability. These are the critical areas in which AlgoGazer is focused. If I am not mistaken, they are also primarily funded by the foundation. AlgoSurf is a decent effort but lacks many modern features found in AlgoGazer such as NFD support, tracking favorites, displaying token prices, asset images and displaying NFT’s for example. It is also based on a previous outdated open source model and is run by an employee of the foundation. Lora is is particularly strong as a developer-focused tool for inspection and testing workflows and I do not see it as a direct competitor. If you are in need of more of a feature by feature breakdown I can prepare something like that as well.

AlgoGazer is not attempting to replicate all of these approaches. Its differentiation is deliberate:

  • Explorer-first, not wallet-first or developer-first

  • Mobile-first design focused on usability and clarity

  • Discovery-oriented experience for assets, NFTs, and accounts

  • Built with the needs of crypto project organizers in mind

  • Independent and open-source, emphasizing transparency and community

Today, many explorers are optimized either for power users, developers, or as extensions of broader platforms. There is still a clear gap for an experience that prioritizes accessibility and day-to-day usability for a wider audience. AlgoGazer’s advantage is not that it is the only explorer, but that it is purpose-built to be the most approachable, transparent, and user-focused explorer in the ecosystem. I believe that is a meaningful and necessary addition to Algorand’s infrastructure.

At its core, this decision is about whether to support independent builders and foster a diverse ecosystem on Algorand. AlgoGazer is a consumer-focused explorer developed outside of Foundation control, offering an alternative perspective and experience. It is built on widely adopted technologies, making it accessible to maintain and extend. I am committed to actively maintaining the platform and ensuring it evolves alongside the Algorand protocol to deliver a reliable and modern experience.

6

I see the core of whether to support a proposal or not a bit differently. IMO, the xGov’s purpose is to fuel innovation by open sourcing good projects based on which others can learn and build upon, while retroactively rewarding the developers for their contribution. What I see as a good project is a combination of work quality, complexity, documentation, testing, innovation, sustainable business model, and traction. Accordingly, the proposal should be judged purely based on their merits, i.e. regardless of who is behind it.

The proposal wording frames it as not purely a retroactive ask but makes future promises. I dislike proposals trying to influence the vote and twist the program by making proactive claims because I see the retroactive aspect as a simple means to minimize the evaluation effort for xGovs and reduce the risks for the ecosystem. The general requirement to open-source in advance serves this same purpose.

7

Thank you for saying what we were all thinking. This proposal has also failed in the past btw…

8

This proposal has been resubmitted after the prior version was not approved due to the open-source requirement at that time. With the policy now updated to allow open sourcing post-approval, the project is aligned with current guidelines. I remain highly motivated to deliver an independent, community-focused Algorand explorer.

It is worth asking whether the current explorer landscape is truly serving the community as well as it could. While several solutions exist, many are closely tied to or funded by the Foundation. Supporting an independent alternative introduces diversity in perspective and execution, which is ultimately beneficial for the ecosystem.

This proposal should be evaluated on what exists today. I am not making speculative promises about future features. Instead, I am committing to the continued operation of the platform and to dedicating the time necessary to improve it with the support of this grant. Open sourcing AlgoGazer ensures that a modern, transparent explorer remains available without being fully shaped by Foundation-driven priorities.

I strongly encourage council members to use the application themselves. Spend time exploring its features and compare its account, asset, and transaction views against other available tools. A direct comparison will make its strengths and areas of differentiation clear.