Getting Started

Figure Out Your Needs

The first step of planning your Avalanche L1 is determining your application's needs. What features do you need that the Avalanche C-Chain doesn't provide?

When to Choose an Avalanche L1

Building your own Avalanche L1 is a great choice when your project demands capabilities beyond those offered by the C-Chain. For instance, if you need the flexibility to use a custom gas token, require strict access control (for example, by only permitting users who are KYC-verified), or wish to implement a unique transaction fee model, then an Avalanche L1 can provide the necessary options. In addition, if having a completely sovereign network with its own governance and consensus mechanisms is central to your vision, an Avalanche L1 is likely the best path forward.

Decide What Type of Avalanche L1 You Want

After confirming that an Avalanche L1 suits your project's requirements, the next step is to select the type of virtual machine (VM) that will power your blockchain. Broadly, you can choose among three options.

EVM-Based Avalanche L1s

The majority of Avalanche L1s are utilizing the Ethereum Virtual Machine. They support Solidity smart contracts and standard Ethereum APIs. Ava Labs' implementation, Subnet-EVM, is the most mature option available. It is recognized for its robust developer tooling and regular updates, making it the safest and most popular choice for building your blockchain.

Custom Avalanche L1s

Custom Avalanche L1s offer an open-ended interface that enables you to build any virtual machine you envision. Whether you fork an existing VM such as Subnet-EVM, integrate a non-Avalanche-native VM like Solana's, or build a completely new VM using any programming language you prefer, the choice is yours. For guidance on how to get started with VM development, see Introduction to VMs.

Determine Tokenomics

Avalanche L1s are powered by gas tokens, and building your own blockchain gives you the flexibility to determine which token to use and how to distribute it. Whether you decide to leverage AVAX, adapt an existing C-Chain token, or launch a new token entirely, you'll need to plan the allocation of tokens for validator rewards, establish an emission schedule, and decide whether transaction fees should be burned or redistributed as block rewards.

Decide how to Customize Your Avalanche L1

Once you have selected your virtual machine, further customization may be necessary to align the blockchain with your specific needs. This might involve configuring the token allocation in the genesis block, setting gas fee rates, or making changes to the VM's behavior through precompiles. Such customizations often require careful iterative testing to perfect. For detailed instructions, refer to Customize Your EVM-Powered Avalanche L1.

Available Subnet-EVM Precompiles

The Subnet-EVM provides several precompiled contracts that you can use in your Avalanche L1 blockchain:

• AllowList Interface - A reusable interface for permission management
• Permissions - Control contract deployment and transaction submission
• Tokenomics - Manage native token supply and minting
• Transaction Fees & Validator Rewards - Configure fee parameters and reward mechanisms
• Warp Messenger - Perform cross-chain operations