Conflux vs Ethereum: Key Differences in Contract Development Tools

Conflux and Ethereum are both leading blockchain platforms for smart contract development, but they differ significantly in architecture, consensus mechanisms, and tooling. While Ethereum remains the dominant force in decentralized applications, Conflux introduces innovative solutions—like its Tree-Graph ledger structure—to achieve higher throughput and lower latency. Understanding these differences is crucial for developers aiming to build scalable dApps across ecosystems.

This guide explores the core distinctions between Conflux and Ethereum, focusing on Epoch vs Block Number, storageLimit, and how development tools like Conflux-Truffle and Conflux Studio compare with their Ethereum counterparts: Truffle and Remix.

Understanding Core Concepts: Epoch & storageLimit

Epoch: The Conflux Alternative to Block Number

In Ethereum, every valid transaction exists on a single, linear chain. Each block has a unique identifier known as the block number, forming a strict chronological sequence. This simplicity supports deterministic execution but limits scalability.

Conflux takes a different approach with its Tree-Graph ledger structure—a hybrid of tree and graph topologies. In this model:

• Following only parent links forms a tree.
• Including reference edges creates a directed acyclic graph (DAG).

This design allows multiple blocks to be generated concurrently, enabling parallel processing and boosting network throughput. However, it also means there’s no direct equivalent to Ethereum’s block number.

To maintain global ordering of transactions, Conflux uses the GHAST rule to select a pivot chain—a sequence of "pivot blocks" that form a backbone similar to a traditional blockchain. Each pivot block defines an Epoch, which serves as Conflux’s functional counterpart to Ethereum’s block number.

While one epoch may contain multiple blocks, it provides the same logical ordering function: anchoring transaction finality and enabling time-based queries.

Transaction Costs: gas vs storageLimit

Like Ethereum, Conflux requires users to pay fees for computation (gas). However, Conflux adds another dimension: storage cost.

On Ethereum:

• Fees are calculated as gas * gasPrice.
• gas sets the maximum computational work allowed.
• Unused gas is refunded; exceeding it halts execution.

On Conflux:

• Computation still uses gas.
• But developers must also specify storageLimit—a parameter representing the maximum storage space (in bytes) a transaction can allocate.
• A portion of CFX tokens is locked (staked) based on storageLimit.
• When storage is freed (e.g., deleting state), the staked amount is refunded.

This mechanism incentivizes efficient storage usage and prevents bloat, making Conflux more sustainable for long-term dApp operations.

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Development Tools Comparison

Conflux-Truffle vs Truffle

Conflux-Truffle (cfxtruffle) is a modified version of the popular Truffle suite, tailored for the Conflux network. It maintains compatibility with most Truffle workflows while adapting to Conflux-specific features.

1. Naming & Installation

Despite the name change, command syntax remains nearly identical—lowering the learning curve for Ethereum developers.

2. Local Node Management: Ganache vs conflux-rust Docker

Ethereum developers often use Ganache, a GUI-powered local blockchain for testing. It offers real-time visualization and easy account management.

Conflux does not yet have a direct GUI alternative. Instead, it provides:

• conflux-rust docker: A lightweight containerized node.
• Automatically launches a private chain.
• Pre-funds 10 test accounts.
• Unlocks all accounts by default.

While less user-friendly than Ganache today, this setup is powerful for CI/CD pipelines and headless environments.

3. Supported Commands

Most subcommands are shared between truffle and cfxtruffle. Here's a summary:

• ✅ Supported in both: compile, migrate, test, console, deploy, init, unbox, etc.
• ❌ Missing in Conflux-Truffle: develop

The develop command, which starts an interactive development console with built-in chain, is currently unsupported—but planned for future releases.

4. Built-in SDK Integration

When using cfxtruffle console, two key objects are injected:

• cfx: Instance of js-conflux-sdk for interacting with the Conflux network.
• cfxutil: Utility module for unit conversion, key generation, and more.

Example usage:

// Get balance
await cfx.getBalance('0x148A...56');

// Convert CFX to GDrip
let drip = cfxutil.unit.fromCFXToGDrip(0.1);

// Generate random private key
let key = cfxutil.sign.randomPrivateKey();

This tight integration streamlines testing and debugging without requiring external imports.

5. Local Signing & Deployment

Both frameworks support local signing, but configuration differs slightly.

Truffle (using HDWalletProvider):

provider: new HDWalletProvider(mnemonic, "http://localhost:7545")

Conflux-Truffle (via privateKeys array):

privateKeys: [
  '0x3f841bf5...',
  '0x4f841bf5...'
]

No additional provider setup needed—transactions are signed locally using the provided keys. Always avoid committing private keys to public repositories.

6. RPC Parameters

Due to architectural differences, Conflux RPC calls often require:

• epochNumber: To query state at specific epochs.
• storageLimit: When sending transactions that modify contract storage.

These parameters reflect Conflux’s dual focus on temporal consistency and resource accountability.

Conflux Studio vs Remix

While Remix excels in developer experience with live debugging and extensibility, Conflux Studio prioritizes simplicity and integration with the Conflux ecosystem—especially useful for beginners or those focused on deployment and interaction rather than deep debugging.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I use standard Truffle projects directly on Conflux?
A: Yes—with minor modifications. Replace truffle with cfxtruffle, update network configs with privateKeys, and ensure your contracts handle storageLimit. Most Solidity code works unchanged.

Q: Is Conflux compatible with MetaMask?
A: Yes. You can connect MetaMask to Conflux by adding custom RPC endpoints for testnet or mainnet, allowing seamless wallet integration during development and deployment.

Q: Why does Conflux need storage staking?
A: To prevent state bloat. By locking tokens proportional to storage used, Conflux ensures that dApp developers bear the long-term cost of data persistence—promoting efficiency and network sustainability.

Q: Does Conflux support EVM?
A: Yes. Conflux uses an EVM-compatible virtual machine, so Solidity contracts compile and run natively—making migration from Ethereum straightforward.

Q: How do I debug contracts if Conflux Studio lacks debugging tools?
A: Use external tools like Hardhat with custom plugins or leverage logging events and unit tests in Truffle. Future versions of Conflux Studio may include native debuggers.

Q: What happens if I set too low a storageLimit?
A: The transaction will fail with an out-of-storage error. Always estimate required storage space before deployment, especially for contracts managing large datasets.

Final Thoughts

While Ethereum remains the gold standard for smart contract development, Conflux offers compelling advantages in performance and sustainability, thanks to its Tree-Graph consensus and storage economy model.

For developers, transitioning from Ethereum tools like Truffle and Remix to Conflux-Truffle and Conflux Studio requires minimal effort—most workflows remain familiar. However, understanding key concepts like Epoch and storageLimit is essential for building robust, efficient dApps on Conflux.

Whether you're exploring high-throughput DeFi platforms or building scalable Web3 games, evaluating both ecosystems empowers smarter architectural decisions.

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