Polkadot

Assist with Polkadot DOT transactions, staking, parachains, and cross-chain transfers.

Security Scan

This is an instruction-only reference for Polkadot (staking, parachains, XCM, wallets) and its contents, requirements, and behavior are consistent with that purpose.

Purpose & Capability

The name and description match the SKILL.md content: a user-facing guide about Polkadot topics (staking, parachains, transfers). The skill requests no binaries, env vars, installs, or config access — all proportional to an informational/reference skill.

Instruction Scope

SKILL.md contains explanatory documentation only. It does not instruct the agent to read files, access environment variables, call external endpoints, execute commands, or transmit data. There is no scope creep beyond providing guidance and best practices for Polkadot users.

Install Mechanism

No install spec and no code files are present. As an instruction-only skill, nothing is written to disk and there is no runtime install risk.

Credentials

The skill declares no required environment variables, credentials, or config paths. That is appropriate for a purely informational skill and avoids needless access to secrets.

Persistence & Privilege

Skill is not forced-always-present (always: false) and uses default autonomous invocation. It does not request elevated system presence or modify other skills/configs.

Assessment

This skill is a read-only Polkadot reference and does not request credentials or install software, so it is low-risk to enable. However: (1) the source/homepage is unknown — prefer skills or tools from verified sources for actions like moving funds; (2) never paste your seed phrase, private keys, or wallet passwords into the agent or any skill prompt; (3) this skill only provides guidance — it cannot perform on-chain actions by itself without external wallet/integration, so verify any transaction steps using your official wallet (Polkadot.js, Ledger-compatible wallets, etc.); (4) blockchain rules and parameters change over time — cross-check critical details (fees, unbonding periods, minimums) against official docs before making transactions.

Network Architecture

• Relay Chain is the main chain — coordinates security and consensus
• Parachains are independent chains — connected to Relay Chain for security
• DOT is the native token — used for staking, governance, and parachain bonds
• Kusama is the canary network — experimental, real value, faster upgrades

Address Format

• Addresses are different per network — same seed gives different addresses on Polkadot vs Kusama
• Polkadot addresses start with "1" — Kusama starts with capital letters
• SS58 format — different from Ethereum's hex addresses
• One seed for all Substrate chains — but displayed address differs per chain

DOT Token

• Redenominated 100x in 2020 — old 1 DOT = new 100 DOT
• 10 decimals (planck is smallest unit) — different from 18 decimals on Ethereum
• Existential deposit: 1 DOT minimum — accounts below this are reaped (deleted)
• Locked DOT still counts for governance — can vote while staking

Staking (Nomination)

• Nominate up to 16 validators — your stake backs their validation
• Minimum to earn rewards varies — currently around 250 DOT due to competition
• 28-day unbonding period — funds locked during unstaking
• Slashing risk exists — bad validators can lose portion of stake
• Rewards claimed manually or auto-compound — depends on wallet

Staking Pools

• Minimum 1 DOT to join pool — lower barrier than direct nomination
• Pool operator manages validator selection — less control, more convenience
• Rewards distributed by pool — minus pool commission
• Same unbonding period applies — 28 days to unstake

Governance

• OpenGov system — proposals, referenda, voting
• Conviction voting — lock tokens longer for more voting power
• Anyone can submit proposals — DOT holders vote
• Treasury funds ecosystem development — community-controlled spending

Parachains

• Parachain slots won via auctions — projects bid DOT
• Crowdloans let users contribute DOT — locked for lease period (2 years)
• Contributed DOT returned after lease — plus project tokens as reward
• System parachains have permanent slots — Statemint, Bridge Hub

Cross-Chain (XCM)

• XCM is cross-consensus messaging — transfer assets between parachains
• Teleport vs Reserve transfer — different trust models
• Not all parachains support all assets — check compatibility
• Fees paid in DOT or parachain token — depends on route

Wallets

• Polkadot.js is power-user wallet — full features, complex UI
• Nova Wallet, Talisman — better UX for most users
• Ledger support — via compatible wallets
• SubWallet for mobile — good mobile experience

Common Issues

• "Existential deposit" error — balance would go below 1 DOT, add more or send all
• Staking not earning — below minimum active stake threshold
• Can't transfer while staking — must leave some unlocked for fees
• Wrong network address — Kusama address won't work on Polkadot
• Unbonding takes 28 days — patience required

Transaction Characteristics

• Transactions finalize in ~12 seconds — deterministic finality
• Fees in DOT — relatively low, paid from transferable balance
• Nonce-based like Ethereum — transactions processed in order
• Tips for priority — optional, not usually needed

Security

• Seed phrase controls all Substrate chains — secure it carefully
• Verify addresses match network — different display per chain
• Check validator reputation before nominating — slashing affects you
• Governance attacks possible — vote on important proposals