Moving to ARC: Blocklet Server 1.x Service Retirement
ArcBlock is focusing its product and engineering work on ARC. As part of this platform transition, official hosting and associated services for Blocklet Server 1.x, including ArcBlock Launcher and the legacy Blocklet Store, will be retired on December 31, 2026.
If you use these services, please migrate your application or move to the open-source version on infrastructure you manage before that date. Check that any data you need has been backed up. Launcher-hosted applications will stop running when the service ends. After December 31, all Blocklet Instance runtime data in the legacy hosted environment will be deleted.
Data successfully backed up to your own DID Space is unaffected by this instance deletion. The DID Space service is being rebranded as ArcSpace, with existing data carried forward. DID Space remains the name of the underlying data space, and the existing backup and restore guides continue to use that term. Your backups remain subject to the retention policy of the corresponding space, rather than Launcher's retirement date.
Why we are moving to ARC
Blocklet Server made it possible to install and run Blocklets and compose them into services of your own. ARC carries that work forward with a different division of responsibility between applications and their runtime, bringing identity, data and shared capabilities into the new foundation. From Blocklet Server to ARC explains the reasoning behind this evolution.
Migration needs to be assessed application by application. ARC uses a different runtime model, so an existing application may need adaptation or a rebuilt ARC version. DiscussKit's move to ARC offers a concrete example. The migration steps and feature coverage for other applications need to be confirmed separately.
Choose your transition path
Move your application to ARC
ARC is available to install and develop applications with today. Developers can start with the existing tools. The services not yet open are the hosting and application distribution services corresponding to the former Launcher and Blocklet Store.
Please contact support@arcblock.io early with your application name, Launcher instance URL, and the data and essential features you need to retain. We will help you confirm the availability of the corresponding ARC version and the preparation needed to migrate.
Back up or export your data before migrating. Verify the data and essential features in the destination application before closing the old instance. Developers can start with the ARC CLI installation guide and deployment command reference. These tools run and publish ARC applications; adapting a legacy Blocklet remains a separate task.
We will also soon introduce ARC application launch and hosting services, along with application distribution, for users who prefer not to manage their own servers. These services have not formally launched. Their availability, supported applications and usage instructions will be announced separately. Please protect your existing data and contact us about your transition plan now, rather than waiting for the new service to open.
Keep your existing application through self-hosting
You can use the open-source version of Blocklet Server to operate applications on infrastructure you manage. Follow the repository's current README, license and build instructions. We will continue to provide security updates for the open-source version of Blocklet Server. We recently published a security hardening update.
Before choosing self-hosting, make sure you or your operations team can take responsibility for applying security updates, managing access, maintaining the server and its dependencies, and testing backups and recovery. Instance operators must deploy security updates themselves. Misconfiguration, delayed updates or failed backups can still lead to outages or data loss.
Before December 31, we recommend that you:
- Inventory your applications and dependencies. Keep copies of application packages you are entitled to use and the necessary configuration. The legacy Blocklet Store is retiring, so check that deployment and recovery no longer depend on it.
- Prepare the open-source runtime on your own server and move your application data. If you have a DID Space backup, see Restore to your own Blocklet Server. That guide covers restoration to the legacy Blocklet Server runtime.
- Verify the restored data, sign-in and essential application functions. Update external configuration such as your domain before closing the old Launcher instance.
This retirement ends our legacy hosting and associated services. Operators of self-hosted open-source instances should review dependencies on legacy online services and arrange their ongoing operations.
What happens to your data
Please distinguish between data in a running instance and backups already written to your DID Space:
| Data location | Treatment after retirement | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| Blocklet Instance runtime data in the legacy hosted environment | All deleted after December 31, 2026 | Migrate, export or complete a backup before the deadline |
| Data successfully backed up to your own DID Space | Unaffected by this instance deletion; governed by that DID Space's retention policy | Verify backup completeness and check your DID Space's status and retention policy |
If you enabled backups, check that the latest backup completed successfully and includes the data you need. Test a restoration where possible. The DID Space backup guide explains the configuration. Users of didspaces.com can also consult that service's data retention policy for the rules applicable to their space. Backups preserve the data captured by a successful backup; later changes that have not been backed up still need to be saved.
If you need help exporting your data, contact support@arcblock.io before December 31. Please allow time to complete and verify the export. Do not rely on retrieving data from the old instance after service ends.
Subscriptions and the deadline
Launcher subscriptions are billed daily while an application is running, even if nobody is using it. If you no longer need your application, sign in to ArcBlock Launcher and cancel its subscription. Further daily charges stop from the day you cancel.
We will cancel any Launcher application subscriptions still active on December 31, 2026, when the service ends. If you take no action, your application will stop running as scheduled, and the legacy hosted instance data will be deleted after December 31. If you need that data, confirm that your backup or export is complete before canceling the application.
Current limitations and further updates
ARC is available for installation and development. The hosting and application distribution services corresponding to the old Launcher and Store are not yet open. Migration of an existing application still depends on the availability of its ARC version. Retaining a DID Space backup also requires a separate restoration step before the application can run in another environment, and the result needs to be verified.
Please complete your migration or data protection before December 31. For help with application compatibility, self-hosting or data export, contact support@arcblock.io with your application and instance details so we can help you prepare your next step.