Polkadot is a protocol in which independent blockchains exchange information. The Polkadot project is the brainchild of the co-founder of Ethereum, Dr. Gavin Wood. Dr. Gavin created Polkadot to make inter-blockchain transactions possible, eliminating the long-standing problem of scalability of a single blockchain.
Polkadot can interact both with relay chains and parachains. Such an ability will allow users more private and efficient transactions. The project’s native token DOT serves mainly three purposes - governance, staking, and bonding. DOT token holders can vote, earn rewards on their stake or add new parachains by bonding. This way the project gives the users full control over the protocol - the ecosystem doesn't have miners. Instead, it leverages a Proof-of-Stake algorithm so the holders can manage protocol upgrades and other fixes. The project uses game theory and rewards users who behave honestly while making cheaters lose part of their stake.
In 2022 the Polkadot network launched a Polkadot DevCamp. It is a curated education program led by Polkadot experts, at the end of which developers should be able to build a blockchain with Substrate. The course will begin in May and last three weeks.