Canic team explores Motoko support for large-scale ICP applications

The team behind Toko and Dragginz is exploring whether Motoko applications could eventually be managed through Canic Fleet, a system designed to operate large collections of canisters on the Internet Computer.

Canic is intended to help developers deploy, upgrade, monitor, back up and coordinate the canisters that make up larger applications. The proposed work would examine whether Motoko-based applications could be incorporated into the same infrastructure.

The project is currently at the investigation stage and is not a released feature. The team plans to begin with a limited feasibility proof to determine whether the approach can work reliably.

If successful, the proposed integration could allow Motoko developers to use Canic’s infrastructure while connecting their applications with specialised services written in Rust. One example is IcyDB, an on-chain database designed to provide data storage capabilities for applications running on the Internet Computer.

The proposal does not involve rewriting Canic or IcyDB in Motoko. Instead, the team is considering a smaller compatibility layer that would allow Motoko and Rust canisters to communicate and operate together securely.

The approach reflects the way applications on the Internet Computer can combine canisters written in different programming languages, with each component handling a specific role. For developers building larger applications, managing many canisters can introduce additional operational requirements around deployment, upgrades, monitoring and coordination.

For Motoko developers, access to fleet management infrastructure could provide another option for building and operating applications that require multiple canisters. However, whether the proposed approach can meet those requirements will depend on the outcome of the technical investigation.

The team has described the work as an early feasibility exercise rather than a confirmed product feature. A successful proof would be the next step before any wider implementation is considered.

More details about the proposal are available on the Dfinity developer forum.