Abstract

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have emerged as a transformative blockchain-based technology, enabling unique digital ownership and novel applications across art, gaming and Decentralized Finance (DeFi). However, the rapid evolution of NFT ecosystems has exposed critical challenges in scalability, security and interoperability, driven by the underlying blockchain architectures and software design paradigms. This article presents a systematic review of state-of-the-art blockchain architectures supporting NFTs, analyzing Layer-1 and Layer-2 solutions, consensus mechanisms and smart contract design patterns. We further explore software design best practices for NFT platforms, including gas optimization, upgradeability and anti-fraud mechanisms. Through a comparative analysis of Ethereum, Solana, Flow and Layer-2 frameworks like Polygon, we identify trade-offs in decentralization, throughput and cost. Finally, we highlight open challenges and future directions, such as cross-chain interoperability and energy-efficient NFT minting. This work serves as a comprehensive reference for researchers and practitioners aiming to advance NFT infrastructure.

Keywords: Blockchain; NFTs; Smart contracts; Scalability; Software design; Decentralization