add why base guide to docs site (#1684)

apps/base-docs/docs/why-base.md

@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+---
+title: Why Base
+slug: /why-base
+sidebar_position: 1
+description:
+  Base provides robust developer tooling, extensive builder support, and a commitment to open access and innovation
+  for everyone.
+keywords:
+  [
+    Base,
+    Ethereum L2,
+    Coinbase,
+    onchain economy,
+    builder grants,
+    cryptoeconomy,
+    EVM,
+    blockchain,
+    OP Stack,
+    Optimism,
+    decentralized apps,
+    AI,
+    onchain,
+  ]
+hide_table_of_contents: true
+---
+
+# Why Base?
+
+## TL;DR
+
+- **Cheap, fast, and open platform:** Base is a globally available platform that provides 1-second and <1-cent transactions to anyone in the world.
+- **Access to high-quality tooling:** Builders have access to tools to build incredible onchain experiences for AI, social, media, and entertainment.
+- **A place to earn:** Base has delivered over $26M in grants to more than 1,000 builders, with plans to continue supporting more.
+- **Reach more users:** Base is committed to helping developers grow their user base by distributing their apps through official Base channels.
+
+---
+
+## A platform for building innovative apps
+
+Base is a global onchain economy of people, builders, and businesses creating the next generation of the open internet. It enables builders to:
+
+- Focus on solving real user problems
+- Scale apps globally by default
+- Onboard users with a click
+- Accept payments from anyone, easily
+
+It’s fast, cheap, and permissionless, meaning anyone can build and use applications on Base.
+
+Base has become the hub for innovative use cases in media, entertainment, social, and even artificial intelligence. [Clanker], an autonomous AI agent on Base, generated more than $13 million in revenue within three months of its inception. As a cultivator of innovation, Base enables developers to focus on improving their products while retaining more of the upside they generate.
+
+Traditional app distribution models often require developers to sacrifice 30% of their revenue to app marketplaces. These platforms may incentivize predatory practices—selling user data or requiring personal information—and can restrict or deny access at their discretion. For instance, someone in Nairobi might be unable to use many U.S.-based fintech services.
+
+In contrast, decentralized finance (DeFi) apps—an onchain development sector—like [Moonwell] allow people anywhere in the world to access financial services directly from their phones. This means someone in Nairobi has the same level of access as someone in the U.S., opening opportunities that were previously inaccessible.
+
+---
+
+## Expansive developer tools
+
+Developers choose Base for its:
+
+- Always-on global payment rail operating at internet speed
+- Low transaction costs (often less than a cent)
+- Robust developer tooling
+
+But there’s more: Base apps can be launched in hours, not days or weeks, thanks to an extensive suite of tools—many of which are open source. We’re reviving the spirit of innovation where two builders in a garage can create a massively successful business.
+
+Some of the tooling that makes this possible:
+
+- **Smart Wallets:** Onboard your users quickly and securely. Users never have to worry about seed phrases again.
+- **Coinbase Developer Platform:** Access specialized developer services for onchain development, such as free node software, sponsored transactions, and other tools to help you fine-tune your application.
+- **OnchainKit:** A React component library (TypeScript) to help you build apps faster.
+- **Basenames:** More than just human-readable text to replace an address—Basenames are the front page to a builder’s onchain profile.
+- **Verifications:** Enable unique experiences for users with verified credentials.
+
+---
+
+## Builder support
+
+More apps mean more compelling reasons for everyone to get onchain. Base is committed to expanding its developer and user community by creating opportunities for apps to go viral. To support this, Base actively distributes apps through its official channels, including Wallet, X, and Warpcast.
+
+Beyond growth, Base is also a place to earn. Since its launch, we have dedicated a portion of our revenue to the Optimism Collective, supporting initiatives like [Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF)] and other ecosystem projects.
+
+We have also distributed over $26M in builder grants to more than 1,000 builders. Here are a few ways you can earn on Base:
+
+- **[Builder Grants]:** Small, retroactive grants up to 2 ETH
+- **[/base-builds]:** Weekly grants by rounds to Warpcast builders
+- **[Optimism RPGF]:** Projects built on Base are eligible for Optimism RPFG
+- Other community-driven collaborations through based.management, [Bountycaster], and [Talent Protocol]
+
+Base offers builders access to a high-growth, high-signal community across multiple social platforms, including a Discord server with over 400,000 members, X, and Warpcast. We actively amplify impactful projects on these platforms, helping the community discover new innovations. We believe the developers behind these applications are the key to unlocking an onchain future for everyone.
+
+---
+
+[Basenames]: https://www.base.org/names
+[planned]: https://ethereum.org/en/roadmap/
+[Solidity]: https://soliditylang.org/
+[Bountycaster]: https://www.bountycaster.xyz/
+[Builder Grants]: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiSAod4PAbXlvvDGtHWu-GqzGpvHYfaTQR2f77AawD7GYc4Q/viewform
+[/base-builds]: https://warpcast.com/base/0xb3f1428b?utm_source=dotorg&urm_medium=builderkit
+[Optimism RPGF]: https://round3.optimism.io/projects?after=undefined&display=grid&sort=mostAwarded&search=&seed=1738341430276&categories=
+[Talent Protocol]: https://www.talentprotocol.com/
+[Moonwell]: https://moonwell.fi/discover
+[Clanker]: https://www.clanker.world/
+[Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF)]: https://round3.optimism.io/projects?after=undefined&display=grid&sort=mostAwarded&search=&seed=1738341430276&categories=