# Unlock Tools and Libraries

Unlock Protocol is an open-source protocol governed by Unlock DAO, an assembly of UP token holders (former UDT) and active community participants who have been rewarded with the native ecosystem token.
Since its founding, the protocol and especially the Unlock Labs team, with support from Unlock DAO, has developed a range of open-source smart contracts verified on Etherscan. Unlock Protocol utilizes [Ethers](https://docs.ethers.io/), a popular Ethereum library written in JavaScript. It offers a straightforward way for developers to integrate our Ethereum smart contracts into their applications. 

Unlock offers several options for developers to gain easy access to these smart contracts and implement them into their native applications for various use cases. Uses can include but are not limited to: onchain events, memberships, subscriptions, and certifications. 