Great question, in the TON architecture, there are two primary types of blockchains: the masterchain and the basechain (also known as workchains).

The difference between the two lies in their functions and the roles they play in the TON ecosystem.

Masterchain:

The masterchain is the main blockchain of the TON network, responsible for maintaining the network's overall security, stability, and consensus. It acts as the central source of truth and connects all other blockchains within the network.

The masterchain handles global tasks, such as:

• Validation and finalization of blocks in other chains (including basechains)
• Storing the global configuration of the entire TON network
• Managing the validator pool and distributing validator roles among the basechains

Basechain (Workchain):

Basechains, or workchains, are independent blockchains within the TON network that run parallel to the masterchain. Each basechain can have its own rules, token, and smart contracts.

They are designed to handle specific tasks or applications and can be customized to meet the needs of various use cases.

The primary difference between the masterchain and basechains lies in their responsibilities within the TON network. The masterchain maintains the overall.

At this moment, the network is only working with 1 Workchain.