have entered into competition with each other because there are really many of them. I remind you that a Layer2 is a scalability solution (born mainly on Ethereum) that allows you to relieve the chain of more complex operations. Their imperative is low fees, high speed and security guaranteed by the validators of the Ethereum mainnet. Basically there are Optimistic Rollups (which assume that the transactions are valid without verifying them, the check takes place during the withdrawal from the chain) and ZK (or so-called "zero-knowledge" and which require proof of identity without however specifying what data it is). The technologies built on ZK are:
-Zero (based on SNARK, the world's fastest scaling solution where transactions are processed in parallel, packaged in a block and sent over the Etheruem mainnet)
-Stark (allows to process thousands of transactions in a single tx, it's not EVM but Miden VM)
-Nightfall (it is a hybrid solution between ZK and Optimistic where ZK Rollups are used to ensure privacy, Optimistic infrastructure for transactions and scalability)
The main scalability solutions are:
Arbitrum > Arbitrum Orbit (L3)
Optimism > Superchains
zkSync > Hyperchains
StarkWare > Fractal Scaling
Polygon > Value Layer
The future of Ethereum scalability should revolve around the development of L3, Superchain and Hyperchain. While Ethereum functions like L1, it needs to be able to operate on the same scale. Today, no single L2 chain possesses this capability.
Cross-chain interoperability has also led to serious problems, as bridges interacting over multiple chains are the weak link.
New challenges require innovative solutions.
ARBITRUM AND ORBIT
is currently the largest and most dominant L2 in terms of TVL, with approximately $6 billion. In fact, it holds a market share of over 60%.
Arbitrum offers 4 main products:
1) Arbitrum One: this is the first mainnet rollup of the Arbitrum ecosystem
2) Arbitrum Nova: an AnyTrust solution, designed for projects with cost-sensitive and high transaction volume expectations (such as play to earn and NFT)
3) Arbitrum Nitro: this technical software stack powers Arbitrum L2, making rollup faster, cheaper, and more EVM compatible
4) Arbitrum Orbit: this development framework enables the creation and deployment of L3 on the Arbitrum mainnet.
L3 rollups, also known as app chains, play a crucial role in regulating transactions on Arbitrum chains. They are critical to the next stage of Arbitrum's scaling journey. Orbit is designed to be compatible with the upcoming Arbitrum Stylus update. This compatibility gives developers the ability to build dApps using Rust, C and C++ expanding the versatility and reach of Arbitrum.
OPTIMISM AND OP STACK
In October 2022, introduced:
• OP Stack: A modular and open source project for building scalable and interoperable blockchains of all types
• Superchain: A tightly integrated and unified collection of L2s built on top of the OP stack.
In simplified terms, the OP Stack can be viewed as a "build-an-L2" market. It offers different levels (modules) that can be easily customized to meet the specific needs of a project. In early June, Optimism made an announcement that it was migrating its flagship L2 rollup to Bedrock. This release represents the first official launch of the OP stack, making the OP mainnet the most convenient Ethereum L2 rollup for token trading.
Additionally, Bedrock offers the following benefits:
• Reduces deposition time from 10 min to 3 min
• Improves test modularity by supporting both error and ZK tests
• Allows execution of multiple transactions within a single rollup "block".
After the Bedrock update, Optimism's next step is to move to the Superchain. The Superchain is a decentralized network made up of L2s (OP Chains) that will share security, a communication layer and an open source technology stack (OP Stack).
WorldCoin (decentralized identity) and also Base (the L2 of Coinbase) will be built on this superchain. Base will put the EVM world in communication with Cosmos/Solana, the gas token will also be ETH here and all gas fees will be burned. The idea, using Optimism's OP Stack, is to build a modular and interoperable chain. It will also support a tool called Pessimism, with the aim of searching for bugs and malicious code in the smart contract. Even the L2 of the BNB Chain, i.e. opBNB uses the OP stack (4000 transactions per second are estimated, speeds similar to those of Arbitrum). Also worth mentioning is Zora Network, based on the NFT mint.
ZKSYNC AND HYPERCHAINS
In this case we pass to the L2 of type ZK therefore not Optimistic. Hyperchains are 's vision of an L3, conceived as a vast ecosystem of connected and customizable blockchains.
To put it simply, hyperchains refer to independent ZK chains on Ethereum. These chains are interconnected through a network of completely trustless and customizable hyper-bridges. Anyone can implement their own hyperchain with custom consensus and validator sets while inheriting security and finality from the underlying L1. While the throughput (TPS) of any single hyperchain will be limited by the decentralization/capacity of its nodes, the hyperchains together remove any limit to the total throughput that the zkSync Era ecosystem can achieve. This approach helps overcome vulnerabilities typically associated with non-native bridges. zkSync launched its mainnet first in Lite version, then the definitive one called Era. zkSync Era allows for unlimited computation in each block, enabling only final storage allows you to make Oracle updates more frequent, transactions with large input data more cost-effective, and verifying ZK proofs significantly cheaper.
The zkSync Era architecture also includes zkPorter - a decentralized storage option with reduced security but much lower cost. Unlike canonical storage extensions, zkPorter supports synchronous atomic transactions between users and smart contracts on ZK-rollup, enabling shared liquidity.
STARKWARE AND FRACTAL SCALING
In theory, the system could have an infinite number of hyperchains to represent its totality. This concept concerning fractal scaling is quite innovative compared to the other L2. In summary, StarkWare's Multilayer Network Thesis proposes that L2s are designed for general purpose scaling, while L3 should be used for custom scaling. In this case we talk about Stark proof (basically they group together thousands of on-chain transactions and verify their validity with a single proof) and they also guarantee post-quantum security.
POLYGON 2.0 (ZKEVM VALIDIUM) AND ZKEVM
Polygon is a Proof Of Stake sidechain that runs parallel to Ethereum. Within the ecosystem there is also the L2 zkEVM Polygon network, to complement the existing PoS chain, and based on the ZK Rollup. The evolution of Polygon therefore consists in developing further Layer2 which exploit the ZK-Rollup, and which can therefore interact with each other in safety.
This architecture is designed to facilitate instant and secure cross-chain interactions with L2. The idea is to add capacity by creating new chains, but without fragmenting liquidity and without reducing capital security and efficiency. In January there was a Hard Fork which aimed to reduce the spikes of Gas fees (therefore the volatility) and the completion time of a transaction (by reducing the sprint length time from 64 to 16 blocks, i.e. the number of production of consecutive blocks that a validator can have). The other update that was introduced was the parallelization in order to increase the TPS. In development we find "Edge" (a modular framework useful for building blockchains, like Cosmos) and Supernet (EVM chain application with a central Hub or Polygon which guarantees security to all the chains built around it, like the Cosmos Hub model, the parachains of Polkadot and Avalanche subnets). zkEVM is therefore a L2 above which it is possible to build further scalable L3. Polygon 2.0 was announced with the goal of creating the "Value Layer of the Internet". This solution aims to improve the interoperability between zkEVM Polygon (L2 of Ethereum), PoS and Supernet (can also be L2 zkEVM) through a series of updates. By combining zero-knowledge technology with the existing PoS mechanism, Polygon seeks to strengthen security and privacy. On Polygon's zkEVM he is also building Immutable X (layer2 initially built on Starkex and based on NFT). A recent announcement from the Polygon team reveals their plan to transition Polygon PoS to zkEVM Validium by the end of Q1 2024. Basically L2 data will no longer be saved on L1 (Ethereum) as is the case for all rollups, but on Polygon itself (which will therefore act as data storage), instead the verification of data and transactions will take place on Ethereum (sent via ZK technology). Polygon which will become zkEVM Validium will keep the fees paid in Matic and Polygon validators will become sequencers that generate their proofs published on Ethereum, then paying in ETH. This does not affect zkEVM Polygon which will remain the scalability solution for Ethereum.
is characterized by a modular infrastructure that allows hyperscalability and maximum security, it is an Optimistic Rollup. Mantle Network takes an approach that implements fraud proof building and verification using EVM instructions directly, allowing all Ethereum nodes to openly interact with a common proof system. This then minimizes the trust assumptions between verifiers, compilers and clients. You have the opportunity to receive up to 2400 MNT for , thanks to a giveaway on the Bybit exchange. You just need to subscribe 100 USDT and you will participate in the token mining. Once the draw is complete, Bybit will give you your 100 USDT back regardless of whether you won or not. Zero risk and the possibility of receiving MNT which will be there on July 17th on Bybit (Signing Up)
is another of several ZK rollups. Behind this L2 is the company Consensys (Infura) which also developed the well-known wallet Metamask. The main thing that makes Linea special is that it is an absolutely equivalent and EVM compatible L2.
This means that developers can use the same tools and infrastructure they would use on Ethereum, making working with Linea overall easier. This has practical benefits, like making it easier to transfer dapps from one chain to another. METAMASK simplifies user onboarding, Infura's infrastructure offers stability and scalability.
is another layer2 (Proof Outsourcing) of Ethereum that focuses on scalability and decentralization. The EVM in a ZK test brings a test overhead due to the incompatibility of native programming languages. To overcome this and reduce the issues of finalization on L1, a decentralized roller network has been built which generates evidence for the blocks of L2 in a much more fluid way thanks to the creation of many nodes. Scroll also supports Validium, further reducing fees.
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