Layer2 ecosystem is developing rapidly? Learn about the current mainstream Layer2 projects in one article

Written by Starknet

Translation: VernacularBlockchain

BlockchainTechnology continues to advance, with Ethereum achieving a record 2 million daily transactions in January 2024. However, scalability issues among first-layer (L1) chains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to limit their widespread adoption.

Therefore, the second layer (L2) The solution is here: a range of technologies designed to speed up transactions and reduce costs without compromising the leading L1 networkSafetyAccording to L2Beat, L2 scaling solutions have transformed Ethereum, processing 11-12 times more transactions than Ethereum itself.

Source: L2beat.com

This paper explores the L2 ecosystem, including its key innovations, challenges, and future directions.

1. The origin of L2

As more and more users conduct transactions on L1, these networks become slower and more expensive. Solving scalability problems on L1 usually meansSafetycompromise between centralization or decentralization, two characteristics that are essential to allBlockchainIn terms of scalability, decentralization andSafetyThese three expectationsBlockchainThe trade-off of choosing only two of the features is calledBlockchainThree difficult problems".

解决区块链三难题对以太坊尤为重要，因为它已成为构建去中心化应用（dApp）的首选 L1。在这三个期望的特征中，以太坊选择了Safety性和去中心化，而以可扩展性为代价。

In order to expand the number and types of use cases for Ethereum, building more complex dApps must be economically feasible.

L2 solutions have emerged as a way to address these issues by moving most of the heavy computation associated with processing transactions from the base layer to the second layer, thereby increasing transaction throughput, reducing costs, and improving user experience.Xiaobai Navigation础 L1 区块链的Safety性和去中心化的同时实现这一目标。

2. Core technologies and frameworks

The L2 ecosystem now has a total locked value (TVL) of over $46 billion and includes a variety of technologies and frameworks with unique characteristics. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important technologies:

Rollups - There are two types of Rollups: Optimistic Rollup and Validity/Zero knowledge Rollup. Optimistic Rollups assume that transactions are valid by default. They have a mechanism to prevent fraud, enabling network participants to use "fraud proofs" to challenge transactions that are expected to be fraudulent to prove their invalidity. In contrast, validity rollups use "validity proofs" to prove the validity of each transaction submitted to the base layer. Both types of rollups offer higher throughput and lower fees than L1.

State channels - State channels allow participants to lock a portion of the blockchain state into a multi-signaturecontractTo conduct off-chain transactions. Participants can freely trade off-chain, and the final state is settled on-chain. State channels provide almost real-time transactions and low fees, but have certain limitations in terms of functionality and the number of participants.

Plasma (Shard Chain) - Plasma is a framework for creating layered sidechains that are anchored to the main chain. Plasma chains can process transactions off-chain and only submit periodic updates to the main chain, reducing the burden on the L1 network. Similar to optimistic aggregation chains, Plasma chains use fraud proofs to challenge suspicious transactions.

3. Review of the L2 ecosystem

The L2 ecosystem is developing rapidly, with numerous projects and initiatives working to scale the main L1 blockchains. While there are solutions dedicated to bringing scalability to Bitcoin, such as the famous Lightning Network, which leverages state channels to provide faster and cheaper transactions on the network, there are no L2 solutions for general-purpose computing on Bitcoin.

On the other hand, Ethereum has spawned a thriving ecosystem of L2 solutions. We will highlight the main players and briefly describe them.

1) Validity Aggregation Chain (also known as Zero-Knowledge Aggregation Chain)

Starknet: Has the fastest growing developer populationCommunityA validity aggregation chain with local account abstraction and its own programming language (Cairo), which optimizes the ability to exploit validity proofs.

zkSync: Another leading validity aggregation chain with native account abstraction, running on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

Scroll: An EVM-compatible validation aggregation chain focused on native-level compatibility with existing Ethereum dApps and tools.

Polygon zkEVM: Developed by L2 scaling veteran Polygon, zkEVM is an EVM-compatible validation aggregation chain.

Linea: Powered by Consensys, the company behind MetaMask, Linea is a validity aggregation chain that can be used directly through MetaMask.

2) Optimistic aggregation chain

Arbitrum: The largest optimistic aggregator chain measured by total locked value (TVL), compatible with the EVM.

Optimism: The second largest optimistic aggregation chain measured by TVL, compatible with EVM.

Base: The third-largest optimistic aggregation chain by TVL, compatible with EVM.

Many of these projects are still in their early stages, often involving a period of centralized control known as a “training wheels” phase, which allows for controlled system updates and bug fixes. While necessary initially, these training wheels should eventually be removed to achieve the desired decentralized and trustless operation.

The adoption of L2 solutions has been growing steadily in various fields including decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and on-chain games. The most commonly used types of L2 tend to be optimistic aggregation chains and validity aggregation chains. However, the integration of L2 solutions is not without challenges.

4. Challenges and Solutions

Although L2 solutions have great potential, there are still some challenges that need to be overcome to realize their full potential. From a user perspective, interacting with L2 networks may be slightly more complicated, requiring additional steps such as bridging assets and managing multiplewalletBy better integratingwallet, simplifying the onboarding process and providing more intuitive interfaces to improve the user experience will be critical to driving mainstream adoption.

这就是为什么 Starknet 提供了内置的账户抽象功能，可以实现更流畅的用户体验，例如通过面部识别和指纹识别进行交易签名（例如，Braavos wallet提供了这两种功能）。在 Starknet 上，使以太坊扩展意味着 Web2 风格的用户体验与更便宜、更快的交易同样重要。

5. Prospects of L2

As the L2 ecosystem matures, we can expect a wave of innovation, such as local account abstraction capabilities on Starknet. Hybrid solutions that combine the advantages of different L2 technologies have begun to emerge, providing dual benefits for optimistic and validity aggregation chains. Advances in validity proofs (such as STARKs) further improve the scalability and privacy of L2 networks.

Looking ahead, the future of L2 solutions is closely tied to the overall development of blockchain technology. As L1 networks continue to evolve and new consensus mechanisms such as proof of stake are promoted, L2 solutions will need to adapt and integrate seamlessly with these changes.

In the coming years, we will see a flourishing of L2 solutions tailored to specific use cases and application areas. Some predict that L2 networks will eventually become the primary layer for user interactions, while L1 will serve as a secure settlement layer. Others envision a multi-layered blockchain architecture, with L2 solutions evolving in parallel with each other, sometimes with a third layer (L3) chain on top of them, to create a scalable and interoperable ecosystem.

6 Conclusion

As the L2 ecosystem continues to grow, collaboration and contributions between developers, researchers, and users are critical to developing robust and user-friendly L2 solutions.

By embracing the potential of L2 technology, blockchainCommunityThe limitations of L1 networks can be overcome and new possibilities for decentralized applications can be opened up. The road ahead is full of challenges and opportunities, but with the right approach and a shared vision, we can build a scalable and inclusive blockchain ecosystem that empowers individuals and transforms industries.

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