There is a famous concept called Scalability Trilemma, which helps us understand the blockchain design challenge.
This theory states that it is difficult to achieve the following three aspects.
- Security —— the ability to resist attacks
- Scalability —— the ability to quickly process many transactions
- Decentralization -- the distribution of control among many participants
Usually, only two can be optimized and then sacrifice another.
For example, Bitcoin is very secure, However, its scalability is poor, and the transaction speed is slow.
Layer 1 and Layer 2
Besides the Scalability Trilemma, we can also analyze blockchains from another perspective:
Layer 1
Layer 1 refers to an independent blockchain network, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Its responsibilities include final confirmation and security guarantee.
It is hard to improve Layer1's performance. that similar to rebuilding an already constructed foundation.
Layer 2
Layer2 is built on top of a Layer1 protocol.
It solves the scalability problem by handling transactions off-chain and then submitting the results back to Layer1 for verification.
This greatly increases processing speed and reduces transaction fees.
The famous Layer2 solutions include: Arbitrum and Optimism.
Conclusion
Therefore, when evaluating a blockchain network, we should consider how it balances the Scalability Trilemma.
By considering these aspects, we can develop a comprehensive understanding of the core blockchain features.
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