Modular ecosystem map: execution, DA, sequencing, proving, interop and RaaS
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Primer on monolithic versus modular design followed by a landscape of projects per layer: rollups, settlement, DA, sequencing, proving, interoperability, rollup SDKs, RaaS, orderflow abstraction and RPC.
✨🧱 The Modular Ecosystem 🧱✨
2024 will be the year of modular blockchain architecture.
The modular thesis will change how we think and build blockchains.
Let me give you an alpha list of projects building the modular future. 💎👇
A primer on Monolithic vs. Modular
In monolithic networks (e.g. Ethereum and Solana), execution, settlement, and consensus/data availability (DA) are all unified in one layer:
⚙️ Execution: Defines how nodes on the blockchain process transactions and transition them between states.
⚙️ Settlement: Guarantees that the transaction is irreversible and occurs only when the chain is convinced of its validity. Settlement involves validating transactions, verifying proofs, and arbitrating disputes.
⚙️ Data Availability: Ensures that any data published to the network is accessible and retrievable by all network participants, at least for a certain period of time and that the network state is verifiable.
⚙️ Consensus: Mechanism by which nodes agree on the true and accurate data on the blockchain.
While the monolithic design approach has its advantages, such as reduced complexity and improved composability, it doesn't scale well.
This is why the modular propagates a separation of these core functions into distinct, interchangeable layers. In these functional areas, specialized players emerge that build highly performant infrastructure for modular execution layers, a.k.a. Rollups.
Let me walk you through the modular ecosystem!
🧱 Execution layers (rollups, validiums, optimiums)
✦ @arbitrum
✦ @Optimism
✦ @zksync
✦ @Starknet
✦ @Scroll_ZKP
✦ @taikoxyz
✦ @MantaNetwork
✦ @0xMantle
✦ @MetisL2
🧱 Settlement layers
✦ Ethereum
✦ @dymension
🧱 Consensus/DA layer
✦ @CelestiaOrg
✦ @AvailProject
✦ @eigen_da
✦ @NEARProtocol DA
However, it is important to understand that the notion of separating core functions of blockchain (or rollup) networks into distinct, specialized layers that are optimized to serve a specific use case, goes beyond data availability.
More broadly, the modular landscape also includes:
🧱 Sequencing solutions
✦ @EspressoSys
✦ @nodekitorg
✦ @radius_xyz
✦ @AstriaOrg
✦ @Fair_Block
🧱 Proving solutions
✦ @RiscZero
✦ @lagrangedev
✦ @nil_foundation
✦ @SuccinctLabs
✦ @gevulot_network
✦ @axiom_xyz
✦ @theblockless
🧱 Interoperability solutions
✦ @wormholecrypto
✦ @axelarnetwork
✦ @LayerZero_Labs
✦ @union_build
✦ @Hyperlane_xyz
✦ @Polymer_Labs
✦ @PolyhedraZK
✦ @labs_electron
✦ @OmniFDN
🧱 Rollup Stacks / SDKs
✦ Arbitrum Orbit,
✦ Optimism's OP Stack
✦ zkSync's ZK Stack
✦ @0xPolygon CDK
✦ @sovereign_labs SDK
🧱 Rollup-as-a-Service (RaaS)
✦ @alt_layer
✦ @Calderaxyz
✦ @EclipseFND
✦ @conduitxyz
✦ @LumozOrg
✦ @gelatonetwork
✦ @RollkitDev
✦ @initiaFDN
✦ @0xStackr
✦ @ankr RaaS
🧱 Order flow abstraction
✦ @ComposableFin
✦ Flashbots SUAVE
✦ @anoma
🧱 Other tooling (e.g. RPC / data access)
✦ @lavanetxyz
Are you ready for the modular expansion, anon? 🧱✨