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Polygon zkEVM

17 pieces · Jan 2023 to Aug 2023 · 3 flagship

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L1/L215 ZK14 Ethereum12

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172023

Start here · the strongest pieces on Polygon zkEVM

Explainer24 Mar 2023Polygon zkEVM tech deep dive: Proof of Efficiency and plonky2Technical walkthrough of Polygon zkEVM: Proof of Efficiency with sequencers and aggregators, bytecode-level EVM equivalence versus zkSync's language-level approach, and the recursive plonky2 proof system. Condensed from a 60 page report co-written with Louround.Thesis26 Jul 2023L2 guide: which ecosystems stand out (Arbitrum, Scroll, Polygon zkEVM, zkSync)Assesses leading L2 ecosystems by tech, decentralization and growth drivers, with Arbitrum (Orbit, Stylus), Scroll (type 2 zkEVM), Polygon (plonky3, interop layer) and zkSync (Boojum, ZK Stack, zkPorter). Holds zk as the endgame.Map28 Aug 2023L2/L3 execution layer framework: ten rollup stacks and their thesesWork-in-progress framework summarizing each major rollup stack's thesis, e.g. fractal L3 scaling on Starknet, recursive L3 zk rollups on zkSync, Superchain shared sequencing on Optimism and EigenDA outsourcing on Mantle, with links to deeper threads.

Timeline · every piece, newest first

2023 17

28 Aug 2023L2/L3 execution layer framework: ten rollup stacks and their thesesWork-in-progress framework summarizing each major rollup stack's thesis, e.g. fractal L3 scaling on Starknet, recursive L3 zk rollups on zkSync, Superchain shared sequencing on Optimism and EigenDA outsourcing on Mantle, with links to deeper threads.MapL1/L2ZK

26 Jul 2023L2 guide: which ecosystems stand out (Arbitrum, Scroll, Polygon zkEVM, zkSync)Assesses leading L2 ecosystems by tech, decentralization and growth drivers, with Arbitrum (Orbit, Stylus), Scroll (type 2 zkEVM), Polygon (plonky3, interop layer) and zkSync (Boojum, ZK Stack, zkPorter). Holds zk as the endgame.ThesisL1/L2EthereumZK

21 Jul 2023Rollups are not decentralized yet: sequencer status and shared sequencersReviews sequencer and validator centralization at Optimism, Arbitrum, zkSync Era and Polygon zkEVM and failure modes. Presents shared sequencers as decentralization-as-a-service for rollups.ThesisL1/L2Ethereum

23 May 2023Ethereum L2 adoption in May 2023: scaling factor, TPS and TVLL2BEAT-based data thread: L2 scaling factor versus L1, rising L2 activity, and TVL roughly doubling YTD. Optimistic rollups hold most TVL, and zk-rollups are expected to gain share as adoption grows.DataL1/L2Ethereum

22 May 2023Vitalik's rollup stages framework: Stage 0, 1 and 2 explainedBreaks down Vitalik's framework for how much a rollup relies on trusting humans versus code, with requirements for each stage. Notes Polygon zkEVM as the only stage 1 rollup at the time.ExplainerL1/L2EthereumZK

20 Apr 2023Centralization in zk-rollups: sequencers, provers and client diversityArgues zk-rollups promise Ethereum-grade security but are largely centralized today across sequencers, provers and client diversity. Maps the projects working on each problem: sequencer rotation, shared sequencers, prover outsourcing and multiple clients.Market takeZKL1/L2Ethereum

19 Apr 20232023 narratives: zkEVMs, privacy L1s, restaking, modular DA and perpsAuthor's narrative watchlist for 2023: zkEVMs, zk privacy L1s, restaking, WASM and RISC-V L2 VMs, interoperability, DA layers, shared sequencers, rollup SDKs, recursive L3s, EIP-4844, account abstraction, parallel VMs, identity and perps.ThesisZKL1/L2Ethereum

16 Apr 2023Polygon zkEVM vs zkSync: organic versus airdrop-driven growthChart-based comparison showing zkSync growing magnitudes faster on airdrop hopes while Polygon zkEVM sees slow, steady organic growth. Links to the adoption threads for both.Market takeZKL1/L2

16 Apr 2023Polygon zkEVM ecosystem TVL vs zkSync: the airdrop effectObserves that the Polygon zkEVM ecosystem is growing slowly with about $1.6m TVL, all organic since there is no airdrop, and contrasts it with zkSync to show how airdrops bootstrap users and liquidity.DataZKL1/L2

09 Apr 2023zkSync Era two weeks in: airdrop farming and adoption metricsData thread on zkSync Era's first two weeks showing hype driven by airdrop hopes: wallet and TVL numbers, shallow bridging behavior and activity distribution, plus the dominant dApps. Questions how sustainable the activity is.DataZKL1/L2

08 Apr 2023Polygon zkEVM two weeks after launch: users, TPS and TVLAdoption stats for Polygon zkEVM roughly two weeks after mainnet: active addresses, transactions, TPS and TVL by dApp. Concludes it trails zkSync on metrics without an airdrop, but has strong tech, funding and ecosystem.DataZKL1/L2

30 Mar 2023Centralized rollup sequencers: risks and who is decentralizing themMost rollups run a centralized sequencer, which creates censorship, MEV and single point of failure risk. Saga and Radius build shared sequencing infrastructure, while Polygon zkEVM's sequencer is still centralized despite its Proof of Efficiency design.Market takeL1/L2Ethereum

24 Mar 2023Polygon zkEVM tech deep dive: Proof of Efficiency and plonky2Technical walkthrough of Polygon zkEVM: Proof of Efficiency with sequencers and aggregators, bytecode-level EVM equivalence versus zkSync's language-level approach, and the recursive plonky2 proof system. Condensed from a 60 page report co-written with Louround.ExplainerZKL1/L2Ethereum

22 Mar 2023Immutable x Polygon: MATIC-staked zkEVM rollup for gamingUnpacks the Immutable and Polygon partnership: Immutable X, a StarkEx validium with a DAC, will launch its own MATIC-staked Polygon zkEVM rollup using IMX as gas, adding smart contracts and potential game-specific L3s.BreakdownL1/L2ZKEthereum

21 Mar 2023March 2023 watchlist: L2 VMs, zkEVMs, DA, sequencers, AA and perpsList of themes to watch: WASM and RISC-V VMs on L2, zkEVMs, specialized DA layers, shared sequencers, rollup SDKs, recursive L3s, EIP-4844, account abstraction, MPC custody, parallel VMs, identity and decentralized perps.MapEthereumL1/L2ZK

12 Jan 2023zkSync language-level vs Polygon bytecode-level zkEVM trade-offShort comment framing the zkEVM design choice as a performance versus equivalence trade-off, with zkSync taking the source-code compatibility route and Polygon bytecode-level compatibility.Market takeZKEthereum

11 Jan 2023Polygon zkEVM bytecode-level vs language-level zkEVM approachesDistinguishes language-level zkEVMs that transpile Solidity (Starknet, zkSync) from bytecode-level ones with no transpiler (Polygon zkEVM, Scroll), noting Scroll is closer to full EVM equivalence.ExplainerZKEthereum

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zkSync41 Scroll26 Starknet39 Arbitrum65 Optimism61 Taiko10 Radius14 Manta Network45

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