#Ethereum #zkSync #zkRollup #EVM #Layer-2
One of the top Layer-2 scaling solutions, zkSync, announced on Feb.16 that the first zkEVM on Ethereum is now lifting gates to allow registered projects to deploy on the mainnet, with the name changed from zkSync 2.0 to zkSync Era∎, and enter the Fair Onboarding Alpha stage.
What’s zkSync?
Builted by Matter Labs, zkSync utilizes ZK-rollups technology to scale the Ethereum network. The original zkSync 1.0 was launched in 2021, with the minimal functions of deposit, transfer and NFT, while zkSync 2.0 was launched in late 2022. Zk is short for Zero-Knowledge proof(ZKP), which allows ZK-rollups to have a negligible fund withdrawal delay with a higher level of security. ZK-rollups have the advantage in theoretical transactions-per-second (TPS) cap, transaction finality time, and security.
With the change from zkSync 2.0 to zkSync Era, the previous zkSync 1.0 was also renamed into zkSync Lite. Both will co-exist in the long term, undertaking different types of tasks.
What’s the difference between zkSync Lite and Era?
While the previous version of zkSync only allowed certain developers to use it, the mainnet of zkSync Era is open to all developers. zkSync Era allows for testing and deployment of token bridging for project purposes and will continue to conduct audits, contests and vulnerability reward programs, and improve developer tools.
In zkSync 1.0 or Lite, due to the incompatibility with Ethereum Virtual Machine(EVM), the availability of the network is limited, and the application scenarios that can be supported are very limited. zkSync Era will bring better compatibility with EVM, making it the first blockchain network that utilizes the ZK Rollup solution and is compatible with EVM, allowing developers to deploy decentralized applications on the network using Solidity, the native programming language of Ethernet, and existing DeFi applications on the main Ethernet network can be integrated into the zkSync2.0 network, with low cost and high efficiency for both developers and users to use this Layer2 network.
To meet more practical uses, Era will also gradually support the following features:
- Support for Solidity 0.8.x version. Consistent with the Ethereum mainnet development environment.
- Web3 API is almost fully compatible with Ethereum. Developers can reuse most of their APIs.
- Native support for ECDSA signatures. No additional operations are required for users to use their private keys. Any account can use the same private key in L2 as in L1.
- Smart contract messaging between L1 and L2. Allows developers to pass data from Ethereum to zkSync, seamlessly bridging the various data messages communicated between the two.
Build on zkSync Era
To further attract developers, the Era mainnet code will be open for developers to use simultaneously, including smart contracts, sequencer, prover and GPU sections, covering the most important parts of the implementation. Developers can deploy and test various functions of the dApp on zkSync Era during the testing phase, and can bridge Ethereum standard tokens to the network, currently supporting tokens other than ERC-20, but need to submit specific information. In addition, developers can also participate in bug discovery, feature debugging and vulnerability bounty programs to help officials improve the security measures of the Era main network.
zkSync also recently announced a partnership with buidlbox to kick off the zkSync Era hackathon series, designed to provide developers of any experience level with the opportunity to explore the potential of zkSync Era. Participants will have access to workshops and mentoring from some of the Web3 leaders, including zkSync. The first hackathon in the series will open on February 20 and conclude on March 19 with a focus on account abstraction and Web3 security and a prize pool of $25,000.
What’s next for zkSync Era?
There is still some time before the full launch of the zkSync mainnet, but what is undeniable is that the continued efforts of Matter Labs and many developers have kept zkSync growing steadily. zkSync also wrote that a new public roadmap is coming soon in their official announcement.
In Matter Labs’ vision, eventually zkSync-based can go on to build L3, L4 and other specific application chains or extension chains, eventually achieving scalability across the blockchain network and enabling native cross-chain bridges between specific two chains to deliver assets and messages without the need for third-party tools. If Polygon’s recent zkEVM release blew in the New Year, then zkSync 2.0 is a preview of full-blown prosperity.
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