Proto-danksharding, also known as EIP-4844, is set to reduce the cost of rollups on the Ethereum blockchain, potentially by as much as 10 times, according to Nicolas Liochon, head of zkEVM Linea at Consensys. In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph Magazine, Liochon discussed the role of zero-knowledge proof (ZK-proofs) solutions in scaling the Ethereum ecosystem and how proto-danksharding can further enhance cost reduction.
Rollups are a popular method to batch transactions and data off-chain and then submit computational proof to the Ethereum blockchain. However, the cost of rollups is still a concern due to the nature of how transactions are posted in calldata in Ethereum blocks. This restricts the scalability and affordability of rollups. EIP-4844 aims to address this challenge by introducing data blocks that can be sent and attached to blocks. These data blocks are stored in blobs, are not accessible to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), and will be deleted after a certain time period. This implementation is expected to significantly reduce transaction costs.
Liochon emphasized that the cost of rollups is primarily attributed to data availability, with 95% of the cost related to the storage and processing of data on layer one of Ethereum. The Linea prover, responsible for off-chain computation verification and cryptographic proof creation, represents only a fifth of the overall cost. This highlights the importance of addressing data availability concerns to make ZK-rollups a preferred scaling solution for Ethereum, instead of alternatives like Optimistic rollups.
Linea aims to be a general use ZK-rollup that can be applied to various decentralized applications and solutions within the Ethereum ecosystem. Liochon stated the importance of supporting different types of applications, including decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, and social platforms. By providing a versatile solution, Linea aims to cater to the diverse needs of developers and users in the Ethereum community.
Consensys has already launched Linea in August 2023, onboarding over 150 partners and bridging more than $26 million in ETH. The Ethereum Foundation continues to work on developing and testing proto-danksharding, but an expected launch date is yet to be determined.
In conclusion, proto-danksharding has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of rollups on the Ethereum blockchain. By addressing data availability concerns and introducing data blocks that are not accessible to the EVM, transaction costs can be drastically reduced. Linea, developed by Consensys, aims to be a versatile ZK-rollup solution that supports various decentralized applications within the Ethereum ecosystem. With ongoing development and testing, the Ethereum community eagerly awaits the launch of proto-danksharding to unlock the full potential of rollups as a scaling solution.
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