So what is Ethereum Layer 2 scaling all about? And what is the difference between projects such as Optimism, xDai, OMG and Loopring? We’ll answer all of these questions in this video.
Ethereum scaling has been one of the most discussed topics pretty much since the time when the network launched. The scaling debate always heats up after a period of major network congestion.
One of the first periods like this was the 2017 crypto bull market where infamous CryptoKitties, together with ICOs, were able to clog up the entire Ethereum network causing a major spike in the gas fees.
This year the network congestion came back even stronger, this time caused by the popularity of DeFi and yield farming. There were periods of time when even gas fees as high as 500+ gwei would not get your transaction verified for a while.
When it comes to scaling Ethereum or blockchains in general, there are 2 major ways of doing it: scaling the base layer itself (Layer 1) or scaling the network by offloading some of the work to another layer - Layer 2.
When it comes to actual scaling solutions there are multiple options available. Whilst some of the options are available right now and can increase Ethereum network throughput in the near to medium-term, others are aiming for a medium to long-term time horizon.
Some of the scaling solutions are application-specific, for example, payment channels. Others, such as optimistic rollups, can be used for any arbitrary contract executions.
To understand these differences better let’s explore the most popular Layer 2 scaling solutions.