Vitalik Buterin, one of the co-founders of Ethereum, has introduced a groundbreaking concept for enhancing scalability options within the Ethereum ecosystem. In his latest blog post on March 28th, Buterin emphasized the need for increased decentralization and scalability as Ethereum enters a new era.
Buterin expressed his preference for the recent Ethereum term upgrade, which enables the use of rollups in layer 2 and significantly reduces network fees. He noted that Ethereum is currently in a transitional phase, moving away from its layer-1 (L1) foundation, which has seen rapid progress. Despite the slower progress in L1, layer-2 scaling solutions have made significant environmental advancements.
Buterin stressed the importance of developing and maintaining high-quality projects that can be integrated into the rollups within the Ethereum system. He stated that rollup projects must meet certain standards before they can be considered. This includes achieving at least stage 1 of decentralization, which Buterin uses as a classification system. Stage 1 indicates that the network has made significant progress in terms of security and scalability but has not yet achieved full decentralization.
While Ethereum has several scaling solutions available, none of them have been fully implemented. Buterin highlighted the need for further improvement, including increasing blob capacity, eliminating storage bloat, and optimizing rollup performance.
Furthermore, Buterin identified proper data sources, sampling methods, and optimization techniques as crucial factors in developing layer-2 solutions. He also outlined the process of reaching stage 2 decentralization, where rollups rely on underlying code and intervention is only necessary in the case of code discrepancies.
Buterin also discussed Ethereum’s roadmap, with the current phase called “The Surge” focusing on scalability improvements through rollups and state channels. The subsequent phase, known as “The Scourge,” will address issues related to censorship resistance, decentralization, and protocol risk, such as Miner Extractable Value (MEV).
In conclusion, Buterin encouraged developers to adopt a long-term perspective and design applications that incorporate layer-2 scaling options, user privacy, account abstraction, and engagement with communities beyond the platform. He emphasized that Ethereum has evolved from a simple digital currency network to a comprehensive, decentralized technological framework, positioning it as a leading force in the industry.
Vitalik Buterin’s stance on the need for higher standards in layer-2 scaling solutions reflects Ethereum’s commitment to continuous development and pursuit of scalability and decentralization. As Ethereum progresses, developers are urged to align their projects with the evolving nature of the platform and leverage innovation and community-driven solutions to keep up with the rapid pace of change.
