Ethereum Set to Welcome New Layer 2 Protocols Built on Polygon's Chain Development Kit

Easy and Seamless Development of ZK-Powered Layer 2

The Ethereum (ETH) ecosystem is poised to see the integration of new layer 2 (L2) protocols built on Polygon's recently open sourced codebase, Chain Development Kit (CDK). CDK utilizes zero-knowledge proof (ZK-proof) technology to ensure security and fast finality. Jordi Baylina, the technical lead of Polygon Hermez zkEVM, spoke exclusively to Cointelegraph about this new toolset, emphasizing the ease of launching a ZK-powered Layer 2 tailored to the specific requirements of projects.

Easy Liquidity Access Across Polygon and Ethereum

One of the key features of Polygon CDK is its ability to facilitate automatic access to liquidity across Polygon's chains and the wider Ethereum ecosystem. This allows for on-demand scale without the fragmentation of liquidity. Baylina also mentioned various projects building CDK-powered chains for different use cases, including payment-specific L2s, DeFi, gaming, and NFT platforms.

Customizable Features for Different Appchains

Baylina highlighted the flexibility and customization options of CDK for different appchains. These customizations include rollup or validium mode, various execution environments, data availability solutions, token customization, and centralized or decentralized sequencer mode, among others. Additionally, permissioned networks with granular allowlists can also be integrated into the CDK framework.

The Power and Potential of ZK-Proof Technology

Baylina stressed the significance of ZK-proof technology and its role in scaling Ethereum. Chains launched with Polygon CDK are automatically connected to a shared ZK bridge and an interop layer, which is a cross-chain communication protocol. This enables sub-minute cross-chain transactions and creates the perception of a single chain environment.

Differences Between Polygon CDK and Other Ethereum Programming Languages

Baylina discussed the differences between CDK and other Ethereum ecosystem programming languages, such as StarkWare's Cairo codebase. He explained that CDK provides automatic access to shared liquidity through a ZK bridge and interop layer in an L2 ecosystem secured by ZK-proofs. The fast finality and withdrawal times offered by ZK-proofs make them a promising solution for Ethereum scalability, outperforming fraud proofs featured in Optimistic rollup L2 solutions.

Cointelegraph has previously explored the Ethereum layer 2 ecosystem, providing insights into Ethereum rollups and different scaling approaches for the smart contract blockchain.