Scroll 

Scroll is currently running a Sprint campaign on Layer3, and many of the quests involve integrations with solid dApps such as SyncSwap, Satori, LayerBank, Compound and more. If you've never explored quests on Layer3, I highly recommend checking it out as I personally believe it is the leading learn and earn UX for both beginners and OGs (and please feeel free to use my referral link: https://app.layer3.xyz/?ref=rukawin.eth)

Here is a general overview of Scroll's technology and ethos, to introduce you to the project - I only gave it 2 of 5 stars because not only have I experienced lots of issues (such as internal JSON-rpc errors and higher than anticipated gas fees). Let's dive in.

Scroll's Technical Principles

To advance Ethereum scalability using their zkEVM-based zkRollup, Scroll has formulated a set of technical principles that uphold their core values. This summary presents these principles and their significance in shaping Scroll's overarching design.

1. User Security Assurance

Compared to other EVM blockchain scaling solutions, Scroll places paramount importance on safeguarding the integrity of user funds and data. While scalability enhancements are valuable, their foremost concern is prioritizing user access to funds. For Scroll, this translates to eliminating the need for users to depend on Layer 2 node integrity for security. Instead, users can rely on full Layer 1 security even during Layer 2 transactions. By anchoring security in Ethereum's most robust and decentralized consensus, Scroll ensures user protection.

2. Sustaining EVM Compatibility

An effective Ethereum scaling solution should facilitate seamless migration for users and developers from existing dApps and development tools. Maintaining compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) is pivotal for achieving this objective. EVM-equivalence ensures that user and developer transitions require no additional code alterations, costly audits, or disruptive workflow changes. By adhering to EVM-equivalence, Scroll provides stronger guarantees compared to mere compatibility, thereby enhancing user and developer friendliness.

3. Embracing Efficiency

To optimize user experience on Layer 2, Scroll prioritizes:

• Low transaction fees, significantly cheaper than those on the base layer.
• Instant pre-confirmation on Layer 2 and reasonably fast finality on the base layer (Ethereum). Despite being easily achievable in a centralized setting, sustaining these conditions in a decentralized environment is crucial for maintaining security. Scroll aims for maximum efficiency while upholding user security and decentralization across both Layer 2 and the base layer.

4. Decentralization Across All Community Layers

Decentralization is a fundamental blockchain attribute often undervalued for the sake of efficiency. Scroll recognizes it as a cornerstone ensuring vibrant and resilient protocols and communities, resilient against censorship or coordinated attacks. Decentralization permeates multiple aspects of Scroll, encompassing node operators, provers, and the developer and user community. By fostering open collaboration and charting a pathway to decentralizing both proving and sequencing, Scroll prioritizes decentralization across all dimensions.

How Scroll's Principles Shape Its Design

Scroll's major design decisions stem directly from these technical principles:

1. Security and EVM-Compatibility Drive zkEVM-based zkRollup Adoption

Security takes precedence in Scroll's development. Their zkRollup-based solution ensures Layer 2 transaction integrity through succinct zero-knowledge proofs verified on the Ethereum base layer. This renders Scroll transactions as secure as those on the Ethereum base layer itself, eliminating the need for user trust in third parties. Achieving EVM-compatibility through zkEVM was a significant endeavor, ensuring seamless support for Ethereum native developer tools and enhancing user and developer experience.

2. Decentralization Spurs Development of a Decentralized Prover Network

Realizing the potential overhead of embedding the EVM into a ZK proof, Scroll opted for a decentralized prover network to mitigate time-to-finality issues on Layer 1. The Roller network, their decentralized network of provers, offers scalability through parallelization and incentivizes community participation. By decentralizing both proving and sequencing, Scroll enhances censorship resistance and protocol robustness, aligning with their principles of community engagement and decentralization.

3. Efficiency Drives Research-Driven Innovation

Efficiency underpins Scroll's zkEVM practicality within the constraints of security and decentralization. Leveraging innovative research-driven solutions from the community, their zkEVM design integrates breakthroughs in proof systems, aggregation, and hardware acceleration. Their open development approach fosters collaboration with Ethereum Foundation's PSE group and other collaborators, ensuring the integration of cutting-edge techniques for optimal efficiency.

Bringing It All Together

The technical principles outlined guide Scroll towards a protocol design aligned with the Ethereum community, offering a scaling pathway for future users. Stay tuned for forthcoming posts detailing Scroll's architecture and user experience. Join them in their mission to develop the most developer- and user-friendly Ethereum scaling solution by exploring opportunities to contribute or join their team. If their vision resonates with you, they invite values-aligned individuals to join them in shaping Scroll's future:

• ZK researchers, Go or Solidity developers, and GPU engineers can contribute to solving cutting-edge technical challenges.
• Developer advocates and community organizers are welcome to nurture their ecosystem in a community-aligned and user-friendly manner.

Explore opportunities to join them on their website, Twitter, Discord, or jobs page. For those eager to dive into the code, their repositories await exploration on GitHub. Show Less