Polygon, known initially as Matic Network, is a blockchain platform designed to be compatible with Ethereum and to address some of its known shortcomings, such as high transaction fees, slower processing times, and limited scalability. Polygon tackles those issues by employing a plethora of various solutions and approaches set to make it more scalable. The original platform uses its native token, MATIC, for governance, staking, and gas fees. In Polygon, developers can tailor interconnected blockchain networks to their specific needs with various modules. This design facilitates communication between different blockchains and the Ethereum main chain, thus creating grounds for a more efficient blockchain ecosystem.
A few years after the launch of Polygon, its creators announced a major evolutionary upgrade to the original platform, which they dubbed Polygon 2.0. It's a set of proposals reimagining almost every aspect of Polygon, from its protocol architecture to tokenomics and governance. One of the critical features of Polygon 2.0 is its focus on zero-knowledge technology, which enhances privacy and efficiency. This new version aims to expand the capabilities of the Polygon ecosystem, offering more advanced features and tools for developers and users. The updates in Polygon 2.0 are set to further improve scalability, security, and user experience, making it a more suitable and versatile solution for the workload associated with Web3.
This article discusses the architecture of Polygon 2.0, focusing on one of the most advanced novelties introduced as part of it, namely, Polygon CDK.
Polygon 2.0: Protocol Architecture
As was mentioned above, Polygon 2.0 introduces a significantly updated protocol architecture compared to its predecessor.
The core of Polygon 2.0's architecture is its network of Zero-Knowledge (ZK) powered Layer 2 (L2) chains, which are unified through an innovative cross-chain coordination protocol. This design allows for the support of nearly an infinite number of chains and enables secure and instantaneous cross-chain interactions without requiring additional security or trust. This network is expected to provide unprecedented scalability and liquidity while maintaining robust security features.
The protocol architecture of Polygon 2.0 consists of several layers, with each of them having a distinct functionality:
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Execution layer. This is a fundamental layer that allows any Polygon chain to produce blocks. It includes components like P2P communication, consensus mechanisms, a mempool, a database, and a witness generator.
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Interop layer. This layer facilitates secure and seamless cross-chain messaging within the Polygon ecosystem, thus simplifying cross-chain communication and making an impression that the entire network is a single chain. It allows for shared access to native Ethereum assets and supports near-instant and atomic cross-chain transactions.
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Proving layer. This is a high-performance Zero-Knowledge (ZK) proving protocol. It is crucial for generating proofs for both internal and external transactions on every Polygon chain. It includes a common ZK prover and a state machine constructor, allowing for various transaction types.
Additionally, Polygon Labs has proposed transitioning the Polygon PoS system to a zkEVM validium, a decentralized L2 fortified by zero-knowledge proofs. This transition aims to enhance the security and efficiency of the Polygon ecosystem, particularly regarding data availability and transaction sequencing.
The governance structure in Polygon 2.0 relies on three fundamental entities that the developers call “pillars”: protocol governance, system smart contract governance, and community treasury governance.
Finally, the Chain Development Kit (CDK) in Polygon 2.0 is an open-source codebase for launching ZK-powered L2 chains on Ethereum. It emphasizes interoperability, unified liquidity, and leverages advanced ZK technology for security and scalability.
Polygon CDK and Why It’s Needed
The original Polygon network focused primarily on scaling Ethereum through a modified proof-of-stake mechanism and supporting dApps with its native token, MATIC. The upgrade to Polygon 2.0 signifies a tectonic shift towards a more interconnected, scalable, and technologically advanced blockchain infrastructure, which the developers see as the budding value layer of the internet itself, meaning that their endgame is to enable users to create value online as easily as we create and share content and information today.
The Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK) is vital to this new paradigm.
It's an open-source framework designed to facilitate creating and deploying Zero-Knowledge (ZK) powered Layer 2 (L2) chains on the Ethereum network. Its goal is to facilitate the creation of a seamlessly interconnected web of ZK-powered L2s, which are capable of scaling Ethereum on demand. In particular, Polygon CDK aims to provide developers with the tools and infrastructure needed to create custom blockchain networks that can easily interface with Ethereum and other chains within the Polygon ecosystem.
Features and Capabilities of the Polygon CDK
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Open-source and modular design. Modularity is the core feature of the CDK. It allows developers to customize and launch ZK-powered Ethereum L2 chains according to their specific requirements. This flexibility enables the creation of chains tailored specifically for various applications and use cases.
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Interoperability and unified liquidity. Chains created using the CDK are inherently interoperable. They automatically gain access to the unified liquidity of all Polygon chains and direct access to Ethereum’s liquidity. This feature is crucial for facilitating seamless cross-chain transactions and liquidity sharing.
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Zero-knowledge proofs. The CDK leverages advanced ZK technology to ensure high levels of cryptographic security and near-instant finality in transactions. It effectively helps maintain security and scalability across the network.
Benefits for Developers and Users
The features above allow for significant upsides that distinguish Polygon 2.0 not just from its predecessor but from many other blockchain ecosystems that exist today.
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Customizability. Developers can design and build networks according to their unique or precise requirements. They can choose from various components, such as rollup or validium modes, zkEVM, and different data availability solutions.
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Seamless ecosystem integration. Chains developed with the CDK can integrate into the growing ecosystem of ZK-powered L2s, sharing access to the liquidity of public networks like Polygon PoS and Polygon zkEVM.
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Future-oriented technology. Utilizing the CDK ensures that chains benefit from ongoing advancements in ZK technology, which is often seen as one of the cornerstones of the emerging Web3 realm.
POL: The Hyperproductive Token
POL is the new native token introduced in the Polygon 2.0 ecosystem that replaces its predecessor, MATIC. The key focus of POL is to serve as the native gas token and staking asset within the Polygon network, even though it also brings about several improvements to the ecosystem.
POL is often referred to as a "hyperproductive token," which refers to the enhanced functionality and benefits that POL offers compared to the previous generation of “productive” tokens like MATIC. While the latter allow holders to become validators and contribute to protocol security, "hyperproductive tokens" like POL enable validators to validate multiple chains and offer numerous roles (and corresponding rewards) to validators on each chain. This design not only secures and coordinates the Polygon ecosystem but also powers up its growth, providing virtually unlimited opportunities and notable advantages to POL holders.
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Ecosystem security. POL is at the foundation of creating a highly decentralized pool of Proof-of-Stake validators, enhancing security, resilience, and neutrality across all Polygon chains. Validators have an incentive to secure as many chains as possible, thus contributing to the overall robustness of the ecosystem.
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Infinite scalability. POL supports the exponential growth and mainstream adoption of the Polygon ecosystem. It allows the validator pool to expand seamlessly and with minimum effort without compromising security.
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Ecosystem support. POL provides an in-protocol mechanism to cater to the needs of the Polygon ecosystem as they change over time. This is especially important considering the ecosystem is still in development, and the overall crypto industry is yet to mature.
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Frictionless design. Unlike other blockchain protocols that require holding, staking, or consuming native tokens for network usage, POL minimizes friction, thus significantly improving the user and developer experience. This may play a crucial part in facilitating the widespread adoption of Polygon 2.0 and related blockchains.
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Community ownership. POL grants governance rights to its holders, thus enabling active participation in decision-making processes within the Polygon ecosystem. This ensures higher decentralization of the entire ecosystem and makes it more resilient.
Conclusion
Polygon 2.0 is a significant upgrade over the original Polygon. It introduces a network of Zero-Knowledge (ZK) powered Layer 2 (L2) chains for enhanced scalability, security, and user experience, with the Polygon CDK being a central element for its expansion and intended functioning.
In particular, the CDK is crucial for addressing blockchain scalability and interoperability challenges, offering developers a modular and customizable platform for creating interconnected blockchain networks. Thanks to that, those networks can easily interface with Ethereum and other chains, leveraging advanced ZK technology for security and scalability.
Together with the expanded opportunities provided by the ecosystem’s new hyperproductive token POL, those innovations will make Polygon 2.0 one of the world’s most promising blockchain ecosystems once it is completely rolled out.
