Dialogue with ConsenSys Global Business Head: How will Linea change the Layer 2 landscape?

主持人： Jesse，Biteye Core Contributor

联席主持人：Teddy，Biteye Co-founder

嘉宾：大饼兄，ConsenSys Global Business Head

主持人 Jesse

What are the synergies between Linea and other product lines of ConsenSys?

嘉宾 大饼兄

The mission of ConsenSys is to bring more people into the world of blockchain. However, the biggest issue right now is that on-chain fees are too expensive.

Previously, ConsenSys's service model was just MetaMask and an RPC node. But now with the Linea protocol, we can provide the best user experience for new users.

Users can quickly access the Layer 2 protocol through MetaMask and purchase the virtual assets they want in the cheapest and most convenient way.

So with a convenient and user-friendly underlying protocol like Linea, we can create a better user experience. The user experience in Web3 will increasingly resemble that of Web2, which we believe is the only way to attract those who are not interested in Web3 projects.

To make the entire product simple and good, Linea gives our company a significant driving force.

主持人 Jesse

Linea also belongs to the Zkevm category. Previously, Vitalik divided Zkevm into four categories. Which category does Linea belong to, and why do you plan to take this path?

嘉宾 大饼兄

Currently, there are actually two main types of Rollups in the market: one is ARB and OP, which are Optimism Rollups, and the other is Zk Rollups, like Linea. Optimism Rollups have several significant drawbacks; they cannot be immediately converted to the mainnet, and the transition from the mainnet to Layer 2 is not smooth enough.

The second issue is security. Layer 2 protocols essentially allow computational power that cannot be settled on the mainnet to be processed on Layer 2 and then returned to Layer 1.

Zk Rollups use zero-knowledge proofs, while Optimism Rollups use fraud proofs. Zero-knowledge proofs provide 100% security, which is why Vitalik said that the first step in Ethereum's scaling is Optimism Rollups, but its ultimate form must be zk Rollups.

Additionally, there are significant differences between different Zkevm implementations. For example, ZkSync is not EVM-compatible at the bytecode level.

If you have a Dapp on the mainnet, you can directly deploy it on Linea without any code changes, seamlessly transitioning to Linea's Layer 2 protocol. However, to transition to ZkSync, you would need a compiler, adding an extra step and potential security issues, along with additional development costs.

So, Linea is a Type 2 Zkevm, while ZkSync is considered Type 3 or Type 4 Zkevm. Another category, like Stark, has its own VM and language, which is not Ethereum's VM, making it less developer-friendly.

Of course, everyone has different interpretations of Zkevm. The more Zkevm implementations there are, and the more Layer 2 protocols there are, the stronger the competition will be, allowing us to determine which technology is the strongest.

主持人 Jesse

Besides preventing developers from migrating their projects to Layer 2 and allowing them to develop using the familiar Solidity, what other advantages does Linea have?

嘉宾 大饼兄

Everyone may have their own different advantages. From Linea's perspective, the biggest technical advantage is the use of a proof system called Lettuce. It's like lettuce in that it peels off layers. This proof system generates Snark Proofs more quickly.

The second point is actually a vision for Ethereum's Layer 2 protocols. Linea has never intended to dominate the Layer 2 space; we really want to pursue Multi Prover.

Multi Prover means imagining Linea as an Ethereum client. Currently, there are many different clients. Only by having multiple clients can we ensure Ethereum's security, because if one client fails, there are many others to rely on.

Having a single dominant Layer 2 is problematic because if a bug occurs, it will affect the entire ecosystem.

The idea of Multi Prover is that for your product, you can have three different entities provide proof. If all three pass, then it can be validated and returned to the mainnet, greatly enhancing Ethereum's security. This is also why we believe Linea's role in Layer 2 protocols is significant.

As a company, ConsenSys primarily wants to promote Multi Prover, which aligns well with the overall direction of Ethereum and our future vision for the network. This is also a significant technical challenge.

主持人 Jesse

Is Linea concerned that ARB and OP might dominate the market early due to their first-mover advantage?

嘉宾 大饼兄

I don't think they have a first-mover advantage, but I do believe they have made significant contributions to the entire Layer 2 protocol and Ethereum scaling ecosystem by proving that Layer 2 can indeed be useful. For a long time, many people thought Layer 2 was unnecessary, and more users might turn to BNB or Polygon.

ARB and OP have set a good precedent, but does that guarantee their victory? Ethereum has gone through many layers of new narratives and technologies since 2016, and no single entity has been able to dominate or achieve a network effect to the extent that others cannot catch up.

Secondly, I believe that Linea has inherent technical advantages, and with ConsenSys's natural integration with MetaMask, we are very confident in competing or collaborating with other players.

Lastly, ConsenSys has a strong collaborative relationship with OP and ARB, so it's not as if the emergence of new Layer 2 protocols will lead to the demise of the existing ones or create severe competition.

Every day, Linea is diligently working on how to develop towards Multi Prover, Layer 3, enhancing security, and improving user simplicity.

For example, Linea already has native account abstraction, specifically EIP-4337, allowing users to perform Sponsor Transactions, use Section Keys, etc. So I believe the competition isn't as fierce as everyone imagines.

主持人 Jesse

If unexpected failures occur, how can we ensure the safety of users' funds on Linea?

嘉宾 大饼兄

This question can be divided into two smaller issues: the loss of funds is one issue, and the security of our product is another. Let me first address security. Downtime and fund loss are completely different issues; downtime does not mean your money is gone.

As for the security of the Linea network, there is no need to worry. We are currently conducting tests with Odyssey on the testnet because we want everyone to use our testnet and see if our network can hold up under pressure. So far, it looks quite good.

Consensys has been building Ethereum infrastructure since 2016, and there may not be a company in the crypto ecosystem that has done better in terms of infrastructure than ConsenSys. So please rest assured, while downtime may occur, it will be resolved quickly because ConsenSys has extensive experience in handling such situations.

Regarding fund loss, from a business perspective, we hope that Linea hosts good projects that can generate profits for users, creating a positive cycle. The more good projects there are, the more everyone can earn. Having some foundational businesses on Linea that allow users to make money is the most important thing.

主持人 Jesse

I wonder if there is any positioning for the NFTs distributed on the testnet, and whether it might relate to future airdrops?

嘉宾 大饼兄

I can sincerely say that we don't know ourselves, given the strict regulations right now.

The current approach to NFTs is genuinely aimed at giving a stamp to those who sincerely want to use our products. However, we are constantly thinking about what we can do next and how to give back to the community.

So I genuinely encourage those who sincerely want to participate in the construction of the Linea ecosystem, especially since I believe Linea has many inherent advantages compared to other ecosystems. It would be great for everyone to come to Linea, start a project, and provide us with feedback. Joining our community will yield unexpected rewards.

主持人 Jesse

What advice do you have for developers who want to participate in the overall Linea ecosystem?

嘉宾 大饼兄

I categorize developers into several types. The first type already has their own product and is considering cross-chain or multi-chain; Linea makes this very easy and smooth, and we can also help promote the project.

The second type may want to create something but are unsure of the direction. Linea welcomes them as well, as we will be launching an incubator and accelerator in the coming months to help entrepreneurs find investment opportunities.

The third type consists of newcomers who may not know anything. I can recommend some courses for them to learn. I believe that all types of developers can find win-win opportunities within the ConsenSys ecosystem.

So regardless of which category you belong to, you can conduct various tests on Linea, whether it's launching new projects, cross-chain activities, or just learning. Linea is very welcoming.

主持人 Jesse

What does Linea's roadmap look like? Can you share any important plans for this year?

嘉宾 大饼兄

The mainnet will go live in July, and the Linea development team is working hard to provide a good experience for everyone when it launches. We invite developers to participate.

After the mainnet goes live, there will be two main directions. The first is that Linea wants to focus on Layer 3 and Appchain.

So far, Linea has engaged with many gaming projects, as games have higher throughput requirements, especially for publishers who need point-to-point interactions and control over the entire value chain. Therefore, Layer 3 is a project direction for Linea.

The second area requires more manpower to develop Multi Prover, as it needs collaboration with other companies. However, those companies may not have a strong dependency on Ethereum, so ConsenSys will need to put in more effort.

Lastly, I want to emphasize that as a public chain ecosystem, Linea's development direction needs to be guided by the community. I believe that building in isolation without discussing with the community what they need will not lead to a successful ecosystem.

主持人 Jesse

Is Linea currently focused primarily on DeFi, or is there also an interest in incorporating projects with stronger Web3 social attributes?

嘉宾 大饼兄

Lenster is already part of the Linea ecosystem, and we are very welcoming of social projects, as well as many GameFi projects that Linea is deeply involved in. However, the biggest issue right now is that social networks require network computation and face cold start problems, which are difficult to achieve on Layer 2 protocols.

Therefore, we want to focus on getting DeFi right first, then move on to some smaller GameFi projects. Linea hopes users can first experience our platform and network, laying a solid foundation before good social applications come to develop.

联席主持人 Teddy

Are these projects being built on Layer 3 on top of Linea, or are they being developed directly on Linea?

嘉宾 大饼兄

Currently, they are being developed directly on Linea. However, we hope to have Layer 3 ready in the second half of the year, which will make things more convenient. But for social networks, not everything needs to be on-chain. So we also want to challenge entrepreneurs to consider that not everything needs to be on-chain.