Polygon has laid down the blueprint for the next era of blockchain scaling This groundbreaking approach is called “Aggregation.” Traditionally, blockchain scaling has been approached through two paradigms: Monolithic and Modular. The so-called Aggregation model aims to combine the synergies of both models, offering a unique solution to the challenges posed by current blockchain designs.
The primary goal behind this new approach to blockchain design is to root out the existing limitations that hinder blockchains from mirroring the seamless experience of the Internet. Blockchains, unlike the internet, do not operate similarly; the former often face issues related to poor user experience, scaling constraints, and fragmented liquidity.
Right now, blockchains don’t look or feel like the Internet. Instead of a unified environment, chains face poor UX due to scaling limits and fragmented liquidity. This is a consequence of monolithic and modular scaling models.
Monolithic scaling, which involves increasing node size to achieve scalability, comes at the expense of security, decentralization, and sovereignty. On the other hand, Modular scaling preserves sovereignty but results in fragmented liquidity and a suboptimal user experience, the team wrote in the blog.
The aggregated blockchain, unveiled by Polygon, creatively combines the advantages of both monolithic and modular architectures using zero-knowledge [ZK] proofs. With this unified liquidity, users across various chains gain access to superior capital efficiency, cross-chain assets, and projects, creating a Web3 network that feels like a single, cohesive chain.
Central to this new paradigm is the AggLayer, a decentralized protocol that facilitates atomic, synchronous composability across aggregated chains. The AggLayer is distinct from Layer 2 solutions. It ensures decentralized execution without compromising sovereignty, offering atomic composability that non-ZK scaling solutions cannot achieve.
Polygon’s AggLayer: Unified Chain Experience
Just like how TCP/IP unified the Internet seamlessly, the AggLayer aims to bridge the fragmented landscape of the current Web3 ecosystem. It envisions a web of Zero-Knowledge [ZK]-proven Layer 1 [L1] and Layer 2 [L2] chains that collectively mimic a singular, interconnected chain.
The debut of AggLayer v1 is eagerly anticipated, with its Mainnet launch scheduled for February. The launch will coincide with the “Aggregation Day” event, a comprehensive discussion involving developers from Polygon Labs and the broader Ethereum ecosystem.
Not long ago, Polygon co-founder Branden Farmer proposed parallelized EVMs as a potential remedy for tackling blockchain’s inscription woes. By allowing unrelated transactions to be processed simultaneously, parallelism could significantly enhance blockchain throughput, mitigating the impact of inscription spam.