Modular blockchains are the result of separating the core components of a single blockchain and running them on separate layers.
Here’s what makes them powerful 👇
Scalability
Layers that specialize on a couple of core components allows for greater scalability innovations without the burden of making tradeoffs that come with a modular blockchain. For example, a modular DA layer with DA sampling can scale linearly with the number of users.
Interoperability
Blockchains can utilize a modular shared security layer, like Celestia, to enable trust-minimized bridging between blockchains in the same cluster. This increases both the security and ease at which blockchains can communicate with each other.
Bootstrapping costs
New blockchains can be effortlessly created with minimal cost and time spent. Rollup SDKs, like Optimint, will not only help facilitate this but provide a way to bootstrap without needing a consensus mechanism, large validator set, or token distribution.
Experimentation
Blockchains can be effortlessly created and used to experiment with new innovative technologies that bring further scalability and optimizations to the entire stack. This allows them to focus directly on the key elements they want to innovate on.
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While the ease at which new blockchains can be created and deployed has improved over time, there are hurdles and costs associated with doing so. Currently, an independent blockchain can be created using a template, but the difficulty comes...
from the requirement to launch a new coin with a large distribution and find validators to help bootstrap the network. This process is time-consuming and can become considerably expensive.
Celestia provides a minimal base layer that makes it simple to develop blockchains…
at a low cost and deploy them quickly. For example, Optimint is building a template for an optimistic rollup that, when paired with Celestia, will allow anyone to create a rollup and immediately deploy it without costs from token launches and sourcing a large validator set.
Celestia does not support smart contract capabilities because it is designed to provide data and consensus for rollups, which will support them.
One advantage is that rollups will be able to explore new novel designs for settling proofs.
One approach is for rollups to distribute proofs directly on the p2p network.
In this case proofs aren’t posted on any settlement layer, they are verified locally by clients of the rollup. This is similar to how @MinaProtocol works.
Another model is for rollups to utilize a settlement layer for proof verification or dispute resolution.
The settlement layer is also helpful for cross-rollup communication and provides an exit mechanism for rollup users.
This is similar to how Ethereum rollups work today.