Thread by @DBCrypt0

1/ As requested, a 🧵 on Adaptive State Sharding developed and used by #MultiversX formerly @ElrondNetwork

Adaptive State Sharding is a complex but groundbreaking advancement in blockchain architecture which I will try to simplify below 👇

#Elrond @egld_initiative ⚡️

2/ We will go over:

🔸What is sharding?
🔸How is it used in blockchain?
🔸Why is it important?
🔸The types of sharding
🔸What does "adaptive" mean?
🔸Why #MultiversX method is so groundbreaking

So let's get into it...💪

3/ To begin we need to understand what sharding is...

The word "shard" means "a small part of a whole" and was 1st introduced as a way to break up computer databases into smaller and faster parts

Ex. Imagine a database with 10k records and you need to find 1. 👇

4/ It could take awhile to find it.

Now split those 10k records across 4 data shards with 2500 records each and you can now find what you want much faster.

Pretty simple right? Perfect, so lets move onto its use in #blockchain architecture

5/ How is sharding used in #blockchain?

Just as in computer databases, blockchains can have massive amounts of data

The more a ⛓️ is used and the longer it has been around adds to this data so a ⛓️ such as #MultiversX uses shards to divide the data & handle more tx

#Elrond

6/ Doing so reduces cost for validators storing this data on "nodes" as they only have to store a fraction of the data instead of the entire #blockchain history in order to help secure the network

There are other benefits as well which we will get into a little later
#MultiversX

7/ #MultiversX formerly @ElrondNetwork utilizes 3 shards + a #metachain

You can think of a shard as its own #blockchain

Each capable of 10k TPS but soon to increase while sharing the load of the network

Able to scale to dozens or possibly hundreds of shards in the future 🤯

8/ Why is sharding important?

Many reasons:

1.) As previously stated the cost to #validators can become VERY high in order to supply a node & store the ⛓️ & handle throughput

Causing #centralization as not many can afford to support the entire network

#Solana is example

9/ Sharding allows nodes to only store a small portion of the ⛓️ history allowing for cheaper cost to providers

More nodes = More #decentralized

2.) Sharding allows for transactions to be processed in parallel multiplying the throughput

This gives us a higher TPS

#MultiversX

10/ By being incredibly #decentralized with 3200 nodes and super fast/scalable, this helps solve the #blockchain trilemma

This thread won't get into #security but the #MultiversX Secure Proof of Stake is provably secure and completes the trilemma

#Elrond ⚡️

11/ What are the types of sharding?

We have transaction, network, and state sharding

Transaction - Process of dividing tx among shards

Network - Process of grouping nodes into shards

State - Process of dividing the entire blockchain data(state) into shards

#MultiversX ⚡️

12/ Most protocols attempt to focus on either transaction sharding or state sharding

Transaction sharding alone allows for faster throughput but still requires shards to store the entire state

As mentioned this leads to HIGH cost and more #centralization

13/ With state sharding being FAR more difficult to tackle some protocols have chosen to stick with just tx sharding

@zilliqa is an example of this as they only shard tx increasing throughput but potentially causing the issues mentioned above

#MultiversX ⚡️

14/ @NEARProtocol is another ⛓️ implementing sharding

They have a 4 stage rollout process and in September launched phase 1(technically step 2 since they started at 0)

Phase 1 introduced state + tx sharding but still not network

That isn't expected till late 2023

15/ #ETH 2.0 also plans to utilize state sharding but will rely on L2's for speed and throughput

Not expected till late 2025 or 2026 😬

#MultiversX formerly @ElrondNetwork currently has all 3 forms of sharding active 🤯

Network, transaction, and state

The only ⛓️ to do so ⚡️

16/ This is INCREDIBLY difficult to accomplish but by now hopefully you can see the benefits of having all 3 forms of sharding

#MultiversX is FAST, scalable, provably secure, and has the 2nd most nodes of any ⛓️ next to #Ethereum making it incredibly #decentralized 🤯

#Elrond

17/ What does "adaptive" mean?

The adaptive part of #MultiversX Adaptive State Sharding allows for the ⛓️ to add or remove shards based on demand

Currently @ElrondNetwork has 3 tx shards but can add more as demand increases

Allowing for fast & cheap tx no matter the demand! 💪

18/ Remember when #Ethereum gas fees for 1 tx were $100+ and took awhile? 🔥💵

That was due to demand that the network couldn't handle

#MultiversX can automatically scale to make sure demand doesn't slow down the network or cause fees to sky rocket

Pretty awesome, huh? 🙌

19/ Why is #MultiversX Adaptive State Sharding so groundbreaking? 🤔

Well for one the #Elrond team is the 1st to accomplish having all 3 forms of sharding 🥇

It solves the #blockchain trilemma which @VitalikButerin says may be one of the hardest things to pull off

20/ The #MultiversX is:

🔸 incredibly #secure
🔸 infinitely #scalable
🔸 very #decentralized

Some may disagree with the #decentralization aspect or even security for various reasons but that is for another 🧵

Also a discussion I am willing to have with anyone 🗨️

21/ On top of all that, the Adaptive part goes above and beyond what any other ⛓️ is trying to do

#Ethereum 2.0 for example will be static meaning they will have 64 shards. No more. No less.

Sufficient when released in 2025/2026 maybe but how about 10 years from now? 👀

22/ I hope that gives you a more clear understanding of #MultiversX formerly @ElrondNetwork Adaptive State Sharding

And yes, I wanted to abbreviate that many times but you can guess why I didn't 😂

I'll cover Secure Proof of Stake in a later 🧵 which is equally groundbreaking

23/ If you have any questions or would like further clarification on anything please do not hesitate to reach out 🙏

If anything is incorrect or outdated please let me know

#MultiversX @egld_initiative ⚡️

multiversx.com

24/ Keep in mind this is an overly simplified breakdown

Sharding and more specifically Adaptive State Sharding is much more complex than explained above

But hopefully it helps you understand a little better 💪