Starknet, a Layer 2 scaling solution on Ethereum, has taken a monumental step towards hyperscaling. Partnering with StarkWare, Herodotus has unveiled the Integrity Verifier, a groundbreaking tool that enhances Starknet’s scalability by introducing Layer 3 (L3) appchains. This innovation is expected to significantly reduce transaction costs while bolstering security.
Appchains are specialized blockchains designed for specific applications, offering tailored scaling solutions. StarkWare pioneered appchains as a new scaling approach, which can function as private Layer 2 (L2) chains directly settling data on Ethereum (L1) or as Layer 3 (L3) chains settling data on Starknet (L2).
Unlike generalized L2 networks, appchains are app-specific rollups that inherit the security of the underlying layer. This layered structure enhances the compression benefits of each layer’s proofs. If each layer reduces costs by 1,000 times, for instance, L3 chains could offer a reduction of 1,000,000-fold over L1, all while maintaining robust security.
Benefits of Appchains
The key advantage of appchains is their ability to provide performance and security by dedicating a specific network to each application. Throughput remains unaffected by other applications, enabling higher transaction volumes and reducing costs. Appchains inherit the security of the base layer, ensuring data integrity.
In addition to performance, appchains empower developers to customize network settings like block size and data availability mode to suit their application needs. They can also implement features not natively supported on Starknet, such as unique governance mechanisms and customized market fees.
The Integrity Verifier, developed by Herodotus in collaboration with StarkWare, enables the cost-effective development of appchains on Starknet. Transactions are executed on L3 chains and encapsulated in proofs that attest to their validity, generated through Herodotus’ Stone tool and later using Stwo. The Integrity Verifier then confirms the validity of these proofs on Starknet, ensuring security.
Beyond transactional security, the verifier facilitates scalable validation for storage proofs and zero-knowledge machine learning (ZKML). Herodotus has partnered with Giza, a pioneer in ZKML, to help developers build secure AI applications using this cutting-edge technology.
