Zilliqa releases white paper and roadmap for its faster, more efficient 2.0 upgrade with cross-chain compatibility.
The white paper and roadmap for the highly anticipated version 2.0 upgrade, which is set to be deployed on the mainnet later this year, have been officially released by the blockchain network Zilliqa.
According to the network, the new iteration is expected to enhance the platform’s efficiency, speed, and compatibility with other blockchain networks.
The sharding architecture, known as x-shards, is the foundation of Zilliqa 2.0. This feature enables users to construct any project they desire on the Zilliqa platform, as it enables businesses and developers to create customized blockchain experiences that are tailored to their specific requirements.
Sharding is a technique employed in blockchain and database systems to improve the scalability and efficacy of blockchain networks. This increases their efficiency and enables them to process a greater number of transactions without experiencing any delays.
The white paper introduces a new proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, which replaces the energy-intensive proof-of-work system, in addition to x-shards. This modification enhances the network’s environmental sustainability, thereby facilitating ultra-fast finality and enhanced security.
Additionally, it is feasible to modify block times to one’s liking. The average block duration of the root mainnet shard is a mere 2 seconds. The network upgrade also includes a cross-chain communication center, which simplifies the interaction between x-shards, the Zilliqa mainnet, and other Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchains.
Zilliqa 2.0 is designed to operate in conjunction with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-enabled smart contracts written in languages such as Solidity and to operate seamlessly with well-known wallets such as MetaMask.
Scilla will continue to receive support from the network, which will facilitate the seamless integration of both contract languages. Furthermore, it will incorporate features such as EVM-compatible account abstraction, which will facilitate the conversion of tokens for gas fees and the creation of smart accounts.
Additionally, the network’s tokenomics have been revised to facilitate the transition to proof-of-stake. This modification reduces inflation to preserve a healthy token economy, while also offering appealing and sustainable incentives to those who stake their tokens.
The white paper and roadmap were released in response to numerous operational disruptions that have affected block production on the mainnet. Nevertheless, the network has been fully operationalized.
Technical difficulties have previously caused Zilliqa block production to be disrupted. In December 2023, the daily number of Zilliqa blockchain transactions decreased by approximately 50%, from approximately 61,000 to 30,906. This was due to a “interruption to block production.”