What is Starknet?


Starknet is a Validity-Rollup (aka ZK-Rollup) Layer 2 network that operates on top of Ethereum, enabling dApps to massively scale without compromising on security.

It achieves this by bundling transactions into an off-chain computed STARK proof. This proof is then submitted to Ethereum as a single transaction, resulting in significantly higher throughput, faster processing times, and much lower costs, all while retaining the robust security of the Ethereum settlement layer.

How Starknet Scales Ethereum

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1. How Starknet Scales Ethereum

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How Starknet Scales Ethereum
Chapter 1
02:42
How Starknet Scales Ethereum

02:42

The Starknet Sequencer
Chapter 2
02:24
The Starknet Sequencer

02:24

The Starknet Prover
Chapter 3
02:26
The Starknet Prover

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Secure Settlement on Ethereum
Chapter 4
03:28
Secure Settlement on Ethereum

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How Starknet Scales Ethereum

Blockchains aim to achieve three core attributes: security, decentralization, and scalability. In the blockchain world, a well-known trilemma is that it's possible to achieve only two of these concurrently in a given system, inevitably requiring a compromise on the third. Ethereum places a higher emphasis on security and decentralization, impacting its scalability. Growth in the number of Ethereum users leads to slow transaction speeds and high gas prices, hindering Ethereum’s widespread adoption.

How can we make Ethereum scalable without undermining its security and decentralization? This is where the Starknet Validity Rollup comes in. Combining Ethereum and Starknet achieves massive scalability.

Starknet achieves scale by shifting transaction processing off the Ethereum Mainnet (what we call off-chain) while retaining a summary of the transactions onchain. Transactions are grouped in batches into blocks, processed off-chain, and then summarized into a single onchain transaction. Since transactions occur off-chain, it's vital to ensure the integrity of the transactions and their execution without having to re-execute them. Starknet addresses this by employing STARK (Scalable, Transparent ARgument of Knowledge) proofs for verifiable computation. Starknet then transmits only essential information about the block and the proof to Ethereum, where it is verified with minimal computational effort.

Further reading