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Tezos X: Unveiling the Future of Modular Blockchain Design
The next generation of blockchain technology has arrived with the introduction of Tezos Spotlight on TezosDeveloped by Nomadic Labs, Trilitech, and Functori, Tezos X promises a scalable, modular, cloud-integrated backend for a wide range of applications.
From monolithic to modular
Initially, Tezos operated as a monolithic blockchain, where each node replicated all network activity. While effective at maintaining decentralization, this model posed significant scalability challenges. As network activity increased, processing power and bandwidth requirements also increased, risking centralization. To address these challenges, Tezos has evolved into a modular design. This new approach keeps consensus and governance on layer 1, while other tasks are offloaded to specialized modules. This evolution aims to improve performance without compromising security or decentralization.
Improve performance with smart rollups
Tezos X leverages Smart Rollups, a technology designed to scale the network by executing transactions on dedicated second layers, while consensus and settlement remain on layer 1. In July 2023, developers demonstrated the network’s ability to handle 1 million transactions per second using Smart Rollups and Data Availability Committees (DACs). The recent addition of a Data-Availability Layer (DAL) further enhances the network’s ability to handle large volumes of data in a decentralized manner.
Improved composability
Tezos X also aims to improve composability, allowing applications to interact seamlessly. The vision includes a single canonical rollup to handle most network tasks, ensuring complete composability. This rollup will support multiple execution environments, allowing smart contracts written in different programming languages to interact within the same transaction.
Interoperability and developer experience
Interoperability is another key goal of Tezos X. The network aims to support mainstream programming languages, making it accessible to a wider range of developers. Current projects include Etherlink, an EVM-compatible Smart Rollup, and Michelson rollup, which supports existing smart contract languages on Tezos. Future plans include adding support for JavaScript, Python, and other popular languages, while improving the developer experience with better SDKs, APIs, and tools.
Key developments and future plans
There are several key developments planned for Tezos X:
- Canonical rollup (Planned for 2026): A single rollup to handle most network tasks, supporting multiple execution environments.
- New execution (Planned for 2025): Exploring RISC-V as a runtime to improve scalability and efficiency.
- Further scaling (Planned for 2025): Target 1 million transactions per second in a single rollup.
- Improved development experience: Continuous efforts to provide better SDKs, APIs and tools.
Welcome to Tezos X
Tezos X represents a significant evolution from the original Tezos design. By moving to a modular architecture, Tezos aims to offer a scalable, cloud-like backend for a wide range of applications. This new approach promises to maintain decentralization, while significantly improving performance and utility.
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