Ecosystem

Solving the Interoperability Trilemma

Discover how Connext simplifies bridging Ethereum to ensure seamless interoperability across L2 Ethereum

Trustless Interoperability

And the Challenge That Comes with It

Present day interoperability protocols are unable to provide a solution that is trustless, extensible, and generalizable at the same time. In the following, we will explore how Connext is able to provide a protocol that offers all three properties and thus solves the interoperability trilemma.

What is the Interoperability Trilemma?

Trustlessness, Extensibility, and Generalizability

The blockchain space in general and the Ethereum ecosystem in particular are confronted with a trilemma when it comes to interoperability.

State-of-the-art interoperability protocols are not able to offer all of the following properties but are limited to choosing two at the tradeoff of excluding another one:

Trustlessness

Maximizing the security of the system by disincentivizing validator collusion and making corruption attempts economically unfeasible

Extensibility

Seamless extension of the underlying protocol to other domains

Generalizability

The protocol’s capability of handling arbitrary cross-domain data

Understanding Interoperability

Solving the Interoperability Trilemma

Let’s have a look how the interoperability dilemma can be solved.

How Connext Solves the Trilemma

Modelling Ethereum’s Approach

Combining all three above mentioned interoperability properties within one protocol is a challenging objective. This explains why present-day solutions have only been able to integrate a maximum of two interoperability properties into their protocols – at the cost of excluding another one.

Connext, on the other hand, uses Ethereum’s approach towards solving the scalability trilemma in designing its interoperability solution.

How Ethereum Solved its Scalability Trilemma

Ethereum approached the task of solving the scalability trilemma by firstly focusing on establishing Ethereum L1 – a blockchain optimized for decentralization and security, at the cost of scalability. It then adds scalability on top of its existing decentralized and secure solution. The rationale behind this approach is that both properties are essential to the health and longevity of Ethereum’s blockchain while scalability is not (at least in the initial stage of Ethereum’s development).

By establishing maximum trustlessness and extensibility, Connext can offer users and developers a consistent interface across any domain. At the same time, it empowers its users to “upgrade” their connection whenever the functionality of generalizability is available.

Ecosystem