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:
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).