Layer 1 & Layer 2: all you need to know

When discussing blockchain architecture, the terms 'layer 1' and 'layer 2' are frequently mentioned. These are important concepts that serve two purposes: explain how a blockchain network is built, and provide an easy-to-understand visual representation of what a blockchain network looks like. Let's break these ideas down

5 August 2022 Fernando Sanchez 13 mins read

Layer 1 & Layer 2: all you need to know

Layer 1: definition

Imagine a wedding cake, with different tiers -layers, if you will-, and the figurine of a couple on top. That beautiful cake rests on a solid stand, the base. For all intents and purposes, that robust and solid cake stand is the first layer (layer 1) that supports the cake infrastructure. You can probably see where this is going. In a blockchain, layer 1 is…

How to stake your ada?

By helping to validate the Cardano blockchain, you earn ada rewards

28 July 2022 Ivan Irakoze <1 min read

For more details about staking and delegation, read 'Staking is the bedrock of Cardano'.

Staking is the bedrock of Cardano

Delegation helps keep the blockchain growing – and ada holders are rewarded for participating

28 July 2022 Anthony Quinn 8 mins read

Staking is the bedrock of Cardano

Each month, a few more Cardano stake pools are being created, so far bringing the total number of active pools to more than 3,000. At the start of 2021, there were about 2,000. The ada is staked from 1.2 million wallet addresses. In the process, the level of delegation has increased to almost 74% of all the ada in circulation. That’s some achievement, but it still leaves a…

An analysis of the research underpinning Cardano's scalability

Taking a closer look at IOG research, part 4. How layer 1 and layer 2 solutions create a faster and more resilient blockchain

19 July 2022 Olga Hryniuk 7 mins read

An analysis of the research underpinning Cardano's scalability

Before you start, read:

  • Part 1: Cardano's foundational research overview
  • Part 2: Overview of the research enabling smart contract support on Cardano
  • Part 3: Research overview: tokens, stablecoins, and fees

Previous blog posts delved into the foundational research that enabled Cardano’s multi-functional ledger support for expressive smart contracts and native assets.

As part of the Basho development phase, Cardano is undergoing steady upgrades and optimizations for increased scalability and interoperability. The ‘How we are scaling Cardano in 2022’ post reflected on Cardano’s scalability goals, and also discussed interoperability and the role of sidechains

Bridges and sidechains: Wanchain making Cardano interoperable

A guest blog post by Dr. Weijia Zhang and Temujin Louie

8 July 2022 Dr. Weijia Zhang 9 mins read

Bridges and sidechains: Wanchain making Cardano interoperable

Several months ago, a team from Wanchain reached out to Input Output Global, Inc. (“IOG”) to discuss how to enable interoperability between the Cardano mainnet, Cardano sidechains, and other heterogeneous blockchain networks.

The goal? To build the infrastructure required to enable true RealFi applications spanning multiple blockchains to drive the adoption of Cardano’s…