In the rapidly evolving Web3 space performance, scalability and efficiency are paramount. Erigon is a next-gen Ethereum client that addresses these needs by pushing the boundaries of blockchain infrastructure. Alongside Erigon is CDK Erigon, a specialized toolkit developed by our team at Gateway.fm.
This toolkit is designed to fully leverage the unique architecture from Erigon, enabling developers to build and deploy blockchain applications with greater efficiency. Erigon represents a significant leap forward and offers solutions to some of the most pressing challenges faced by the Web3 community.
The Transaction Flow
At the heart of any blockchain system is the transaction flow. In Erigon this process is streamlined and optimized for efficiency. Transactions begin at a node and are promptly forwarded to a sequencer. The sequencer plays a crucial role, executing these transactions and updating the state — this new state is what is called the ‘trusted state’.
The trusted state is then handed off to a sequence sender, which bundles these transactions into batches. Depending on the system design, these batches are either sent to a L1 chain or a data availability committee (DAC). In rollups for instance, batches are sent directly to L1 as sequence transactions, leading to the creation of a ‘virtual state’ (intermediate state) once finalized. This state undergoes rigorous verification, eventually becoming the ‘verified state’ on L1.
This methodical approach to transaction processing ensures that every state transition is carefully managed, with soft finality achieved when transactions enter the trusted state and hard finality upon verification. The inclusion of a bridge between L1 and L2 further improves security, managing deposits and withdrawals with precision to ensure consistency across chain layers.
Architectural Innovations
Erigon distinguishes itself from legacy Ethereum nodes through its innovative architecture. One of the most significant departures is its use of data streaming rather than traditional database sharing. This shift not only boosts performance but also simplifies the process of state management, making Erigon an attractive choice for developers seeking efficiency.
Erigon data storage strategy is equally revolutionary. Unlike the traditional Merkle tree structure, Erigon employs flat storage, organizing data in a key-value format. This approach minimizes disk space usage and accelerates data access, making it both more efficient and easier to manage. The flat state database is complemented by a modified Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), further enhancing the system's ability to separate verification properties from data storage and access.
These architectural choices make Erigon a powerful tool for developers who require a robust, scalable and efficient platform to build on.
State Management: Plain vs. Hash
In Erigon, state management is handled through two distinct formats: plain state and hash state. The plain state operates as a straightforward key-value store, allowing for quick and efficient storage and retrieval of data. On the other hand, the hash state serves as a hashed version of the plain state, providing compatibility and integrity checks. Despite maintaining these dual formats, Erigon has an efficient storage model that ensures that the duplication does not lead to significant performance overhead.
This dual-state approach is bolstered by the ability of Erigon to store the state compactly, thanks to its flat storage design. This contrasts with tree-based structures, which, while useful, can be more complex and less efficient in terms of space and speed.
The Power of Stage Sync
Erigon stage-based synchronization process is another standout feature. This modular approach divides the synchronization process into multiple stages, each responsible for a specific task, from reading data from L1 to publishing it to the data stream. This division not only enhances the system's efficiency but also allows for independent updates and optimizations of each stage.
For example, a sequencer might skip certain stages related to transaction pools, focusing instead on data stream processing. This flexibility makes Erigon adaptable to various use cases, whether it's for high-frequency trading, where speed is critical, or for decentralized applications that require robust data management.
Pioneering Data Streaming in Blockchain
One of the most intriguing features of Erigon is its use of a data stream for synchronization, centralizing data flow through a single sequence. This method is highly efficient, particularly in environments where speed is of the essence, such as high-frequency trading.
However, recognizing the potential for bottlenecks in this centralized approach, Erigon is exploring a return to a more decentralized peer-to-peer (P2P) system. This future direction promises to enhance decentralization and performance, addressing some of the challenges inherent in Ethereum's current P2P systems.
State Finalization and Recovery
Erigon synchronization process is designed not just for routine operations but also for recovery scenarios. Should all instances of Erigon be lost due to a network bug or data corruption, the system can initiate recovery from L1 or a data availability committee, ensuring that the blockchain’s state can be rebuilt and integrity restored.
Moreover, Erigon flexibility in handling gas limits and block sizes—paired with its stateless executor — ensures that the system remains robust and resilient under various conditions. Virtual counters help manage resource limits, preventing the creation of unprovable or excessively large blocks, while parallel execution requests enhance overall efficiency.
The Team Behind Erigon
Gateway.fm is the team that developed Erigon. Our CTO, Igor Mandrigin, one of the co-founders of Erigon, has guided our efforts to push the boundaries of what’s possible in blockchain infrastructure.
Our work doesn’t just stop at innovation; it extends to practical implementation. CDK Erigon, built by our team, is now the default RPC (Remote Procedure Call) for Polygon zkEVM (Cardano Mainnet). This achievement underscores the robustness, reliability and performance of our technology in real-world, high-stakes environments.
The Road Ahead
As Erigon continues to evolve, its blend of innovative architectural choices, efficient data management and forward-looking synchronization processes positions it as a leading solution in the blockchain space. For developers and businesses operating in the Web3 ecosystem, Erigon offers a compelling toolkit to build scalable, secure and high-performance blockchain applications.
We are committed to R&D focusing on bleeding edge blockchain technology — as the blockchain industry continues to grow and mature, Erigon stands out as a beacon of innovation.
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