Linea Network is a developer ready, Ethereum equivalent zkEVM network using zero knowledge technology and rollups. It also has technologies like quantum-resistive lattice-based cryptography and Canonical Messaging Service.
What is Linea Network?
Linea is a Tier 2 scaling solution developed by Consensys. The EVM equivalent that claims to scale the user experience on Ethereum is a Layer 2 network.
Linea Network has enhanced transaction fees and significantly lower fees compared to mainnet. It uses zero knowledge to verify the authenticity of transactions. It is built on lattice-based cryptography and is secured with zero-knowledge rollups, where transactions are executed from the mainnet with their proof sent to Ethereum for final verification. With this, it maintains the same level of security and decentralization as the mainnet.
How does Linea Network work?
Linea Network is a type 1 zkEVM. Type 1 zkEVMs are the Ethereum equivalent and do not modify any part of the system, making them perfectly compatible with Ethereum and allowing developers to reuse many existing infrastructures. Ethereum equivalency enables seamless deployment of existing applications on Linea, with the creation of new ones on the Mainnet that would be very expensive.
The challenge, however, is to improve the proving time, because proving Ethereum blocks can take hours. To overcome this, Linea uses zero-knowledge rehearsals, rollups, and the Linea Canonical Message Service.
Zero Knowledge Evidence
Linea Network uses zero-knowledge proofs to prove the integrity of transactions without disclosing the details of the transaction. Linea leverages lattice-based cryptography to generate zero-knowledge proofs for every transaction performed on the network. It completely disables third parties in transaction verification and keeps the details of a transaction out of the public view.
Here’s how zero-knowledge proof works:
The two parties in a zero-knowledge proof process are the Proving and Verifying. The prover is the sender of the transaction and the verifier is the receiver. Confidential information (details of the transaction) is known as Witness.
To prove to the verifier that a transaction is correct, a prover is to answer a question about the transaction. The validator creates the question and sends it to the validator. The prover provides an “answer” question and proves his knowledge of the witness. The protocol validates the response provided by the attestation and communicates the authenticity of the transaction to the verifier. Therefore, the only information the buyer of the transaction has is whether the transaction is “correct” or not.
rollups
As the name suggests, rollups bundle multiple transactions into batches that are validated as a single transaction. This bulk verification system means that only a single fee is paid for bulk transactions and they are all verified at the same time. This saves cost and time based on how many transactions are recovered at a time.
According to an article by Vitalik Buterin, rollups can package up to 62,500 transactions in a single transaction and confirm a group in 13 seconds, raising over 4,800 TPS. The Ethereum mainnet can only process 32 transactions per second.
Linea Network Canonical Message Service
Linea’s Canonical Message Service creates an efficient communication path between the Linea network and the Ethereum mainnet.
The Canonical Message Service functions as a bridge and a messaging stack. It is a combination of protocols and smart contracts that transmit phase change information (routine transactions) and on-demand messages between Linea and other networks. It transmits data about the current state of the Ethereum mainnet to Linea and vice versa. The main messaging protocol of Linea Network’s canonical messaging service is ‘Postbots’.
According to the project, Postbots are “actors” that “listen” to calls made to one of the contracts on Linea or Ethereum and forward the sent information to the other network. Consensys claims that, while centralized in testing, the Postbot protocol will be a decentralized protocol at full service where anyone on the network can serve as Postbot.
In summary, Linea Network hides the transactions in its network using zero knowledge, collects it using rollup technology and sends it to the main network via the canonical message service.
Linea Network features
Full Ethereum Equivalence
Because Linea is a Type 1 zkEVM, it runs an Ethereum equivalent execution environment. In simpler terms, Linea is not only EVM compatible but EVM equivalent. This means that applications previously deployed on the mainnet can be migrated to Linea, where they can enjoy (almost) the same security and decentralization as on the mainnet while operating on a more resource-efficient platform.
This makes it easy to deploy existing Ethereum projects on Linea.
Lattice-based cryptography
Linea Network claims to run a zero-knowledge proof protocol that uses lattice-based cryptography. Lattice-based cryptography, while not a new concept, finds its way into modern blockchain systems. It is based on the concept of a cage. A lattice is a geometric structure developed by crisscrossing structures to leave a square, rectangular or diamond shape between them. In cryptography, this pattern is used to encrypt data.
The cryptographic design in lattice-based cryptography is based on deciphering points in one lattice and matching them with corresponding points on another lattice. This is only possible (or will be easier) for someone who knows the correct switches for meshes.
Keyed cage encryption algorithms such as NTRUEncrypt require using a secret key to encrypt and decrypt messages. Lattice-based cryptography can be used to create a complete cryptographic structure, or it can be used to develop security proofs where they function as an authentication system.
