作者：Carlos Maximiliano Cano, Ethan Francis
Compiled by: TechFlow
Chain abstraction can only be achieved through multi-layer technology.
As the space continues to develop, it is becoming increasingly clear that chain abstraction is a multifaceted approach that aims to simplify the user experience of decentralized ecosystems, rather than just a technology. This is clearly reflected in multiple projects that are trying to implement chain abstraction in different Web3 applications and infrastructure.
Within the theoretical framework of this new field, multiple approaches have emerged to understand the roles and methods of participation of chain abstraction participants. This article will formally introduce a multi-layered framework. This framework was first proposed in the article "Multi-layered Chain Abstraction: Diversified User Experience in Web3 Evolution" and aims to understand the chain abstraction ecosystem through the role of different services and products in the user experience.
Multi-layer framework: goals and importance
The goal of formulating a multi-layer framework for chain abstraction is to provide a structured and comprehensive approach to understanding the multiple paths to achieving chain abstraction experiences. This is also intended to showcase chain abstraction as a stack of multi-layer technologies that can achieve a "fully implemented" chain abstraction - that is, covering all experiences a user may encounter in Web3.
Importantly, the multi-layer framework relies on a previously proposed formal definition of chain abstraction (ChA), describing ChA as “the user experience of interacting with multiple chains without manual intervention.” This definition is critical to the framework itself, because in order to better categorize the participants of chain abstraction, it needs to be understood as an experience - one that may (or may not) appear in different Web3 interactions of the user, with various solutions working together to achieve a complete implementation.
Therefore, this framework takes into account the following points:
How various solutions abstract the complexity of interacting with multiple chains from the user experience.
How different components and solutions work together in a modular and complementary way to create a seamless unified chain abstraction user experience across multiple blockchains.
A variety of chain abstraction solutions have evolved naturally, each of which meets the different practical needs of users and developers.
Introduction to Multi-layer Framework
This framework consists of three layers, each of which implements the chain abstraction experience through various possible user activities and existing experiences. To be classified in this multi-layered chain abstraction framework, a project or solution must aim to address one or more aspects of user experience across multiple blockchains. The specific inclusion criteria are as follows:
The solution should aim to simplify the interactions and workflows between users and developers on different chains.
Solutions should produce tangible benefits to the user experience, regardless of the level they target. Therefore, solutions that only partially implement the chain abstraction but that provide value in implementing the chain abstraction may be better suited for other frameworks, which will be discussed later.
After clarifying our ground rules, the framework itself categorizes projects as follows:
Application layer chain abstraction (orchestration)
The application layer, also known as the orchestration layer, focuses on enabling developers to create decentralized applications (dApps) that can run and interact seamlessly across multiple blockchains. This layer includes:
A low-level software development kit (SDK) and application programming interface (API) for orchestrating cross-chain workflows and operations in dApps.
A framework for building chain-agnostic applications.
The solver and intent network that converts user goals into multi-chain paths is implemented through the SDK of the application layer.
By providing these developer-centric tools and abstractions, the application layer enables:
Create applications that can coordinate and execute transactions across different chains with a single user-level signature.
Implement asynchronous, long-running business logic across multiple blockchains, enhancing the interoperability and flexibility of dApps.
Abstracting the underlying multi-chain complexity allows developers to focus on application-specific functionality.
The application layer is considered a necessary condition for realizing a complete chain abstraction experience because it complements the user-focused account layer solutions by extending the abstraction capabilities of applications.
Projects like Agoric, Skip, and Socket are at the forefront of application-layer chain abstraction, providing developers with the tools and frameworks they need to build truly chain-agnostic applications. For example:
Agoric’s orchestration API provides contracts and APIs for executing multi-chain transaction flows, simplifying complex interoperability operations through a single user signature.
Skip provides an API for facilitating seamless cross-chain transactions (exchanges, transfers, etc.), aggregating messaging protocols such as IBC, Hyperlane, and Axelar.
Socket provides an open intent execution and settlement marketplace that enables developers to compose with any application and asset.
By leveraging these solutions, developers can focus on creating innovative user experiences without being constrained by multiple blockchain networks, thereby contributing to the broader goals of chain abstraction at the application layer.
Account layer chain abstraction
The account layer aims to provide users with a universal mechanism to interact seamlessly across multiple chains, solving the fragmentation problem at the user level. It involves directly providing users with a way to achieve a single balance across multiple chains, enabling users to deploy assets in the Web3 ecosystem without having to manually manage multiple chains. This layer includes:
A common method to unify balances across chains and applications.
Multi-chain challenge automation of gas payments and account interactions at the account level.
Account unification technology that provides a single identity or access point across multiple chains.
By unifying the account experience, the account layer enables:
Users maintain consistent identities and balances across participating chains.
Transparent and seamless movement of assets between different blockchains.
A chain-agnostic user experience where the underlying blockchain becomes an irrelevant, optional detail.
This layer is critical to enabling a complete chain abstraction implementation, as it significantly enhances the user experience by abstracting the need to manage separate accounts and asset pools for each individual chain. This seamless account layer integration complements the infrastructure foundation provided by the other two layers, further facilitating efficient and user-friendly interactions in the Web3 ecosystem.
Examples of account-layer chain abstraction solutions include:
Particle Network's universal account provides users with a unified address and balance across chains.
XION's chain abstraction solution aims to remove all end-user complexity through various abstractions (accounts, signatures, gas, devices, etc.). This is extended through Meta Accounts, allowing centralized control of assets and accounts on external chains using XION L1.
NEAR's chain signature allows for centralized control of accounts across chains on NEAR.
OneBalance, a low-level primitive for implementing "resource locking" through trusted accounts, supports balance unification, gas abstraction and other functions.
By providing a consistent and unified account experience, the account layer serves as an important step towards the implementation of a full chain abstraction, enabling all users to use Web3 applications and services without having to worry about the underlying blockchain infrastructure.
Blockchain layer chain abstraction
The blockchain layer primarily addresses the lack of infrastructure equality between individual blockchains, providing interoperability between them and creating a chain abstraction experience that minimizes risk, latency, and cost. As such, it involves a network or collective of blockchains that agree to share certain properties, including:
Security Mechanism.
Cross-chain messaging and bridging capabilities.
Directly compatible with chains of the same stack, allowing for a high degree of interoperability.
By sharing these features, the blockchain layer achieves:
Easily migrate or share state between participating blockchains.
Providing cross-group security guarantees.
Enable efficient cross-chain messaging and communication.
While not a strict requirement to implement the chain abstraction, a blockchain layer can significantly enhance the user experience by providing a shared security, communication, and state management foundation for participating chains. This in turn can facilitate more efficient and seamless interactions between the account layer and the application layer, enhancing their functionality and user experience.
Examples of blockchain layer implementations include Polygon’s AggLayer, which aggregates zk proofs obtained from a collection of chains deployed through the Polygon stack and submits them to Ethereum for settlement. It also partially covers the Cosmos ecosystem, which uses the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol for cross-chain messaging and interoperability. Optimism’s hyperchain is also included in this layer.
Non-applicability
As mentioned above, projects or solutions that do not meet the originally specified criteria or do not explicitly attempt to implement any part of the chain abstraction from a user experience perspective may still be valuable to the overall goal of the chain abstraction.
These solutions may be better categorized as low-level foundational solutions in Frontier Research’s CAKE framework or Everclear’s “Chain Abstraction Stack.” These frameworks are intended to cover the technologies, protocols, and primitives that make up chain abstraction solutions, but do not directly address the user experience aspects. Examples of such solutions include cross-chain messaging protocols, account abstraction primitives, clearing layers (like Everclear), or intent-based oracles (like SEDA).
Specifically, the two frameworks above work as follows:
CAKE Framework: Developed by Frontier Research, it is a low-level framework that organizes and unifies the various technologies and solutions that make up the chain abstraction. It includes the permission layer (account abstraction, intent, key management), the solution layer (cross-chain logic execution), and the settlement layer (data availability layer, bridge, oracle).
Everclear’s “Chain Abstraction Stack”: provides a low-level framework for intent-centric chain abstraction implementations. It outlines the technology stack involved in enabling users to seamlessly execute intents across multiple chains with a single interaction.
Both frameworks aim to provide a structured, fine-grained understanding of the various components and layers that implement the chain abstraction, but they differ in focus and scope. The CAKE framework takes a broader view of the technologies involved, while Everclear's stack is more focused on intent-centric solutions. The multi-layer framework is several levels higher than these frameworks in terms of granularity, purely covering chain abstraction solutions rather than the technologies that compose them.
in conclusion
The multi-layer framework provides a new perspective on chain abstraction, categorizing solutions according to their impact on user experience in the Web3 ecosystem. By distinguishing abstractions at the blockchain layer, account layer, and application layer, it provides a structured approach to understanding the various chain abstraction technologies and their diverse and complementary roles in comprehensive implementation.
Industry participants can use this framework to strategically position their projects, identify potential collaboration opportunities, and guide product development. By understanding where their solutions fit within the multi-layered structure, teams can focus on specific aspects of enhancing chain abstraction while identifying opportunities to integrate with complementary technologies.
This framework also provides a roadmap for investors and researchers to evaluate the integrity and potential impact of chain abstraction initiatives, ultimately driving progress toward a more unified and user-friendly Web3 ecosystem.
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