Welcome back to our Web 3 Scalability and Sharding series. In our last article, we talked about sharding and how it helps web 3 platforms by splitting their networks into smaller parts that can process transactions faster. Today, we'll take a closer look at how sharding is implemented in different platforms like Ethereum 2.0, Zilliqa, and Harmony. We'll explore the technologies they use and see how these platforms benefit from sharding.

What are the technologies of sharding?

Sharding is a technique that enhances the scalability of web 3 by breaking down the network into smaller and parallel units known as shards. These shards have the ability to process transactions independently and effectively. However, sharding is not a one-size-fits-all solution, as different web 3 platforms and protocols may have different design goals, architectures, and features. Therefore, different web 3 platforms and protocols may implement sharding in different ways, using different technologies and methods.

Some of the common technologies and methods of sharding are:

• State sharding: State sharding is a method of sharding that divides the network state, which is the collection of all the data and information stored on the network, such as accounts, balances, contracts, and transactions, into smaller and separate parts, called state shards, that are stored and managed by different shards. State sharding can improve web 3 scalability, as it reduces the storage and computation requirements of each shard, as well as the synchronization and communication overhead among shards. However, state sharding also introduces some challenges, such as cross-shard transactions, which are transactions that involve data or information from different shards, and require some mechanisms to ensure their consistency and atomicityaQ.

• Transaction sharding: Transaction sharding is a method of sharding that divides the network transactions, which are the requests or commands sent by the users or applications to the network, such as transfers, calls, or deployments, into smaller and separate groups, called transaction shards, that are processed and executed by different shards. Transaction sharding can improve web 3 scalability, as it increases the transaction throughput and reduces the latency and fees of the network, by distributing the workload and bandwidth among multiple shards. However, transaction sharding also introduces some challenges, such as transaction ordering, which is the process of determining the sequence and priority of transactions, and requires some mechanisms to ensure their fairness and security.

• Network sharding: Network sharding is a method of sharding that divides the network nodes, which are the devices or machines that participate in the network, such as validators, miners, or users, into smaller and separate groups, called network shards, that are responsible for validating and executing transactions within or across shards. Network sharding can improve web 3 scalability, as it increases the diversity and redundancy of the network, by allowing more nodes to join and contribute to the network, as well as the efficiency and specialization of the network, by allowing nodes to focus on specific tasks or roles. However, network sharding also introduces some challenges, such as network partitioning, which is the situation where the network splits into isolated or incompatible parts, and requires some mechanisms to ensure its robustness and resilience .

How do different platforms and protocols implement sharding?

Different web 3 platforms and protocols may implement sharding in different ways, using different technologies and methods, depending on their design goals, architectures, and features. Some of the examples of web 3 platforms and protocols that implement sharding are:

• Ethereum 2.0: Ethereum 2.0 is the next version of Ethereum, which is the most popular and widely used platform for web 3 applications and services. Ethereum 2.0 aims to improve the scalability, security, and sustainability of Ethereum, by introducing several major changes and upgrades, such as proof-of-stake, beacon chain, and sharding. Ethereum 2.0 implements sharding using a combination of state sharding, transaction sharding, and network sharding. Ethereum 2.0 plans to have 64 shards, each with its own state, transactions, and validators, that are coordinated and secured by the beacon chain, which is the main chain that manages the consensus and communication among shards. Ethereum 2.0 also plans to support cross-shard transactions, using a two-phase protocol that involves receipts and proofs .

• Zilliqa: Zilliqa is a platform for web 3 applications and services that focuses on scalability, security, and interoperability. Zilliqa implements sharding using a combination of network sharding, transaction sharding, and state sharding. Zilliqa network consists of 2,400 nodes distributed across four shards. Each transaction received by the network gets validated by a shard with 600 nodes, making Zilliqa one of the largest networks in the world. Zilliqa also supports cross-shard transactions, using a two-phase protocol that involves inter-shard communication and finality. Zilliqa also supports EVM compatibility, which allows users and developers to use popular tools and standards from Ethereum, such as Solidity, MetaMask, and ERC-20.

• Harmony: Harmony is a platform for web 3 applications and services that focuses on scalability, security, and decentralization. Harmony implements sharding using a combination of network sharding, transaction sharding, and state sharding. Harmony network consists of 1,000 nodes distributed across four shards. Each transaction received by the network gets validated by a shard with 250 nodes, making Harmony one of the fastest networks in the world. Harmony also supports cross-shard transactions, using a two-phase protocol that involves atomicity and validity. Harmony also supports EVM compatibility, which allows users and developers to use popular tools and standards from Ethereum, such as Solidity, MetaMask, and ERC-20.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored the technologies of sharding and how different platforms and protocols implement sharding, such as Ethereum 2.0, Zilliqa, and Harmony. These platforms and protocols implement sharding using a combination of state sharding, transaction sharding, and network sharding, and also support cross-shard transactions and EVM compatibility, to improve the scalability, security, and interoperability of web 3 applications and services.

In the forthcoming article, we will unveil the myriad benefits of sharding and its potential in revolutionizing web 3 applications and user experiences. We will delve into its ability to expedite transactions, lower costs, and bolster overall efficiency. Don't miss out on the next installment of our series, where we will discuss the practical advantages and implications of sharding for web 3 applications and users. Get ready for an insightful read!