Glad to have you back for our discussion on Web 3 Scalability and Sharding. In our previous article, we delved into the concept of sharding and its implementations across various platforms and protocols like Ethereum 2.0, Zilliqa, and Harmony. In this piece, we will explore the diverse applications of sharding and how it can unlock novel prospects and advantages for web 3 applications and users, including accelerated transactions, reduced fees, and enhanced throughput.

What are the use cases of sharding?

Sharding is a technique that improves web 3 scalability by dividing the network into smaller and parallel units, called shards, that can process transactions independently and efficiently. However, sharding is not only a technical solution, but also a practical one, as it can enable new possibilities and opportunities for web 3 applications and users, such as:

• Faster transactions: Sharding can enable faster transactions, as it reduces the latency and congestion of the network, by distributing the workload and bandwidth among multiple shards. This can improve the user experience and satisfaction, as well as the functionality and reliability of web 3 applications and services, especially those that require high-frequency or real-time transactions, such as gaming, streaming, or trading. For example, Axie Infinity, a popular blockchain-based game, uses sharding to enable faster and smoother gameplay, as well as lower fees and higher rewards for players.

• Lower fees: Sharding can enable lower fees, as it reduces the cost and competition of transactions, by distributing the storage and computation among multiple shards. This can improve the affordability and accessibility of web 3 applications and services, especially those that require low-cost or micro-transactions, such as payments, remittances, or donations. For example, Matic Network, a layer 2 scaling solution that uses sharding, enables lower fees and faster transactions for web 3 applications and users, such as Decentraland, a virtual reality platform, or Gitcoin, a crowdfunding platform.

• Higher throughput: Sharding can enable higher throughput, as it increases the transaction capacity and scalability of the network, by distributing the state and validation among multiple shards. This can improve the performance and efficiency of web 3 applications and services, especially those that require high-volume or complex transactions, such as decentralized finance, non-fungible tokens, or identity management. For example, Zilliqa, a sharded blockchain platform, enables higher throughput and lower fees for web 3 applications and users, such as Unstoppable Domains, a domain name service, or Mintable, a non-fungible token marketplace.

How do these use cases work?

Each of these use cases works by leveraging the benefits and features of sharding, such as:

• Parallel processing: Sharding enables parallel processing, which means that transactions and computations can be performed simultaneously and independently by different shards, without interfering or waiting for each other. This can improve the speed and efficiency of the network, as well as the user experience and satisfaction. For example, Axie Infinity uses parallel processing to enable faster and smoother gameplay, as each shard can handle different game actions and events, such as battles, quests, or breeding, without affecting the performance or consistency of the game.

• Resource optimization: Sharding enables resource optimization, which means that transactions and computations can be performed with minimal and optimal use of resources, such as storage, bandwidth, or energy, by different shards. This can improve the cost and sustainability of the network, as well as the affordability and accessibility of web 3 applications and services. For example, Matic Network uses resource optimization to enable lower fees and faster transactions, as each shard can handle different types of transactions and computations, such as transfers, smart contracts, or proofs, without consuming excessive or unnecessary resources.

• Load balancing: Sharding enables load balancing, which means that transactions and computations can be distributed and balanced among different shards, according to their demand and capacity, by the network. This can improve the scalability and performance of the network, as well as the functionality and reliability of web 3 applications and services. For example, Zilliqa uses load balancing to enable higher throughput and lower fees, as each shard can handle different amounts and kinds of transactions and computations, such as payments, tokens, or contracts, without creating bottlenecks or inefficiencies.

Conclusion

Sharding plays a crucial role in enhancing web 3 scalability as it employs the strategy of splitting the network into smaller, autonomous units known as shards. These shards operate independently and efficiently, processing transactions in parallel. Nonetheless, sharding isn't solely a technical solution; it also holds practical significance. Sharding opens up new possibilities and opportunities for web 3 applications and users, offering benefits like expedited transactions, decreased fees, and increased throughput.

Throughout this article, we have delved into the various use cases of sharding and how it can revolutionize web 3 applications and benefit users with faster transactions, lower fees, and increased throughput. In our upcoming article, we will shift our focus to the challenges and opportunities that sharding presents. We will examine the key technical, social, and regulatory obstacles and facilitators of sharding's adoption and development. Stay tuned for the next installment in this series, where we will explore the challenges and opportunities faced by web 3 platforms, protocols, applications, and users when it comes to sharding. We look forward to sharing more with you soon!