StarkNet

StarkNet is a permissionless, decentralized Layer 2 network designed to scale Ethereum by handling transactions off the main chain while still relying on Ethereum for security and data availability. Developed by StarkWare Industries, it uses zero-knowledge proofs to validate batches of transactions, aiming to deliver higher throughput and lower costs for users and developers.

Technically, StarkNet operates as a zk-rollup that collects and processes transactions off-chain and then posts a succinct validity proof, or zk-STARK, back to Ethereum. A verifier contract on Ethereum checks these proofs, ensuring correctness without re-executing all computations on-chain. The network architecture typically involves a Sequencer to order transactions, a Prover to generate the proofs, and a Verifier on Ethereum to validate them. Developers write smart contracts in Cairo, StarkNet’s native programming language, and deploy them to StarkNet where they can interact with other contracts, tokens, and dApps.

StarkNet emphasizes general-purpose smart contracts, enabling decentralized applications across areas such as decentralized finance, gaming, and non-fungible tokens. While not natively fully EVM-compatible, there are tools and compilers designed to enable Solidity or other languages to target StarkNet’s Cairo environment, and the ecosystem includes developer tooling such as libraries and test networks.

Security and governance in StarkNet are anchored in Ethereum’s security model, with the validity proofs providing data integrity. However, certain aspects, such as Sequencer control, have raised discussions about centralization and roadmap toward greater decentralization. Ongoing development focuses on scalability improvements, tooling, and ecosystem expansion.