Vitalik: Ethereum protocol should incorporate more features, reduce Layer2 complexity

Ethereum founder Vitalik on 2/22 tweeted that his attitude towards whether Ethereum should maintain simplicity has changed compared to the past. This is because concentrating the complexity of functions on Layer2 might reduce the security of these networks and jeopardize user assets.

Layer1 Should Remain Simple

In fact, Vitalik expressed years ago that since the establishment of Ethereum, the expectation has always been to keep the underlying infrastructure as simple as possible, leaving complexity to the on-chain protocol layer and Layer2 to address, in order to enhance the overall stability and security of the network.

This minimalistic philosophy has essentially been the central idea in designing protocols for some core developers. Therefore, when discussing proposals to integrate certain functions at the protocol level, developers usually evaluate them relatively conservatively, only including necessary features such as PBS, Verkle Tree, SSF, etc., clearly in Ethereum's development roadmap.

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There are still many practical functions that developers have debated whether to incorporate into the underlying protocol. Features such as privacy, user domains, quantum-resistant encryption, account security, etc., are all important but uncertain functionalities to be added to the Ethereum core code at this time.

However, Layer2 Should Not Be Overly Complex

Now, Vitalik's attitude is beginning to change, stating that compared to five years ago, his confidence in the concept of "extremely simplified Layer1" has decreased by threefold, pointing out that Ethereum should share the complexity of Layer2.

Because when Layer2 becomes complex in its design and architecture to provide a variety of functions, security is compromised.

Security issues between L2 and L1 are different. When Ethereum's consensus fails, although it requires core developers to work all day, everything will eventually return to normal; but when errors occur in L2 or on-chain protocols, users may lose a substantial amount of assets.

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Therefore, Vitalik suggests that in the future, some very complex L1 functions should be added to reduce the code burden on L2 and make them much simpler.

There Is Still No Consensus on Blockchain Design Philosophy

Considering various aspects, product design will involve different trade-offs, especially when building infrastructure intended for global use, this issue becomes even more complex, and it seems that there will be no conclusion in the short term.