🔷 Layer 2 DeFi Internals
Layer 2 networks process transactions off-chain and post compressed data back to Ethereum for security. The result: 10-100x cheaper gas while inheriting L1 security guarantees. With EIP-4844 (blobs), L2 costs dropped another 10x. Understanding how rollups, bridges, and gas economics work is essential for navigating modern DeFi.
🏗️ Major L2 Networks
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Arbitrum
Optimistic rollup. Largest L2 by TVL. Home to GMX, Camelot, Radiant. ~$10B+ TVL.
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Optimism
Optimistic rollup + OP Stack (Superchain). Powers Base, Zora, Mode. Retroactive public goods.
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Base
Coinbase's L2 (OP Stack). Fastest growing. Aerodrome DEX, social dApps, memecoins.
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zkSync
ZK rollup with native account abstraction. LLVM-compatible compiler. ZK proofs for finality.
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Rollup Types
Optimistic vs ZK rollups — how they batch transactions, submit proofs, and inherit L1 security
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Bridging
Canonical bridges, fast bridges, and liquidity networks — tradeoffs between speed, cost, and trust
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Gas Savings
Interactive gas cost calculator comparing L1 vs L2 costs, EIP-4844 blob impact, and calldata compression