Way Network: A new generation of cross-chain protocol zkOmnichain supports one-click construction of full-chain DApps

Way Network will launch its first test network in June. At that time, users can experience how zkBridge realizes cross-chain Token transfer through the official cross-chain application Send Finance.

Written by: Grapefruit

Users on the chain have imagined scenarios countless times, such as lending applications that support mortgage Matic on Polygon to lend ARB directly on Arbitrum; derivatives platforms that support token assets held on any chain can be used as margin to open positions; BSC The UNI held by the chain and the UNI token on Ethereum have the same rights and interests, and both can participate in on-chain voting governance and so on.

In fact, some developers have long been exploring how to implement the scenarios imagined in the minds of users one by one, and have achieved good results. These applications also have a collective name - Omnichain DApp (Omnichain DApp).

Way Network is a cross-chain infrastructure for building full-chain application DApps. Simply put, with Way Network, developers can deploy DApps across multiple blockchains.

Among them, Way Network adopts zero-knowledge proof (ZK) technology to develop a full-chain interoperability protocol with higher security and lower cost, which can realize the information transmission of DApp between different block networks. In addition, by modularizing the cross-chain process, it provides developers with a series of tools such as SDK and API needed to build full-chain applications, and supports existing applications to easily integrate with it to achieve multi-chain expansion.

According to the official plan, it is expected that in June, the Way Network test network will be launched for the first time, and end users will be able to experience how zkBridge realizes cross-chain Token transfer through Send Finance. Developers can try to deploy full-chain DApps through this cross-chain infrastructure, and users can also try a new cross-chain experience.

Way Network can realize cross-chain interactions such as DApp status, files, and instant messages

The earliest proposer of the Omnichain concept is LayerZero. As an early explorer, LayerZero has already occupied a place in the encryption market, not only attracting a large number of users, but also gaining the support of some developers, such as DEX platforms SushiSwap, Trader Joe, PancakeSwap, etc. have integrated LayerZero, trying to become a full-chain DApp. So, what is the difference in product design of Way Network as a latecomer? How does it achieve information exchange between different chains? How competitive?

In the product architecture, LayerZero completes communication and information transmission between different chains by deploying "ultra-light node" smart contracts on each chain, supplemented by using on-chain oracle machines (Oracles) and off-chain relays (Relayers). Although the mechanism is innovative, its security premise is that there is an assumption that "the oracle and off-chain repeaters are independent and friendly to each other, and will not join forces to do evil." However, the possibility that the oracle and the repeater conspired to steal user assets cannot be ruled out, and there are also loopholes such as information transmission delays in the oracle.

Way Network has improved and upgraded the Layerzero mechanism, changing the "oracle and repeater" part of transmitting and verifying information to use zero-knowledge proof technology, and using mathematical algorithms to ensure the authenticity of information transmission between different chains. and effectiveness, eliminating potential human safety hazards.

So, how does Way Network realize cross-chain information?

In Way Network, there are three main routes for cross-chain communication, including zkRelayer, file cross-chain transfer Luggage and instant cross-chain communication tool IMTP.

Way Network core architecture diagram

Among them, the first route is the zero-knowledge proof repeater zkRelayer (repeater), which is also the core route of Way Network. zkRelayer is mainly responsible for information exchange between different chains. Its main function is to receive the block header with transaction information on the source chain, verify the validity of the information, forward it to the target chain, and synchronize the verified correctness of the target chain. Information and transaction content, etc.

Specifically, there is a relay zkRelayer between the source chain and the target chain, which forwards the information sent by the Sender smart contract deployed on the source chain A to the Receiver smart contract on the target chain B after verification, and synchronizes The final result of the Receiver verification. After the Receiver verifies that it is correct, the target chain performs specific tasks.

The second route is that Way-Luggage is mainly responsible for large files (such as images, documents, codes, etc.) and data cross-chain transmission in Web3 applications, and ensures the availability of cross-chain data.

The third route, Way-IMTP, is an inter-chain instant messaging tool, which mainly realizes the information communication function in different blockchain networks. In January of this year, Way Network announced that it has completed the development of IMTP, which can provide safe and fast generalized cross-chain communication for Web3 applications. For example, it can be used to provide on-chain position warnings and message notifications for DeFi applications, and provide on-chain information communication for social dApps. Provide low-latency communication for on-chain mailboxes or on-chain signature DApps.

From this point of view, Way Network can not only realize asset cross-chain, but also realize instant messaging between different chains through the combination of zkRelayer, Way Luggage, Way IMTP and its component tools (such as Sender and Receiver smart contracts). , DApp status and file transmission, making cross-chain content more extensive.

From an architectural point of view, the biggest difference between Way Network and LayerZero is that it is based on the zero-knowledge proof technology ZkReLayer to transmit and verify the authenticity and validity of messages, with higher security.

Way Network uses Zero Knowledge Proof (ZK) technology to improve security

For cross-chain applications, especially the underlying facilities for users to build applications, security is above all else. In Way Network, cross-chain information security is double-insured. It uses zero-knowledge proof technology and cross-validation to ensure the correctness and validity of the transmitted information. How is it achieved? This mainly relies on the core routing zkRelayer repeater of Way Network.

It can be divided into two parts in zkRelayer: one part is zkMessageRelayer under the chain, which is responsible for generating zero-knowledge proof of transaction block information submitted by users and sending it to the verifier on the chain, and the other part is zkHeaderRelayer, which mainly calls information on the chain from off-chain to generate it The proof is sent to the verifier, and the proofs submitted by the two can be double-verified to ensure the security of the information.

zkRelayer information transmission process

From the perspective of the information transmission process, in the path of zkMessageRelayer, the smart contract (Sender) on the source chain sends the block header (Merkle Tree Proof) containing transaction information to the relayer (zkMessageRelayer) under the chain. zkMessageRelayer will generate a zero-knowledge proof (zkSpark), which can be compressed into a size of 130B by the Groth16 algorithm and sent to the Verifier on the target chain.

In the other path, zkHeaderRelayer, there is a group of verifiers (512 light programs) in the off-chain Way Network, but they do not form a chain structure, not a node, and are called Subscribers. Subscribers can call the corresponding on-chain information off-chain, pass the block number, block information and its signature to the memory pool (Mempool), and then package and send it to zkHeaderRelayer. zkHeaderRelayer generates a 130B small proof zkSpark. Contains the public information in the blockchain, and then submits this proof to the validators on the target chain.

In this way, the proof of zkHeaderRelayer and the proof submitted by zkMessageRelayer can be double-checked, and the verifier can verify whether the transmitted information is correct by checking whether the information submitted by these two independent paths can be matched one by one. The proof verifier on the target chain is composed of a list of signers, and adopts an automatic rotation mechanism. Correct signers with good credit will be rewarded, and wrong signers will be issued and removed from the list.

To put it simply, the Way Network generates and submits relevant certificates off the chain, verifies on the chain, and has two mutually independent information transmission channels for double verification of information authenticity. One of the channels (zkMessageRelayer) transmits the transaction information block on the source chain to generate a proof, and the other channel (zkHeaderRelayer) will call the public block information off the chain to generate a proof, and submit it to the verifier on the chain for verification. Verify, cross-validate whether the information is true.

This is also the real difference between Way Network and LayerZero. In LayerZero, the process is verified based on the information submitted by off-chain repeaters and on-chain oracles. On the Way Network, inter-chain communication is realized through the zero-knowledge proof repeater zkRelayer, and double verification is performed by using the block information submitted by zkMessageRelayer and zkHeaderRelayer. Its advantage is that users do not need to trust any external third parties, nor do they need to trust the protocol itself. They only need to verify that the proof process of mathematics and cryptography is complete and correct, avoiding the possibility of potential human-made evil risks.

With the help of ZK technology, Way Network can safely relay the state of the source chain to the target chain, and users can directly access the source chain proof on the target chain and verify the proof by themselves, which is more secure. That is to say, in the whole proof process of Way Network, in the process of "A Chain→Sender→zkRelayer→ZK Verifier→Receiver→B Chain", the verification of information transmission only relies on mathematical and cryptographic formulas. Once the code is successfully deployed, it will There will be no external force affecting or interfering with this cross-chain process.

Way Network's cross-chain transfer process

However, many users worry that although the zero-knowledge proof algorithm is relatively reliable, the speed of generating proofs will be slow due to the complexity of the zero-knowledge proof algorithm, and time efficiency is especially important for asset cross-chain applications. Way Network’s How fast is the ZK proof (zkProver) generation in zkRelayer? How does it improve efficiency?

The zero-knowledge proof system adopted by Way Network is called zkSpark, which was also designed and developed by the team alone. zkSpark is a succinct non-interactive zero-knowledge proof (zkSNARK), which is the time-optimal proof scheme among all ZKPs. The time for generating proofs and verification time are very efficient and short. The team also stated that the part that needs to be proved in the Way Network is actually a small proof, so the speed will be very fast, and the proof can be completed from generation to verification in about 30s.

In addition, with the cross-chain communication of the ZK architecture, because zkSpark is compressible and composable, it provides concise proofs, greatly reducing the size of proofs, and the cost of verifying zkSNARK proofs on the target chain will be lower, and only a small amount of resources will be consumed. Verifiable. In addition, since the transaction information is compressed, more storage space on the chain can be released. Due to the composability of ZKP, developers can even combine different storage proofs into one ZKP to save resources.

This also means that Way Network uses zero-knowledge proof technology to achieve cross-chain not only with higher security and lower cost, but it may only take a few seconds to complete at the fastest.

zkOmnichain helps developers build a full-chain DApp with one click

As a full-chain infrastructure based on ZK technology, Way Network can not only realize asset cross-chain, but also realize cross-chain state sharing, transaction, lending, governance and other information transmission. For example, the data and asset interaction information of the DeFi application on the A chain can be passed to the DeFi application on the B chain.

At the same time, Way Network is also the first proposer of the zkOmnichain concept, and modularized the cross-chain information transmission process, providing a series of component tools such as zkRelayer, Luggage and instant messaging tool IMTP. With the help of Way Network, developers can build a full-chain DApp and easily extend the application to different blockchains to open up a market with multiple possibilities, and applications such as DeFi, DID, and governance will benefit from it.

At present, the public chain has formed a multi-chain coexistence pattern with Ethereum as the first, and asset transfer between chains, cross-chain interaction of smart contracts, data exchange and other behaviors have also become daily activities on the chain.

According to the statistics of chainspot, a cross-chain information aggregation platform, there are currently about 130 blockchain networks and 114 cross-chain bridges in the encryption market. This also means that users may switch between different blockchain networks at any time, let their assets circulate and arbitrage in multiple chains, and enjoy different types of services on multiple chains. Developers also need to expand their applications to different chains to gain more users. For example: Uniswap V3, the leading DEX of Ethereum, started the road of crazy multi-chain expansion before and after the code protection expired to gain more users and TVL.

Currently, DApp cross-chain expansion is mostly implemented by deploying contracts individually on each chain. For example, to expand Uniswap across chains to BSC and Avalanche, it is necessary to deploy contracts on BSC first, and then deploy a series of operations on Avalanche. First of all, this increases the workload related to the deployment and operation of developers; in addition, the same application will also set up different liquidity pools on different chains, which will cause liquidity fragmentation; secondly, the same Token has price differences between different blockchains, Equity is also different. For example, there may be a price difference between the UNI on the Ethereum and the UNI on the BSC, and the rights and interests will also be different. The UNI on the BSC has no voting governance rights and so on.

The emergence of Omnichain will realize a paradigm shift from single-chain applications to cross-chain applications. Since it is based on the infrastructure that supports the deployment of full-chain applications to various public chains, developers can easily extend their applications to different places. On the chain, unified circulation, the rights and interests of tokens on different chains are the same (full chain tokens).

In the future, full-chain application DApp is likely to become the mainstream deployment mode of Web3 applications.

Omnichain currently has two main forms: one way is that the whole chain is a brand new block network, and the whole chain application needs to be deployed on this network, and the new chain is interoperable with other chains, representing the network Zetachain and Map Protocol. However, as a form of new public chain, the whole chain will require heavy development and operation work for the project party. It not only needs to solve the cross-chain problem between chains, but also maintains the normal operation of the public chain and builds an ecological environment. Attract more developers; Another full-chain form is that the full-chain is an infrastructure, not a chain structure. The full-chain application is not deployed on this facility. It modularizes the cross-chain process. The application only needs to The deployment and interaction of the whole chain can be realized by integrating or using the toolkit provided by it. Representative products such as: LayerZero and Way Network, it can be seen that this method is more scalable, and the work of its underlying developers is relatively easy.

Way Network uses ZK technology to make the cross-chain information certification process more secure and cheaper, and more developers will use it.

From the perspective of application scenarios, the SDK/API provided by Way Network not only supports developers to build zkBridge with one click, but also supports building full-chain DeFi, social networking, NFT and games.

Among them, the cross-chain bridge zkBridge launched by Way Network can guarantee security without the assumption of external trust, and its core link is to carry out trustless information transmission through Way Network's zero-knowledge proof relayer (zkRelayer). The main cross-chain process of assets is that the source chain stores the cross-chain Token in the fund pool, and then transmits information through zkRelayer. If the information is verified to be valid, the Token is released to the user's wallet on the target chain. If the verification fails, the token will be returned to the user.

In addition, through a modular design, zkBridge supports a wide range of use cases and functions, including message passing, Token transfer, etc., and developers can easily enable other applications on the bridge.

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zkBridge cross-chain bridge structure

Send Finance is a zkBridge built on Way Network for inter-chain Token transmission. It applies a zero-knowledge bridge architecture to solve chain interoperability problems. Send Finance aims to create a seamless, faster, and safer token transfer process based on reliable mechanism design.

In addition to zkBridge, DeFi applications can integrate liquidity from different chains and reach potential users on different chains through the full-chain communication technology provided by Way Network.

For example: DEX provides SDK/API through Way Network to build its cross-chain DEX function, which will unify the liquidity of the entire network capital pool, eliminate the price difference between different asset chains DEX, and also enable users to directly transfer the C Token on chain A Convert to D Token on chain B, etc.;

Through its cross-chain function, the lending protocol cooperates with DeFi protocols on different chains to accept more deposits of different tokens on different chains. For example, users can provide mortgage assets on chain A and borrow assets on chain B. Users do not need assets Once again cross-chain, multi-chain asset flow can be realized;

Stablecoins can use Way Network's full-chain communication technology, and issuers can issue stablecoins on various chains. For example, our common DAI is only issued on the Ethereum mainnet. Users who want to use DAI on other chains often need to cross-chain Bridge, but the DAI on the cross-chain bridge often encounters the problem of insufficient liquidity. At this time, the function of integrating Way Network can be realized. Users mortgage assets on Ethereum and issue them on any chain such as Polygon or Arbitrum.

Revenue aggregators can look for more revenue opportunities on different chains;

On-chain derivatives can also support users to use assets on different chains as margins and gather more liquidity;

Fund management applications can customize more investment strategies by accessing assets on different chains.

From the perspective of usage scenarios, the user groups of Way Network products are B-end users, especially developers, which can help rapid multi-chain expansion applications.

So, what is the progress of Way Network product development? When can users use the full-chain application products built on this facility?

In January of this year, Way Network stated that its main structure has been completed, and its core component ZkRelayer and cross-chain communication protocol IMTP have also been developed and support developer integration.

Currently, Way Network is in the process of recruiting validators. After validators are recruited, five public chains, Ethereum, BNB, Polygon, Arbitrum, and Optimism, will be launched simultaneously. The test network (PreAlpha) is planned to be launched in June. At that time, users can experience the real DApp. For example, users can interact with all public chains through only one application, and there is no need to switch wallets frequently.

For an infrastructure, in addition to technology, users pay more attention to its developer community and ecological applications. Compared with Layerzero's ecological perfection and the number of developers, Way Network is still in the early development stage. In this regard, the official team said, Way Network has its own advantages. It uses ZK to ensure security and simplifies the transmission process of intermediate information. In the long run, the operating cost of Way Network is lower than that of other competing products.