Ethereum Name Service Adopts Consensys Technology for New Layer-2 Network
The Ethereum Name Service is set to use Linea, developed by Consensys, to create its upcoming Namechain layer-2 network.
ENS Labs, the organization behind the Ethereum Name Service (ENS), announced on Tuesday their decision to utilize Linea's technology for their upcoming layer-2 network, known as Namechain.
Linea is a zero-knowledge rollup that emerged in July 2023, developed by the Ethereum infrastructure leader Consensys. With $1 billion committed in its ecosystem, it ranks as the seventh-largest rollup platform.
ENS Labs cited two primary reasons for selecting Linea: alignment of values and enhanced speed. Nick Johnson, the founder and lead developer of ENS, stated that fast finality is essential because it enables users to update their ENS names with minimal delay, a feature that optimistic rollups cannot guarantee.
The statement elaborated that rollups are unique blockchain variants designed to facilitate quicker transactions at lower costs. There are two categories of rollups: optimistic and zero-knowledge. While optimistic rollups rely on a retrospective validation window, zero-knowledge rollups ensure immediate finalization of transactions.
ENS has been comparably termed as 'the phone book for Web3,' akin to how the domain name service (DNS) operates on the web. For instance, the domain 'CoinDesk.com' is more user-friendly than a numerical IP address, just as ENS names like 'parishilton.eth' are more approachable than lengthy Ethereum wallet addresses.
Johnson remarked, "For this service, we need fast finality; you want the chain to immediately reflect updates to your ENS name. This is pivotal for maintaining decentralization and security, which optimistic rollups fail to provide."
This update arrives amidst a wave of major crypto projects launching their layer-2 networks, with several high-profile entities choosing Optimism's OP Stack for their developments.
ENS is among the first significant projects to leverage Linea's technology in building a layer-2 blockchain. Additionally, the Linea team announced plans to issue a token, though specifics on its integration with the Namechain ecosystem are still in development.
Liochon emphasized that integrating the Namechain team with the Linea framework would enhance and decentralize the layer-2 protocol, stating their commitment to diversifying contributions to Linea to prevent centralization.
