The Bankless Guide to Scroll

Scroll is a Layer 2 (L2) scaling solution for Ethereum that's designed as a "zkEVM," which is a zk-rollup that's compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). 

Upon deploying its mainnet in October 2023, Scroll became one of the first active zkEVMs in the cryptoeconomy and has since grown into one of the top 20 L2 networks by size. 

How Scroll Works

At its core, Scroll operates through a seamless multi-layered system. Its Settlement Layer acts as a bridge between Ethereum and Scroll, ensuring data availability and ordering for the L2 as well as the verification of zkEVM validity proofs. 

In tandem with this system, the Sequencing Layer takes charge of executing transactions. It combines the efforts of the Execution Node, which processes transactions directed to Scroll, and the Rollup Node, which organizes these transactions into batches and posts them to Ethereum for data availability. Additionally, the Rollup Node submits validity proofs to Ethereum, which is crucial for transaction finality. 

Complementing these layers is the Proving Layer, which is dedicated to generating zkEVM validity proofs to ensure the correctness of L2 transactions. This layer consists of a pool of provers and a coordinator who not only generate but dispatch these proofs to finalize them on the Ethereum blockchain.

The Pulse of Scroll

According to L2Beat, Scroll is currently the 17th-largest L2 in Ethereum's scaling scene per its $63.5 million TVL, making it one of the most active zkEVMs in production today. The majority of this activity stems from Scroll's early DeFi scene, which is presently spread out across some 50 apps. 

Scroll Token Incoming?

While there is speculation that Scroll will release its own native token, the network is currently centered entirely around ETH. 

As the L2 matures and moves toward greater decentralization, it seems likely it will eventually conduct an airdrop to empower community governance. However, official details remain scant here for now. 

Getting Started with Scroll

To begin diving into the Scroll ecosystem, be sure to check out these helpful resources:

• 🔗 Chainlist — A tool for adding Scroll to your Ethereum wallet.
• 📚 Scroll Docs — The official documentation of Scroll. 
• 🔍 Scrollscan — A block explorer for analyzing Scroll data. 
• 🌉 Scroll Bridge — The official bridge of the Scroll network. 
• 📲 Scroll Ecosystem — A database of apps on Scroll. 
• 🦙 DeFiLlama — A dashboard for Scroll DeFi stats. 

The Big Picture

Scroll stands out as one of the pioneers of zkEVM technology. Since launching its mainnet in 2023, it’s rapidly ascended to become a key player in the Ethereum scaling landscape. While it makes sense to try the L2 to potentially become eligible for a later Scroll airdrop, learning the ropes of this network is useful in its own right, as doing so will give you more experience with the L2 frontier.