Polygon Labs will stop accepting contributions to the Edge framework (also known as Supernets) and focus on extending the Chain Development Kit (CDK).
Initially developed as an open source tool under the Apache License 2.0, Edge facilitated the creation of custom blockchain networks compatible with Ethereum. However, according to the statement, there has been a change in the team’s development priorities over the past year.
Instead of continuing to use Edge, we will now focus on our successor solution CDK, the company’s toolkit designed for developing a variety of Layer 2 ZK-Rollups, Layer 2 networks designed using zero-knowledge proofs. Chains deployed using the CDK are expected to be interoperable within the broader network.
Polygonal CDK via Edge
Several projects such as Immutable, OKX, Astar, Canto, Palm Network, Aavegotchi, IDEX, Nubank, and Manta Network are planning or showing interest in using Polygon CDK for layer 2 network development.
“The Polygon CDK distribution chain is interoperable within the broader web of ZK-based L2s in the CDK ecosystem, creating a single unified liquidity pool. This is a feature that Edge does not support natively and will require significant modifications to migrate,” Polygon Labs said in a statement shared with The Block.
The project currently utilizes two primary scaling methods: a sidechain called Polygon PoS and zkEVM, a zero-knowledge rollup network.
Polygon Labs’ main development focus is the 2.0 upgrade, an ecosystem comprised of multiple chains enhanced with zero-knowledge capabilities. Scheduled for launch in 2024, the ecosystem is based on CDK and aims to integrate layer 2 chains and facilitate inter-chain communication based on ZK rollups.
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