4 months ago
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A standout feature of the IBC protocol is its use of light client verification.
StarkWare, the primary developer behind Ethereum’s Layer 2 solution Starknet, appears to be setting the stage for blockchain interoperability. This follows after it recently announced plans to integrate the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol from the Cosmos ecosystem. According to the announcement, which was shared in a report by The Block, StarkWare will be collaborating with Cosmos contributor Informal Systems toward the integration goal.
StarkWare to Connect with Cosmos Ecosystem and Beyond with IBC Integration
Notably, this collaboration represents a major step in the right direction for StarkWare. That is, it seeks to bridge Starknet with other blockchain networks, thereby enhancing its functionality.
Currently, Starknet and Cosmos operate on distinct technological platforms. Starknet is a permissionless decentralized ZK-Rollup that sits atop Ethereum. For it to deliver high throughput and minimal transaction fees while also ensuring good security standards for the mainnet, it employs STARK proofs.
Cosmos, on the other hand, is an interconnected network of blockchains, built using the Cosmos SDK. These chains communicate through Cosmos’ native IBC protocol, using the Tendermint consensus mechanism.
With the intended integration, however, Starknet will now be able to interact with any chain that supports IBC. This includes all chains within the Cosmos ecosystem and others that have adopted the same technology.
Meanwhile, a standout feature of the IBC protocol might be worth mentioning. That is its use of light client verification. Unlike traditional methods that require full validation of the counterpart’s blockchain state, light clients perform authentication through cryptographic proofs. This approach ensures efficient communication between chains without the need for overwhelming data validation, thus accelerating interoperability.
Details of the New Partnership
StarkWare’s collaboration with Informal Systems is focused on two main objectives. An official statement from the firm partly reads:
“This partnership aims to achieve two primary goals for Starknet: enhancing decentralization and interoperability.”
According to StarkWare, the integration process will involve exploring the Tendermint consensus algorithm alongside the IBC protocol to maximize these benefits.
Notably, StarkWare’s engagement with the IBC protocol might be a reflection of its fixation on advancing blockchain technology. Over the past year, the company has been actively involved in various research and development projects. Some of those initiatives include developing the ZKThreads framework for fractal scaling, exploring parallel transaction execution, and bringing STARKs to Bitcoin, among others.
These efforts echo StarkWare’s dedication to taking blockchain scalability and efficiency to the next level.
