Source: View on the Chain
Recently, the emergence of ZetaChain has brought the concept of "chain abstraction" into the spotlight. However, through in-depth research, I found that @NEARProtocol is the real originator of "chain abstraction". The proposed BOS front-end operating system, account aggregation, super wallet, etc., all have the feeling of Web2 at first glance, but to lower the technical threshold of Web3 and improve the user entry experience, a thorough system modification is indeed needed. Why? Next, share my observations.
First of all, there are two main lines of development in the evolution of the public chain track: "modularization" and "chain abstraction".
"Modularization" is now well known, and developers tend to develop lightweight and low-cost components; various DA layers, execution VM layers, settlement layers, etc. have a variety of composable formats; and the Daxing Stack stack The scalable AS A Service one-click chain strategic alliance narrative, etc., have made the idea of modularization become the main theme.
In comparison, "chain abstraction" is still in its infancy, and the overall market is still in the bug-fixing and sewing stage of "account abstraction", and is even stuck in abstraction, and abstraction is letting go. Ordinary users find themselves in an increasingly "abstract" dilemma.
There are two main reasons:
1) The abstract track goal solves the problem of lowering the threshold for user participation and paves the way for Mass Adoption. However, currently "account abstraction" is implemented through contract standards such as ERC4337. It is easy to solve compatibility issues between homogeneous chains, but challenges will arise once heterogeneous chains are involved. It was originally developed through wallet-side adaptation, but the emergence of various wallets has undoubtedly increased the user's choice threshold.
2) It is not enough for the abstract track to be centered on "engineering realization". The ultimate goal must be "user-oriented", for example: using social networking, fingerprints and other biometric logins to lower the usage threshold; using MPC Technology eliminates the need for private keys and reduces security barriers; it enables back-end protocols and liquidity to achieve imperceptible connectivity across the entire chain, lowering user operating thresholds, etc.
In general, the past efforts of the market in "account abstraction" It is not enough. "Chain abstraction" is needed to further eliminate the inter-chain communication + liquidity gap until all back-end complex protocol interactions can be "hidden" to achieve an improvement in user experience and friendliness.
However, most developers of Web3 Native are accustomed to "engineering implementation" innovation. If the development power of Web2 is impacted at the right time, it may bring about a Catalyst catalytic effect.
The NEAR chain, which seems to have been dormant for a long time, is doing He has done a lot of front-end + back-end development, perhaps because he wants to make a big splash in the new narrative of "chain abstraction". So, what has NEAR done in the past?
-BOS Blockchain Operating System
Now when you log in to the NEAR website, it is no longer the same asset list page, but a dazzling array of things, giving you the illusion of opening the Facebook social networking site.
The Featured Components recommendation , click the Open button to directly access the liquidity staking page of a certain protocol. Selecting NFT Marketplace will also directly jump to the purchase page of many NFT lists. In addition, there are feed information flow, user and News recommendations. When I first used it, I didn’t I dare to believe that this is a Web3 project, a pure Web2 portal that is visual.
This is why NEAR has launched a new blockchain operating system BOS, a public layer for browsing and discovering network experiences. And it is a "front-end" system that is compatible with all blockchains. (The protocols that can be connected in actual experience are still limited)
It is not difficult to see that NEAR is trying to become an "interface entrance" like an OS-like system, and even, Users can also customize and create their own front-end portal. It is a bit close to the Web2 product experience.
If you just look at this unfamiliar and fancy front-end, you will inevitably feel that these developers are not doing their job properly. From the strategic perspective of "chain abstraction", it may not be difficult to understand;
-Account Aggregation Account Aggregation
With the BOS system How can the front-end and NEAR back-end cooperate to realize the connection of all on-chain accounts?
1) NEAR account abstraction: In my impression, NEAR’s abstract functions such as email login, private key retrieval, etc. have always been pretty good, especially The entire chain realizes short domain name operation, and it is not difficult to implement fingerprint FaceID biometric login based on Fast Auth. This step reduces the user Onboard threshold;
2) Chain signature: NEAR builds a full chain of MPC Nodes Through the joint signature verification system, when users interact between different chains, the NEAR network can co-sign transactions as a common related party of assets to achieve inter-chain interaction. In essence, it is consistent with the interoperability logic of other relay chain types, allowing the back-end "standardized" and unified contract layer to perform cross-chain communication on behalf of users. NEAR has not written much about the decentralized nature of chain signatures. It can be seen that it has strong self-confidence with the strong performance of sharding;
3) Intent Successor: With the basis of MPC common chain signature, the chain contract can help users handle some "intentions". After the user initiates a transaction intention in the NEAR chain, the NEAR contract can remotely control the heterogeneous chain contract to carry out the next operation, which is equivalent to PayMaster. agency duties. Theoretically, as long as the logic that can be achieved through inter-chain interaction becomes more complex, the user’s intentions and usage experience will be richer.
-Super Wallet
Previously, NEAR was connected to MetaMask based on the Snap function. Users can sign transactions in MetaMask and connect to NEAR, and that’s it. What?
No, according to the NEAR chain abstract strategy plan, a super wallet should cover all Web3 applications, while gas consumption, asset bridging, network switching and other functions must be hidden. It seems that NEAR is trying to abstract the wallet paradigm. Since there is already a Facebook portal at the chain level, it must be equipped with a WeChat applet application entrance. The @SenderLabs wallet on the NEAR chain seems to be heading in this direction. effort.
It is not difficult to understand that after NEAR implements "chain abstraction", the wallet application should be the first to benefit.
Under normal circumstances, if a wallet wants to be smooth and smooth and reduce the "migration rate" of users, it usually needs to strengthen its development and adapt to various heterogeneous chains and diversified assets. In the abstract background of the NEAR chain, the wallet only needs to smoothly adapt to the NEAR chain. Compatibility of other chains, cross-chain interoperability of assets, autonomous switching of the network, etc. can all be hidden.
For example, when a user browses an application in Wallet Discover and clicks a button to interact, the wallet will automatically configure the network and handle asset status switching. The user will perceive and browse the e-commerce website for shopping without any difference. You don’t need to worry about the back-end interaction logic. Just imagine, if such a super wallet project is implemented, it will make many current wallet products tremble.
Above.
I have reviewed for you what NEAR has done on chain abstraction in the past six months. As for, what has been achieved with the vision of chain abstraction? Can it be completely done? What will be the final landing form? It’s all still unknown, and if you try it out of curiosity, you may feel disappointed. However, this is the answer that NEAR chain abstraction wants to hand over, do you believe it?
Note: I have written many articles on "chain abstraction", and everyone from @zetablockchain to @ParticleNtwrk to @Entanglefi has paid attention to it. Their chain abstraction solutions also have their own strengths. When I saw How should they respond to NEAR's vision of a Web2-based vision?
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