# Scaling The Superchain - Getting Serious About Interoperability *A brief overview of how the Optimism Collective is pushing forward cross-chain interoperability.* By [Kames' Thoughts](https://paragraph.com/@kames.eth) · 2024-04-22 --- The [Superchain](https://app.optimism.io/superchain/). **Optimism's vision for scaling Ethereum.** It's ambitious, practical and to date (imho) the most successful initiative for scaling blockchains. At the core of the Superchain vision is interoperability. **Why?** Because what happens when you have 10s, 100s or even 1,000s of L2 rollups and their accompanying L3s without interoperability? The simple answer - **chaos**. Blockchain UX is already a major hurdle for the average user. It's only going to get worse as we scale the Ethereum ecosystem. **We can't scale to billions of users with today's approach.** Unless of course... the Superchain vision of interoperability becomes a reality. _And until recently it's been just that_ - **a vision.** What's Happening Today ====================== Optimism has been doing a pretty good job of meming the Superchain vision into reality. But if I'm being completely honest, there hasn't been as much work towards the "nuts and bolts" of interoperability as I much as I would have liked to see, given all of the hype around the Superchain. Thankfully that's changing - **things are happening!** Below are resources and links related for the latest Superchain Interoperability work. ### Interoperability: Catch-all Discussion + Q&A [ ![](https://opengraph.githubassets.com/ffc9d42dd124baf7add57b164b7a4eabd39d5ce7e18013f1628c41723ea5ea00/ethereum-optimism/specs/discussions/128) https://github.com Interoperability: Catch-all Discussion + Q&A · ethereum-optimism specs · Discussion #128 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is meant to act as an open discussion board for native OP Stack interoperability. This includes both the protocol layer message passing as well as the Superchain ERC20 token specification. Ove... ](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/specs/discussions/128) ### Interoperability: Feature Branch [ ![](https://opengraph.githubassets.com/45f20e7d698f7b7718761f31a1486304f656a6de748ad01678f8037f31c41c43/ethereum-optimism/optimism) https://github.com GitHub - ethereum-optimism/optimism at feat/interop --------------------------------------------------- Optimism is Ethereum, scaled. Contribute to ethereum-optimism/optimism development by creating an account on GitHub. ](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/optimism/tree/feat/interop) The `interop` feature branch includes several new smart contracts worth diving into. * [CrossL2Inbox](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/optimism/blob/feat/interop/packages/contracts-bedrock/src/L2/CrossL2Inbox.sol) * [CrossDomainMessaging](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/optimism/blob/feat/interop/packages/contracts-bedrock/src/universal/CrossDomainMessenger.sol) * [L2CrossDomainMessenger](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/optimism/blob/feat/interop/packages/contracts-bedrock/src/L2/L2CrossDomainMessenger.sol) Superchain ERC20 ================ As is usually the case with blockchains, it's all about the tokens. The above mentioned resources culminate into a new ERC20 standard for the Superchain. [ ![](https://opengraph.githubassets.com/e7d865f84e1f1be791e8ef6de1913eb56aa2e7d31343c7941301f4d082d73ddc/ethereum-optimism/specs) https://github.com specs/specs/interop/token-bridging.md at 5cc9ce2ce059578854afb60f7e654de0bae130fd · ethereum-optimism/specs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contribute to ethereum-optimism/specs development by creating an account on GitHub. ](https://github.com/ethereum-optimism/specs/blob/5cc9ce2ce059578854afb60f7e654de0bae130fd/specs/interop/token-bridging.md) > The `ISuperchainERC20` interface creates a standard way to send tokens between domains. In contrast to [xERC20](https://www.xerc20.com/) where the user calls a bridge that has `mint` and `burn` privileges on the cross chain enabled tokens, the user instead calls methods on the token contract directly. The recently proposed SuperchainERC20 standard, which is expected to go live by end of 2024, is a project worth keeping an on eye on, because it will be a major milestone for Superchain interoperability. Conclusion ========== The Superchain vision is the one I believe in the most for scaling Ethereum. **But the jobs not done.** A lot more work is required to make the vision and reality. So it's exciting to see the Optimism team starting to do the hard work of making it a reality. And as [dcbuilder.eth](https://twitter.com/DCbuild3r) points out, Optimism needs to be more vocal about these upcoming improvements. [![User Avatar](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/01c318e22eaf2bb99ed4ee570aaf50dd.jpg)](https://twitter.com/DCbuild3r) [dcbuilder.eth](https://twitter.com/DCbuild3r) [@DCbuild3r](https://twitter.com/DCbuild3r) [![Twitter Logo](https://paragraph.xyz/editor/twitter/logo.png)](https://twitter.com/DCbuild3r/status/1782431577424667026) thanks a ton for this. my friendly 2c, y'all need to be way more vocal about this. Many people in other L2 ecos are making snarky remarks about it and frankly I had no really good answer to them, this is great progress, thanks for sharing! [![Like Icon](https://paragraph.xyz/editor/twitter/heart.png) 9](https://twitter.com/DCbuild3r/status/1782431577424667026)[ 9:29 AM • Apr 22, 2024 ](https://twitter.com/DCbuild3r/status/1782431577424667026) But it's also the responsibility of the greater Superchain community to help push the narrative forward. It's time for the builders and tinkerers to dive into the above mentioned links and help create the reality of the Superchain interoperability. 🔴🔵🟣⚫️🟢 --- *Originally published on [Kames' Thoughts](https://paragraph.com/@kames.eth/superchain-interoperability-resources)*