What is Starknet?

Starknet is a layer 2 solution that leverages STARK technology to scale Ethereum and enable fast, cheap, and secure transactions and smart contracts. STARK technology is a form of zero-knowledge proof that can verify the validity of large batches of transactions off-chain, using only a small amount of data on-chain. This reduces the congestion and gas fees on the Ethereum network, while preserving its security and decentralization.

Starknet is a validity rollup, which means that it does not rely on any external parties or validators to ensure the correctness of the transactions. Instead, it uses cryptographic proofs that are verifiable by anyone on the Ethereum network. Starknet also supports general computation, which means that it can run any kind of smart contract logic, not just simple transfers.

Starknet is compatible with any blockchain that supports smart contracts, such as Ethereum, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Fantom, and others. Starknet also supports non-EVM chains, such as Aptos, which is a native STARK-based blockchain. Starknet aims to create a unified and interoperable layer 2 ecosystem, where different blockchains can communicate and transact with each other seamlessly.

Who are the founders of Starknet?

Starknet is developed by StarkWare, a company that specializes in STARK technology and its applications. StarkWare was founded in 2018 by Eli Ben-Sasson, Alessandro Chiesa, Michael Riabzev, and Uri Kolodny. Eli Ben-Sasson and Alessandro Chiesa are both professors of computer science and cryptography at the Technion and UC Berkeley, respectively. They are also co-inventors of Zcash, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that uses zk-SNARKs, a precursor of STARKs. Michael Riabzev is a former PhD student of Eli Ben-Sasson, and the lead developer of StarkWare's STARK prover. Uri Kolodny is a serial entrepreneur and investor, and the CEO of StarkWare.

StarkWare has also attracted some of the most prominent investors in the crypto space, such as a16z, Sequoia, Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures, ConsenSys, Pantera Capital, Multicoin Capital, and more. The company raised $75 million in a Series B round in May 2021, and another $50 million in a Series B extension in November 2021.

What makes Starknet unique?

Starknet distinguishes itself from other layer 2 solutions in several ways:

• STARK technology: Starknet uses STARK technology, which is a form of zero-knowledge proof that can verify the validity of large batches of transactions off-chain, using only a small amount of data on-chain. STARK technology has several advantages over other zero-knowledge proof systems, such as zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs. STARK technology is transparent, meaning that it does not require any trusted setup or secret parameters. STARK technology is also post-quantum secure, meaning that it is resistant to quantum attacks. STARK technology is also scalable, meaning that it can handle millions of transactions per second with minimal on-chain data and computation. Learn how Starknet works[^1^].

• Native account abstraction: Starknet offers a superior user experience by employing native account abstraction. This means that all accounts on Starknet are smart accounts, whose behavior is determined by their developers, rather than by the protocol. This allows for more flexibility and customization in account management, such as gasless transactions, meta-transactions, batched transactions, multisig wallets, and more. Developers can also upgrade their smart contracts without redeploying them, and use any programming language that compiles to Cairo, Starknet's native smart contract language. Dive into native account abstraction[^2^].

• Thriving ecosystem: Starknet has a rapidly growing ecosystem of developers, users, and partners, who are building and using various applications, services, and tools on Starknet. Some of the notable projects on Starknet include dYdX, a decentralized derivatives exchange; Immutable X, a layer 2 solution for NFTs; DeversiFi, a decentralized exchange; and Divergence, a decentralized options protocol. Starknet also supports various wallets, bridges, and on-ramps, such as Argent, Metamask, StarkBridge, and Ramp. Starknet also has a vibrant community of supporters and contributors, who participate in governance, education, and innovation. Explore the Starknet ecosystem[^3^].

• Creativity unleashed: Starknet enables developers to code solutions that make a difference. Cairo, Starknet's native smart contract language, allows developers to express any kind of business logic, not just simple transfers. Cairo is a Turing-complete language that supports loops, recursion, structs, arrays, and more. Cairo also has a built-in STARK prover, which generates the proofs for the transactions and smart contracts. Cairo is designed to be easy to learn, write, and debug, and has various tools and resources to help developers get started. Build with Cairo[^4^].

How to use Starknet?

To use Starknet, users and developers need to interact with the Starknet contracts on each blockchain. Users can send and receive transactions across chains by calling the Starknet functions, such as _starknetSend, _starknetReceive, and _starknetVerify. Developers can deploy and upgrade smart contracts on Starknet by using the Starknet SDK and API, which simplify the development process and access the Starknet features.

Starknet also provides a user-friendly interface called Starknet Explorer, which allows users and developers to monitor and track the transactions and smart contracts on Starknet. Starknet Explorer also provides analytics and statistics on the Starknet network, such as the number of transactions, supported blockchains, value transferred, and more.

Conclusion

Starknet is a layer 2 solution that leverages STARK technology to scale Ethereum and enable fast, cheap, and secure transactions and smart contracts. Starknet is a validity rollup, which means that it does not rely on any external parties or validators to ensure the correctness of the transactions. Instead, it uses cryptographic proofs that are verifiable by anyone on the Ethereum network. Starknet also supports general computation, which means that it can run any kind of smart contract logic, not just simple transfers.

Starknet uses STARK technology, which is a form of zero-knowledge proof that can verify the validity of large batches of transactions off-chain, using only a small amount of data on-chain. STARK technology is transparent, post-quantum secure, and scalable. Starknet also offers a superior user experience by employing native account abstraction, which means that all accounts on Starknet are smart accounts, whose behavior is determined by their developers, rather than by the protocol. Starknet also has a rapidly growing ecosystem of developers, users, and partners, who are building and using various applications, services, and tools on Starknet. Starknet also enables developers to code solutions that make a difference, using Cairo, Starknet's native smart contract language, which allows developers to express any kind of business logic.

To use Starknet, users and developers need to interact with the Starknet contracts on each blockchain. Users can send and receive transactions across chains by calling the Starknet functions. Developers can deploy and upgrade smart contracts on Starknet by using the Starknet SDK and API. Starknet also provides a user-friendly interface called Starknet Explorer, which allows users and developers to monitor and track the transactions and smart contracts on Starknet.

Starknet is developed by StarkWare, a company that specializes in STARK technology and its applications. StarkWare was founded in 2018 by Eli Ben-Sasson, Alessandro Chiesa, Michael Riabzev, and Uri Kolodny. StarkWare has also attracted some of the most prominent investors in the crypto space, such as a16z, Sequoia, Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures, ConsenSys, Pantera Capital, Multicoin Capital, and more. The company raised $75 million in a Series B round in May 2021, and another $50 million in a Series B extension in November 2021.