区块链基础设施的演变为大众采用铺平了道路

如果我们在拨号互联网上停止，我们将永远不会获得Netflix，实时游戏或云计算。

If we had stopped at dial-up internet, we’d never have gotten Netflix, real-time gaming, or cloud computing. The evolution of internet infrastructure paved the way for mass adoption. In the same way, Layer-3s are an inevitable evolution of blockchain infrastructure—removing friction, lowering costs, and making blockchain truly ready for mainstream users. Yet, critics continue to argue that they add unnecessary complexity.

如果我们在拨号互联网上停止，我们将永远不会获得Netflix，实时游戏或云计算。互联网基础设施的演变为大众采用铺平了道路。同样，第3层是区块链基础架构的不可避免的演变 - 摩擦摩擦，降低成本并使区块链为主流用户做好了准备。然而，批评家继续认为他们增加了不必要的复杂性。

This debate about the role of Layer-3s is an active one for us at Horizen Labs. The Horizen DAO has recently passed a vote to join the Base ecosystem—a pivotal governance decision that marks the beginning of Horizen’s transition to Base, Coinbase’s Layer 2 network, as an appchain specialized in privacy-preserving applications. We’re convinced by the Layer-3 thesis and believe that they represent the next evolution in blockchain scalability.

关于第三层的作用的争论对于我们在水平实验室中对我们来说是一个活跃的辩论。 Horizen Dao最近通过投票加入基本生态系统，这是一个关键的治理决定，标志着Horizen向Base的开始，Coinbase的第2层网络，作为专门从事隐私保护应用程序的AppChain。我们对第三层论文表示相信，并认为它们代表了区块链可伸缩性的下一个演变。

Horizen’s move to Base isn’t just about following trends, it’s about recognizing that a more modular, interoperable blockchain stack is the key to driving real-world adoption. We’re not just theorizing; we’re building.

Hixen的转移到基础不仅仅是遵循趋势，还要认识到一个更模块化的可互操作区块链堆栈是推动现实世界采用的关键。我们不仅仅是理论化；我们正在建造。

The History

历史

For crypto to reach a billion users, transactions need to be fast, cheap, and seamless. Layer-3s aren’t an academic exercise—they’re a practical response to the fact that even Layer-2s aren’t cheap enough for mass adoption. They also optimize for special features that are not currently possible on Layer-1s and Layer-2s—such as enhanced ZK capabilities.

要使加密货币吸引十亿用户，交易需要快速，便宜且无缝。第三层不是一项学术练习，他们对以下事实是一种实际的回应：即使是第2层也不足以供大众采用。他们还针对当前第1层和第2层（例如增强的ZK功能）中目前无法使用的特殊功能进行了优化。

Fundamentally, they address a core problem: If Ethereum (Layer-1) is expensive, Layer-2s help by processing transactions off-chain and only committing final state proofs to Layer-1. Layer-3s take this further by settling on Layer-2s instead of directly on Ethereum, creating a hierarchical model that minimizes costs at each level.

从根本上讲，它们解决了一个核心问题：如果以太坊（第1层）很昂贵，则第2层通过处理交易后的链链，仅对第1层进行最终状态证明来帮助。第3层通过在第2层而不是直接在以太坊上定位，从而创建了一个层次模型，该模型可最大程度地减少每个级别的成本。

Layer-3s emerged naturally as blockchain architects sought greater efficiencies. StarkWare first outlined the concept in late 2021 under the term “fractal scaling.” Vitalik Buterin explored Layer-3 designs in 2022, suggesting specialized purposes beyond simple scaling. By 2023, major Ethereum scaling teams began implementing Layer-3 frameworks. Arbitrum introduced Orbit for launching Layer-3 “Orbit chains.” Matter Labs released ZK Stack for building zk-rollups as either Layer-2s or Layer-3s. These developments have pushed Layer-3s from theory to practice.

当区块链架构师寻求更大的效率时，第3层自然出现。 Starkware首先在2021年末以“分形缩放”一词概述了该概念。 Vitalik Buterin在2022年探索了第3层设计，提出了超越简单缩放的专业用途。到2023年，主要的以太坊缩放团队开始实施3层框架。仲裁引入了用于启动3层“轨道链”的轨道。 Matter Labs发布了ZK堆栈，用于构建ZK滚动为2层或3层。这些发展将第3层从理论推向实践。

Not Everyone Is a Fan

不是每个人都是粉丝

Critics argue several points against Layer-3s: many believe Layer-2 solutions haven’t reached full maturity yet, and making Layer-3s is premature. Some argue they add complexity. But great technology is about making complexity invisible to users—just like the internet did. Some view Layer-3s as redundant, arguing their goals could be achieved by optimizing Layer-2 solutions.

评论家认为对第三层的几个要点：许多人认为，第2层解决方案尚未完全成熟，制作3层是为时过早。有人认为它们增加了复杂性。但是，伟大的技术是使用户变得复杂性，就像互联网一样。一些将第3层视为冗余，认为他们的目标可以通过优化2层解决方案来实现。

However, a crucial realization is emerging that makes Layer-3s even more timely: even Layer-2s, built to enable faster, cheaper transactions, might still fall short. In some cases, a Layer-3 can abstract costs even further, ensuring near-zero gas fees. This cost abstraction is vital. Blockchain adoption requires transactions that are nearly free to the end user, and Layer-3s provide precisely this capability.

但是，出现了一个关键的认识，使第3层更加及时：即使是为了使更快，更便宜的交易构建的第2层，也可能仍然不足。在某些情况下，第3层可以进一步抽象成本，从而确保接近零的汽油费。此成本抽象至关重要。区块链的采用要求最终用户几乎免费的交易，并且第3层提供了此功能。

That brings a chain-abstracted future closer. Ultimately, that is better for onboarding new users, better for liquidity, and better for incentivizing the building of new dApps onchain. When users can transact without worrying about gas fees, adoption accelerates. Developers can build applications that wouldn’t be economically viable on higher-fee networks, and liquidity flows more freely when not constrained by transaction costs. The entire ecosystem benefits.

这使未来的链条吸收更加紧密。最终，这对入职用户来说是更好的选择，更适合流动性，并且更好地激励建造新的Dapps Onchain。当用户可以交易而不必担心汽油费时，采用会加速。开发人员可以构建在高费网络上在经济上不可行的应用程序，而在不受交易成本限制的情况下，流动性会更加自由。整个生态系统受益。

But abstraction isn’t just about cost savings; it’s also about usability and customization.

但是抽象不仅仅是节省成本；这也与可用性和自定义有关。

Customization and Connectivity

自定义和连接性

Layer-3s are also a natural response to the fear of ecosystem isolation. Chains don’t want to be siloed. Standalone Layer-1 blockchains face significant challenges: they must bootstrap their own security, attract users from scratch, and build an entirely new infrastructure. Many “Ethereum killers” like Cardano, Fantom, or Tezos have discovered how difficult this journey can be.

第3层也是对生态系统隔离的恐惧的自然反应。连锁店不想被孤立。独立的第1层区块链面临重大挑战：他们必须引导自己的安全性，吸引用户从头开始，并建立一个全新的基础架构。 Cardano，Fantom或Tezos等许多“以太杀手”发现了这一旅程的困难。

Layer-3s offer an alternative path where chains can remain connected to established ecosystems while providing better customization options: this is where their true potential lies. Application-specific chains can optimize for their unique use cases, whether it’s zero-knowledge proofs, gaming, DeFi, social networks, or enterprise applications. They can implement custom virtual machines, consensus mechanisms, or privacy features tailored to their needs, all while staying connected to the broader ecosystem, benefiting from its liquidity and security.

第3层提供了一种替代路径，可以在其中连接到建立的生态系统，同时提供更好的自定义选项：这是它们真正的潜在位置。特定于应用程序的链可以针对其唯一用例进行优化，无论是零知识证明，游戏，DEFI，社交网络还是企业应用程序。他们可以实施自定义的虚拟机，共识机制或根据其需求量身定制的隐私功能，同时保持与更广泛的生态系统的联系，从而受益于其流动性和安全性。

This blend of customization and connectivity makes these application-specific apps excel at what they do, ultimately benefiting the users.

自定义和连接性的这种融合使这些特定于应用程序的应用程序在它们的工作中表现出色，最终使用户受益。

A Pathway to Abstraction

抽象的途径

People may claim that Layer-3s make web3 too complicated, but there’s

人们可能声称3层使Web3太复杂了，但是有