It’s always exciting to discover new grants as they are distributed, but what takes place after the announcement? In this series, we will revisit a few projects that are either progressing significantly or already completed. Continue reading to explore some recent landmarks and accomplishments by recipients!
GASOL (GAS Optimization TooLkit)
The COSTA group focuses on formal methods, modeling, and implementations pertaining to the validation and enhancement of programs. Members Elvira Albert, Pablo Gordillo, and Albert Rubio are leveraging this knowledge for Ethereum smart contracts with GASOL, a framework designed for optimizing gas usage. Each Ethereum smart contract executes a series of EVM instructions known as opcodes; GASOL’s “super-optimization” approach aims to identify a sequence that generates identical outcomes as the original while consuming reduced gas.
In February 2021, the GASOL team was granted funding to build upon their prior research and experiments regarding Ethereum smart contract optimization. They had already developed a prototype for calculating optimized EVM sequences for a subset of opcodes, particularly for stack operations. The aim of the grant is to extend the research prototype into a super-optimization toolkit for smart contract developers, ultimately enabling the optimizer to integrate with the Solidity compiler.
Version 0.1.3 of the GASOL super-optimization toolkit, along with usage instructions, can be accessed on Github. In its present iteration, GASOL is capable of both calculating optimized sequences and generating the corresponding executable bytecode. Additional functionalities and accomplishments include:
- Optimization for memory and storage operations as well as stack operations
- Benchmarking efficiency improvements of GASOL against the Yul optimizer, along with GASOL in conjunction with the Yul optimizer.
- Creation of a log file to confirm that the bytecode uploaded to Etherscan was generated by GASOL
- Extended the SMT model to specify the order of memory accesses and functions in order to maintain the same memory state as the original
- Certain aspects of the optimizer have been generalized to facilitate byte-size optimization standards
For anyone interested in delving into the intricate technical specifics, the team has published reports on stage 1 and stage 2 of the project. Follow GASOL on Github to stay updated on forthcoming releases!
L2BEAT
Layer 2 scaling solutions have emerged significantly over the last year, offering advantages like quicker transactions, drastically reduced costs, and enhanced privacy. Each L2 method involves different compromises that influence security, decentralization, performance, and usability. For users, this translates into the ability to determine what is most significant to them and select a solution that fulfills their requirements—but keeping track of a continuously expanding list of options can be daunting.
L2BEAT assists users in making informed decisions by providing side-by-side comparisons of features, usage metrics, and potential risks of active L2 projects. The team behind the website investigates each featured protocol, analyzing various data sources and project documents to compile essential information into one clear and accessible resource.
When L2BEAT initially received funding in spring 2021, the dashboard displayed scaling technology and locked value statistics for ten protocols. The site, along with the L2 ecosystem, has significantly expanded since that time. At present, a visitor can switch between detailed financial data and succinctly explained technical risk factors for 20 protocols, alongside a dedicated page offering analysis of each protocol’s features and compromises.
In December, L2BEAT was granted a second funding award to assist in growing their team, automating processes, and broadening their initiatives. Proposed enhancements include:
- Establishing a robust backend server and database capable of managing the complexity of existing and anticipated features
- Incorporating additional live metrics such as transaction volume, uptime, and block production
- Implementing upgrade logs to keep users updated on changes to the protocols they are utilizing
Explore L2BEAT.com for a wealth of information regarding L2 solutions, with much more forthcoming, follow @L2beatcom on Twitter, or join the community on Discord. The team also invites contributions!
Are you engaged in a project that you believe could positively impact Ethereum? Visit our grants page to find out more about what we seek in the projects we support.
