🧱 Layer 1 vs Layer 2 – What’s the Difference and Why It Matters?
You’ve seen the names: Ethereum, Arbitrum, zkSync, Solana.
But what exactly is Layer 1 vs Layer 2? And which one should you care about?
🔹 Layer 1 = The Base Blockchain
This is the main network that runs independently with its own consensus.
▶️ Examples:
– Ethereum
– Solana
– Bitcoin
– Sui
🔧 It handles transactions, block validation, and security directly.
🔸 Layer 2 = Built on Top to Scale
Layer 2 is a scaling solution built on top of Layer 1.
It processes transactions off-chain and settles results back to Layer 1.
▶️ Examples:
– Arbitrum
– Optimism
– zkSync
– Base (by Coinbase)
🧠 Think of it like a browser cache — faster performance, but the source of truth stays on the server.
📍 When to use what?
– Trading / DeFi activity → Layer 2 (cheaper & faster)
– Long-term holding & max security → Layer 1 (battle-tested base layer)
Layer 1 = foundation. Layer 2 = speed boost. Together, they’re the core of a scalable Web3.
