Solx 0.1.1 Release: High-Performance Solidity Compiler by ZKsync
Solx 0.1.1 is a new, LLVM-powered Solidity compiler for Ethereum, engineered by ZKsync to dramatically improve smart contract development performance and efficiency. It achieves up to 9× faster compilation speeds for intermediate representation (IR) builds compared to the standard Solidity compiler (solc), as shown in benchmarks on high-profile projects like Aave V3 and Uniswap v4.
Performance and Efficiency Gains:
Solx leverages LLVM's mature compiler infrastructure to deliver both blazing fast compilation and on-chain gas savings. Developers can expect:
9× faster IR compilation,
5–6% lower gas usage on deployed contracts,
20–30% reduction in compiled bytecode size (though some reports show around ~6% larger bytecode for certain contracts—this varies per configuration and optimization stage), and
Passes extensive internal tests and real-world contracts, making it suitable for integration with standard dev tools like Foundry and Hardhat.
Cutting-Edge Features: Solx tackles persistent Solidity issues, including stack-too-deep errors, and provides an easier path for future EVM extensions and developer tooling innovation. Its LLVM-based architecture allows rapid feature development and easier maintenance than custom compilers.
Developer Impact: These optimizations significantly lower deployment costs and increase developer productivity, as less manual tweaking is needed to optimize for gas and bytecode limits. The enhanced speed also shortens feedback loops during testing and development.
Ecosystem Alignment: The release of solx aligns with Ethereum’s upcoming Pectra upgrade (scheduled for May 7, 2025), which updates the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to "Prague." This timing positions solx as a pivotal tool for developers adapting to new EVM standards, with pre-alpha testing available now at solx. zksync. io.
