Sidechains
A sidechain is a separate blockchain which runs in parallel to Ethereum mainnet and operates independently. It has its own consensus algorithm (e.g. Proof of Authority, Delegated proof-of-stake, Byzantine fault tolerance). It is connected to mainnet by a two-way bridge.
Prerequisites
You should have a good understanding of all the foundational topics and a high-level understanding of Ethereum scaling.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Established technology. | Less decentralized. |
| Supports general computation, EVM compatibility. | Uses a separate consensus mechanism. Not secured by layer 1 (so technically it’s not layer 2). |
| A quorum of sidechain validators can commit fraud. |
Use Sidechains
Multiple projects provide implementations of sidechains that you can integrate into your dapps:
Further reading
- EthHub on sidechains
- Scaling Ethereum Dapps through Sidechains Feb 8, 2018 - Georgios Konstantopoulos
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