ZK Rollups or Optimistic Rollups, Which One Is Better?

Optimistic Rollups

Optimistic rollups is an Ethereum scaling solution that uses proof of fraud and runs on an EVM-compatible OVM virtual machine. They use two principles:

• Data sent to Layer 1 is assumed to be correct until discovered otherwise.

• Data senders must pledge ETH, which is confiscated in case of fraud. 

OP rollups’ main advantage is that they’re compatible with Ethereum contracts, so the code does not need to be rewritten. However, its withdrawal time is quite long as there is a need to wait for proof at the main blockchain level. Another disadvantage would be its low privacy.

Zero Knowledge Rollups

ZK rollups is a way to scale the blockchain using SNARK, the Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge. The solution proves the correctness of transactions without disclosing their contents. A smart contract on the underlying blockchain quickly verifies proofs and rejects incorrect ones.

ZK Rollups pros include faster transactions, algorithmic transaction confirmation, and higher privacy. Its downside would be more complex calculations.

The Future of ZK Rollups and Optimistic Rollups

ZK rollups appear to be more efficient. By some estimates, ZK rollups will be able to scale Ethereum by 100-200x, while Optimistic by 10-20x.

However, developers are actively working to address the shortcomings of each.

With these two, the future sure sounds promising!