The Blockchain Trilemma states that a decentralized network can only provide two out of three benefits: Decentralization, Security, and Scalability. Layer 2 solutions bridge this gap.
What is Layer 1?
Layer 1 refers to the base architecture of a blockchain network (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana). Changes to Layer 1 require protocol-level upgrades.
What is Layer 2?
Layer 2 frameworks sit on top of the base layer to process transactions off-chain, drastically increasing throughput while maintaining mainnet security via zero-knowledge or optimistic rollups.