EVM: The core component of Ethereum

The EVM is the core of Ethereum, responsible for executing smart contracts and processing transactions. Unlike other virtual machines, the EVM is a specialized computing engine that provides abstractions for computation and storage. It executes its own bytecode instruction set, typically compiled from Solidity.

The EVM is a quasi-Turing complete state machine, and all execution steps consume a finite amount of Gas resources, which avoids potential infinite loops. The EVM does not have scheduling capabilities; it executes transactions sequentially and modifies the world state. This linear execution process is difficult to optimize in parallel, resulting in performance bottlenecks in Ethereum, necessitating Layer 2 scaling solutions.

High-Performance Layer 1 Parallel Technology

To solve the performance issues of EVM, many high-performance Layer 1s have chosen different virtual machines and parallel execution schemes.

Virtual Machine Selection

Some projects use virtual machines based on WASM, eBPF, or Move bytecode instead of EVM. WASM has advantages such as small size, fast loading, and portability, and has been adopted by multiple blockchain projects. eBPF originates from network packet filtering technology and offers high performance and security. The Move language emphasizes flexibility and verifiability, used to define and control asset transactions.

Parallel Execution Plan

The main challenge of achieving parallel execution is determining which transactions can be processed simultaneously. The two common methods are:

1. State access method: Pre-determine the accessible state parts for each transaction to determine independence.

2. Optimistic Parallel Model: Assume all transactions are independent, and validate and adjust afterward.

The Development of Parallel EVM

With the rise of the parallel EVM concept, multiple projects have launched related solutions:

1. For the parallel upgrades of existing EVM-compatible Layer 1s, such as BSC and Polygon.

2. EVM-compatible Layer 1 using parallel technology, such as Monand, Sei V2, and Artela.

3. EVM-compatible solutions on non-EVM chains, such as Solana Neon.

These projects achieve EVM compatibility and parallel execution in different ways, aiming to improve performance and scalability.

In the future, more projects may join the competition of parallel EVMs, and innovative solutions based on new virtual machines such as WASM, SVM, and Move VM may also emerge. The development of blockchain technology still has vast potential and is worth our continued attention.