Analysis of the differences and applications between public chains and side chains: Help you understand the two major infrastructures of blockchain? -web3 series Section 5

As your Web3 consultant and old friend, I know that the terms "public chain" and "side chain" sound very profound, but they are actually related to the performance, security and future development of the blockchain. Today, I use the most popular language to help you distinguish their differences and their respective advantages, so that you can be more confident and professional in the Web3 world.

What is a Public Chain?

Public chain, the full name of public blockchain, is a blockchain network that anyone can participate in, view and verify. It is completely decentralized and no institution or individual has absolute control.

• Typical representative: Bitcoin, Ethereum.
• Features:
• Open and transparent, anyone can participate in node operation and transaction verification.
• It has high security and relies on the consensus mechanism of a large number of nodes to ensure network stability.
• There are often performance bottlenecks, with limited transaction speed and throughput.

For example, Ethereum can currently process about 15-30 transactions per second, with long transaction confirmation times and high gas fees.

What is Side Chain?

Sidechains are independent blockchains that run parallel to the main chain (usually a public chain). It is connected to the main chain through a special mechanism to achieve two-way transfer of assets and information.

• Features:
• Performance optimization can be done for specific applications, such as increasing transaction speed or reducing fees.
• With an independent consensus mechanism, it can be designed to be more lightweight or more suitable for specific scenarios.
• The security of the side chain relies on its own mechanism and is sometimes not as powerful as the main chain.

Metaphorically speaking, the public chain is a highway, and the side chain is a small road connecting the highway to share traffic and facilitate the rapid passage of different vehicles.

The core difference between public chain and side chain

How is the side chain "connected" to the public chain?

When assets are transferred from the public chain to the side chain, the "lock-release" mechanism is generally used:

1. Assets are locked (frozen) on the public chain.
2. The equivalent amount of assets is released on the side chain (corresponding tokens are generated).
3. Users conduct transactions and operations on the side chain.
4. When needed, assets on the side chain can be destroyed and assets on the public chain can be unlocked.

This mechanism ensures that assets will not be re-issued, safe and transparent.

5. Comparison of application scenarios between public chain and side chain

Real case sharing

Case 1: Polygon — Ethereum’s side chain solutionPolygon is currently the most well-known Ethereum side chain. It has significantly reduced Ethereum network congestion and high gas fees through high-performance chain and multi-chain architecture. In 2024, the number of daily active users on Polygon will exceed 2 million, making it an important ecosystem for DeFi and NFT.

Case 2: Flow — a side chain focusing on NFT and digital collectiblesThe Flow chain was launched by Dapper Labs and specifically supports digital collectibles such as NBA Top Shot. It uses side chain technology to achieve efficient transactions, improve user experience, and ensure the security of the main chain.

Case 3: xDai - low-cost chain for supply chain and enterprise applicationsAs a side chain, xDai is known for its low transaction fees and fast speed, and is widely used in supply chain tracking, Internet of Things, and micropayment scenarios.

How to choose public chain or side chain?

• If you value the highest level of security and decentralization, this is the right choicePublic chain.
• If you are more concerned about performance, low cost and specific application scenarios, thenside chainis a better choice.
• In reality, public chains and side chains are often used in combination to give full play to their respective advantages and build a complete ecosystem.

[Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)]

Q: Can public chains and side chains replace each other?

A: Not a complete replacement. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and are usually complementary. The public chain is responsible for security and basic value, and the side chain is responsible for performance and application expansion.

Q: Are sidechains safe? Will I lose coins?

A: The security of side chains is not as good as that of public chains, and sometimes there are security risks. It is recommended to choose side chains that have undergone strict audits and community verification.

Q: How long does it take for assets to be transferred between the public chain and the side chain?

A: Generally, it ranges from a few minutes to dozens of minutes, depending on the design of the specific chain and network congestion.

Q: What is "Layer 2" and is it the same as side chain?

A: Layer 2 is another expansion technology that processes transactions directly on the main chain, and the side chain is an independent chain. Both solve performance problems, but the technical implementation is different.

Summarize

Public chain and side chain are two important paths for the development of blockchain technology. Public chains focus on security and decentralization, while side chains emphasize performance and flexibility. Their combination brings us a more powerful and efficient blockchain application ecosystem.

As your good friend of Web3, I hope that through this article, you can understand their differences and application scenarios more clearly, and make more informed choices in future blockchain projects.

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