A modular Layer-2 rollup launched on Ethereum mainnet in November 2024 that uses the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) for execution, Celestia for data availability, and RISC Zero for zero-knowledge proofs. Eclipse brings SVM's parallel execution performance to Ethereum users with faster speeds and lower fees, hosting 60+ dApps across DeFi, gaming, and digital services.
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A modular Layer-2 rollup launched on Ethereum mainnet in November 2024 that uses the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) for execution, Celestia for data availability, and RISC Zero for zero-knowledge proofs. Eclipse brings SVM's parallel execution performance to Ethereum users with faster speeds and lower fees, hosting 60+ dApps across DeFi, gaming, and digital services.
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Think of it as part of the chain machinery that keeps ordering, execution, or consensus moving.
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Consensus, leader rotation, slots, epochs, and the runtime.
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Eclipse (eclipse) Category: Core Protocol Definition: A modular Layer-2 rollup launched on Ethereum mainnet in November 2024 that uses the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) for execution, Celestia for data availability, and RISC Zero for zero-knowledge proofs. Eclipse brings SVM's parallel execution performance to Ethereum users with faster speeds and lower fees, hosting 60+ dApps across DeFi, gaming, and digital services. Aliases: Eclipse L2 Related: Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), Rollup, Layer 2 (L2)
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The Solana Virtual Machine—the execution environment that runs on-chain programs. SVM loads SBF bytecode, provides syscalls for account access and cryptographic operations, enforces compute budgets, and manages memory. The SVM is being modularized (via the SVM API) to enable use in rollups and other environments outside the main Solana validator.
A Layer 2 scaling technique that executes transactions off-chain, bundles them, and posts compressed data back to L1. Optimistic rollups assume transactions are valid and use fraud proofs for disputes (7-day challenge period). ZK rollups generate cryptographic validity proofs for every batch. Rollups inherit L1 security while providing 10-100x throughput improvement.
A scaling solution built on top of a Layer 1 blockchain that processes transactions off-chain while inheriting the security of the base layer. L2 types include optimistic rollups (Arbitrum, Optimism), ZK rollups (zkSync, StarkNet), state channels, and sidechains. L2s post transaction data or proofs back to L1 for finality.
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An ordered unit within a block containing a mix of PoH ticks and transaction batches. Each entry includes a PoH hash, a count of hashes since the previous entry, and zero or more transactions. Entries without transactions are tick entries that advance the PoH clock; entries with transactions prove those transactions occurred between two points in time.
A period of 432,000 slots (approximately 2-3 days) that defines a staking cycle. At each epoch boundary, the leader schedule is recalculated based on stake weights, stake activations/deactivations take effect, and inflation rewards are distributed to validators and delegators.
Glossary entries become useful when they are connected. These links are the shortest path to adjacent ideas.
The Solana Virtual Machine—the execution environment that runs on-chain programs. SVM loads SBF bytecode, provides syscalls for account access and cryptographic operations, enforces compute budgets, and manages memory. The SVM is being modularized (via the SVM API) to enable use in rollups and other environments outside the main Solana validator.
A Layer 2 scaling technique that executes transactions off-chain, bundles them, and posts compressed data back to L1. Optimistic rollups assume transactions are valid and use fraud proofs for disputes (7-day challenge period). ZK rollups generate cryptographic validity proofs for every batch. Rollups inherit L1 security while providing 10-100x throughput improvement.
A scaling solution built on top of a Layer 1 blockchain that processes transactions off-chain while inheriting the security of the base layer. L2 types include optimistic rollups (Arbitrum, Optimism), ZK rollups (zkSync, StarkNet), state channels, and sidechains. L2s post transaction data or proofs back to L1 for finality.
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A clock mechanism that cryptographically proves the passage of time between events. PoH uses a sequential SHA-256 hash chain where each output becomes the next input, creating a verifiable ordering of events without requiring consensus. The leader produces ~400,000 hashes per slot (~400ms), and any validator can verify the sequence in parallel, enabling Solana's high throughput by removing the need for validators to agree on time.
Solana's custom BFT consensus algorithm built on top of Proof of History. Tower BFT uses PoH as a clock to reduce communication overhead in traditional PBFT from O(n²) to O(n). Validators vote on forks with exponentially increasing lockout periods—each consecutive vote doubles the lockout, making rollbacks progressively more expensive. A fork is finalized when it reaches supermajority (66.7%+ of stake).
A time window during which a designated leader validator can produce a block. Each slot lasts approximately 400 milliseconds. Slots are numbered sequentially from genesis and grouped into epochs of 432,000 slots (~2-3 days). Not every slot produces a block—a skipped slot means the leader was offline or too slow.
A set of entries produced by a leader during a single slot. A block contains transactions bundled into entries, each with a PoH hash proving ordering. Blocks are broken into shreds for network propagation via Turbine. Maximum block size is limited by compute units (48M CU cap per block) rather than byte size.