What is Optimism?    

Optimism is a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum that uses the OP Stack, a standardized, shared, and open-source development stack maintained by the Optimism Collective.  

Understanding the OP Stack

The OP Stack consists of the many different software components managed and maintained by the Optimism Collective that, together, form the backbone of Optimism.

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The OP Stack is built as a public good for the Ethereum and Optimism ecosystems. To understand how to operate an OP Stack chain, including roll-up and chain deployment basics, visit the Chain Operator guide.

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Stay up to date on the Superchain and the OP Stack by subscribing to the Optimism Developer Blog.

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The OP Stack powers Optimism  

With the advent of the Superchain concept, it has become increasingly important for Optimism to easily support the secure creation of new chains that can interoperate within the proposed Superchain ecosystem. The OP Stack is primarily focused on the creation of a shared, high-quality, and fully open-source system for creating new L2 blockchains.

The OP Stack of today was built to support the Optimism Superchain, a proposed network of L2s that share security, communication layers, and a common development stack (the OP Stack itself). The Bedrock release of the OP Stack makes it easy to spin up an L2 that will be compatible with the Superchain when it launches.

What can you expect from Optimism?

As Optimism grows, so will the OP Stack. As work on the stack continues, it should become easier to plug in and configure different modules. As the Superchain begins to take shape, the OP Stack can evolve alongside it, to include the message-passing infrastructure that allows different chains to interoperate seamlessly.