diff --git a/packages/docs-site/astro.config.ts b/packages/docs-site/astro.config.ts index 2292fbf6034..e0decc5100a 100644 --- a/packages/docs-site/astro.config.ts +++ b/packages/docs-site/astro.config.ts @@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export default defineConfig({ { label: "Contestable rollups (BCR)", link: "/taiko-alethia-protocol/protocol-design/contestable-rollup/" }, { label: "Multi-proofs", link: "/taiko-alethia-protocol/protocol-design/multi-proofs/" }, { label: "Inception layers", link: "/taiko-alethia-protocol/protocol-design/inception-layers/" }, + {label: "Based Preconfirmations", link: "/taiko-alethia-protocol/protocol-design/based-preconfirmation/" }, ] }, { diff --git a/packages/docs-site/src/content/docs/taiko-alethia-protocol/protocol-design/based-preconfirmation.md b/packages/docs-site/src/content/docs/taiko-alethia-protocol/protocol-design/based-preconfirmation.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..98bcb2c5054 --- /dev/null +++ b/packages/docs-site/src/content/docs/taiko-alethia-protocol/protocol-design/based-preconfirmation.md @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ +--- +title: Based Preconfirmations +description: Core concept page for "Based Preconfirmations". +--- + +Taiko Alethia is implementing **based preconfirmations** to enhance transaction finality, reducing the current 12-second block time to **sub-second finality**. This significantly improves UX, particularly for applications requiring fast transaction execution. Based preconfirmations allow transactions to receive **early inclusion guarantees** from **preconfirmers**, providing users with immediate execution assurance. + +This mechanism is currently **a work in progress (WIP) at Taiko Alethia**, with ongoing research into **design optimizations, economic security, and implementation constraints**. + +## What Are Based Preconfirmations? + +A **preconfirmation (preconf)** is a cryptographic promise from a **preconfer** (an L1 validator opting into preconfirmations) that a transaction will be included in a future block. This promise allows transactions to be **treated as final within milliseconds**, significantly improving UX while maintaining Ethereum’s security model. + +Based preconfirmations rely on two key mechanisms: + +1. **Proposer Slashing**: Preconfirmers opt into **additional slashing conditions** to ensure honest commitments. +2. **Proposer Forced Inclusion**: Preconfirmers must **forcefully include preconfirmed transactions** in their proposer slot, ensuring execution. + +If a preconfirmer fails to honor commitments, they face **slashing penalties** proportional to the economic security required. + +## How Based Preconfirmations Work + +### 1. Transaction Preconfirmation Flow + +1. **Transaction Submission**: A user requests preconfirmation from the next preconfer in the proposer lookahead. +2. **Preconfirmation Issuance**: The preconfer **signs a promise** guaranteeing execution in an upcoming block. +3. **Execution Precedence**: Preconfirmed transactions are prioritized in the execution queue over non-preconfirmed transactions. +4. **Onchain Finalization**: The rollup finalizes the batch when the preconfer’s slot is reached, and L1 includes the transactions. + +Non-preconfirmed transactions remain in an **execution queue** until a proposer slot is available, ensuring **preconfirmed transactions always execute first**. + +### 2. Slashing Conditions + +Preconfirmers are subject to **two types of faults**, both of which are slashable: + +- **Liveness Faults**: If a preconfirmer **misses their proposer slot**, any outstanding preconfirmed transactions are left unexecuted. +- **Safety Faults**: If a preconfirmer **modifies or contradicts** a previously issued promise, they are **fully slashed**. + +The economic security of preconfirmations relies on **collateral-backed commitments**, ensuring preconfirmers act honestly. + +### 3. Execution Guarantees + +Preconfirmations provide **different levels of execution guarantees**: + +- **Inclusion Guarantee**: Ensures that the transaction will be included on L1. +- **Ordering Guarantee**: Ensures transaction sequencing aligns with the preconfirmed commitment. +- **Execution Guarantee**: Ensures the transaction executes in the expected state context. + +Higher guarantees require **stronger economic commitments**, which impact preconfirmation fees. + +## Benefits of Based Preconfirmations + +### Sub-Second Finality + +Preconfirmations enable transactions to achieve **practical finality within ~100ms**, dramatically improving UX for latency-sensitive applications like **DeFi, trading, and gaming**. + +### Stronger Economic Security + +Preconfirmers stake collateral and face **slashing penalties** for dishonesty, ensuring users can trust preconfirmation commitments. + +### Eliminating Block Time Constraints + +Traditional rollups suffer from **fixed block proposal times**. With based preconfirmations, transactions are **secured instantly**, removing **perceived waiting times**. + +### Censorship Resistance & Trust-Minimization + +Unlike centralized sequencers, based preconfirmations **leverage Ethereum validators** to sequence transactions, ensuring **neutrality and resistance to censorship**. + +### Preconfirmation Fees & Incentives + +Preconfirmers earn **fees for issuing preconfirmations**, creating a **market-driven mechanism** for transaction prioritization while ensuring proper economic alignment. + +## Challenges & Ongoing Development + +Taiko Alethia is actively researching **several key challenges** to optimize the design of based preconfirmations: + +- **Preconfirmer Discovery**: Ensuring users can efficiently locate and interact with preconfirmers. +- **Latency Optimizations**: Reducing preconfirmation delay to **sub-100ms** for better UX. +- **Preconfirmation Failures**: Developing robust fallback mechanisms in case of liveness faults. +- **Execution Priority Handling**: Preventing front-running risks by maintaining a **secure execution ordering mechanism**. +- **Economic Model Refinement**: Optimizing fee structures and collateral requirements for sustainable preconfirmation markets. + +## Summary + +Based preconfirmations represent a **game-changing improvement** for rollups by enabling **sub-second finality**, improving **economic efficiency**, and **maintaining decentralization**. Taiko Alethia is actively **developing and refining this mechanism**, with the goal of bringing near-instant finality to **Ethereum-aligned rollups**.