Recently, I encountered a frustrating situation while deploying a simple smart contract on Ethereum. The Gas fee displayed on the screen was as high as 280 dollars, which is astronomical for a small piece of code meant for testing. The transfer amount was even less than 100 dollars, while the transaction fee was enough to buy a one-way plane ticket.

Just as I was worried about this, a friend suggested that I try deploying on the ERA chain. With a skeptical attitude, I switched the wallet network. To my surprise, just ten minutes later, the contract was successfully on-chain. Even more astonishing was that the fee recorded in the transaction was only in the single digits of dollars. This experience made me feel like I had entered a "low-cost, high-efficiency" new world.

After in-depth research, I learned that the zkSync Era behind the ERA coin is a Layer 2 solution based on zero-knowledge proofs. Simply put, it processes transactions on the Ethereum main chain by "packaging and compressing" them, similar to removing air from a courier package to load more content in a smaller space. This technology, known as "zk-Rollup", not only retains the security of the Ethereum mainnet (all transactions will ultimately be anchored to the main chain), but also reduces transaction costs to 1/20 of the original while increasing processing speeds by more than 10 times.

The low cost on the ERA chain comes from its use of "compression packaging" logic, which transforms complex operations that originally needed to be handled separately by the main chain into simplified data for batch validation. This innovative approach significantly reduces the cost of deploying and interacting with smart contracts.

This technological advancement is not only reflected in contract deployment. When helping a junior transfer her NFT collectibles, I deeply realized the convenience brought by Layer 2 solutions. Compared to the transaction fees of several dozen dollars on the Ethereum mainnet, the operational costs on the ERA chain are incredibly low.

The development of Layer 2 technology is reshaping the user experience of Web3. It has not only significantly lowered the barriers to participation but also improved transaction efficiency, making more innovative applications possible. As these solutions continue to improve and become widespread, we have reason to expect a more inclusive and efficient blockchain ecosystem.