Welcome to the Blockchain Scalability Book. This community-driven effort represents a collaborative attempt to address one of the most pressing challenges in blockchain technology today: scalability.
As blockchain technology continues to evolve and gain mainstream adoption, the need for scalable solutions becomes increasingly critical. This book aims to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical implementations, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of blockchain scalability solutions. With the growing adoption of blockchain for applications like stablecoin payments, decentralized exchanges (DEXs), and even AI agents that accept cryptocurrency payments, the volume of on-chain transactions is increasing exponentially, underscoring the urgent need for effective scalability solutions.
This book is designed for:
In 2023, I was invited as a guest lecturer at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, where I designed and taught courses such as CZ4153/CE4153 Blockchain Technology for year 4 undergraduates and SC6019 Blockchain Privacy & Scalability for the Blockchain Master’s program. These courses covered advanced topics like data sharding, rollups, zero-knowledge rollups, consensus mechanisms, and modular scaling.
The inspiration to write this book stemmed from a real need I observed while lecturing—there were no comprehensive textbooks that could adequately address the fast-evolving field of blockchain scalability. As blockchain education becomes more prevalent in universities and more developers enter the blockchain industry, a specialized resource on scalability becomes indispensable. The content of this book is based on the lectures I delivered last year, which received enthusiastic feedback from students. This year, I continue to teach these concepts, ensuring that students have a reliable reference as they navigate this complex field.
The blockchain industry is progressing at a breakneck pace, and maintaining the relevancy and accuracy of educational resources is challenging. By adopting a community-driven approach, this book aims to leverage the collective wisdom of the community, allowing it to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and include diverse perspectives and solutions.
The chapters are structured to build upon each other, starting from fundamental concepts and progressing to advanced scaling solutions. While the book can be read sequentially, each chapter is also designed to stand alone, allowing readers to focus on specific topics of interest.
This is a living document that thrives on community contributions. We encourage you to participate in its development by sharing your knowledge and expertise. See our Contributing Guide for more information on how you can help shape this resource.
We extend our gratitude to all contributors who have helped shape this book, including students, professionals, and the broader blockchain community, whose ongoing innovation and feedback drive the continuous improvement of blockchain technology.