Polygon CDK Expansion Takes Center Stage Amidst Conclusion of Edge Contributions

Polygon Labs Focuses Resources on CDK

Polygon Labs has recently made a strategic decision to allocate resources towards the expansion of its Polygon Chain Development Kit (CDK).

End of Edge Contributions

The company has concurrently discontinued contributions to its Edge platform, a tool designed for constructing custom Ethereum-compatible blockchain networks.

This shift in focus underscores Polygon Labs’ commitment to prioritize the development of the CDK, an open-source toolkit tailored for building zero-knowledge (ZK)-powered Layer 2 chains on Ethereum.

Polygon CDK Set to Take Center Stage

In the official announcement, Polygon Labs emphasized that Edge has been an open-source project with its code base licensed under the permissive Apache License 2.0. However, the development team’s priorities have evolved over the past year.

Instead of furthering developments on Edge, Polygon Labs will concentrate its efforts on CDK, a preferred solution for both Web2 and Web3 projects. The CDK allows for the design and launch of ZK-powered Layer 2 chains, promoting interoperability across a broad network.

“The landscape in which Edge was developed has changed and Polygon Labs now supports a solution that empowers developers to build within a (future) unified ecosystem of ZK-powered L2s.”

Polygon’s ZK Push

Since the beginning of the year, Polygon Labs has been actively doubling down on zero-knowledge (ZK) technology. In March, they introduced Polygon zkEVM, an Ethereum-compatible network powered by ZK technology.

Additionally, the team has been actively encouraging blockchain developers to adopt “Polygon CDK” as a framework for creating new Layer 2 networks modeled after the initial technology.

Adoption by Companies and Initiatives

Several notable companies and initiatives have already confirmed their adoption of Polygon CDK. This list includes Flipkart, Immutable, OKX, Astar, Canto, Gnosis Pay, Palm Network, Aavegotchi, CapX, Wirex, IDEX, Nubank, GameSwift, Powerloom, and Manta Network.

Future Interoperability and Upgrades

Polygon Labs envisions that chains deployed through Polygon CDK will seamlessly interoperate within an extended network of zero-knowledge-powered Layer 2s in the Polygon CDK ecosystem, forming a unified liquidity pool.

These functionalities are not inherently supported by Edge and require a migration involving substantial modifications.

The company is also focusing on the much-anticipated Polygon 2.0 upgrade, aiming to establish a comprehensive network of interconnected Layer 2 chains powered by ZK proofs.