Layer by Layer: Solana Moves to Improve Network Performance

One of the main value propositions of the Solana blockchain has always been its promise of providing superior network throughput at a low cost compared to other layer 1 (L1) blockchains. Over the course of 2022, many core L1 engineering teams have started to consider the feasibility of achieving greater scalability by optimizing individual components of the blockchain stack, typically broken down into execution, settlement, consensus, and data availability. The Solana Labs team has taken a notably different approach with its steadfast commitment to improving Solana’s performance capabilities without sacrificing the network’s existing monolithic architecture. 

Performance issues have plagued the Solana ecosystem throughout much of its short history, with more than 40 individual incidents involving degraded performance, network instability, or complete network outage in 2022 alone as of this writing. Compared to the first half of the year, the second half has been a period of relative calm, with no major incidents recorded for more than 3 months beginning in mid-June.