Reimagining Web3 Efficiency through Gear.exe

The challenges of scaling and efficiency in Web3 are formidable, and Gear.exe boldly confronts these hurdles. We had a conversation with their team about how their decentralized compute network is enhancing Ethereum’s capabilities while sidestepping fragmentation. Luis Ramírez , Head of DevRel at Gear Foundation In this discussion, Luis elaborates on how Gear.exe facilitates effortless scalability and delves into its innovative reverse gas model. He also shares insights about the future of blockchain, the impact of AI, and what lies ahead for Gear.exe.

I currently lead the World Wide Web Foundation, with a strong technical foundation. I've been immersed in the IT realm for two decades, starting off as a developer before launching my own enterprise a decade ago to create a variety of products. Like many others, my journey began in Web2 since Web3 is still in its infancy.

Can you share your journey to Web3?

Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I merged diverse technologies. Back in 2013, I began accepting Bitcoin as payment for my services, though it didn’t gain much traction at the time as the market wasn’t ripe. It wasn’t until 2017 that I started drafting smart contracts on Ethereum. That marked my shift towards blockchain.

In 2019, a Russian acquaintance introduced me to Rust and blockchain technology, later inviting me to join Gear. I've been part of the team for over three years now, primarily focusing on development, fostering developer communities, and spearheading strategic initiatives across regions where the Gear Foundation operates. At present, we have teams in locations like the US, Mexico, Spain, India, China, and beyond.

Ethereum has encountered several challenges such as high latency and limited processing capabilities. How does Gear.exe tackle these issues and how does it differentiate itself from Layer 2 solutions?

Gear.exe functions as a decentralized compute network, aiming specifically to address Ethereum’s computational limitations. We leverage established technologies from Vara, such as WebAssembly, the Actor Model, and Persistent Memory. These tools empower us to scale applications within the Web3 sphere securely, harnessing frameworks and languages like Rust.

We adapted this technology for Gear.exe to effectively tackle Ethereum’s scalability challenges. Importantly, Gear.exe isn’t classified as a blockchain—it operates as a decentralized compute network. This distinction is crucial because, while Layer 2 solutions aim to enhance scalability, they can also lead to fragmentation. Users typically need to establish new accounts, complicating their experience and fragmenting total value locked (TVL) and token holdings. Gear.exe circumvents this issue by permitting developers to engage with our network through an API while maintaining compatibility with Ethereum’s infrastructure.

The ongoing fragmentation of liquidity and data has plagued Ethereum. Gear.exe states it can eliminate this fragmentation. How does it achieve that while ensuring scalability?

Although Gear.exe isn’t a blockchain per se, we do incorporate certain blockchain technologies. For instance, we validate data without needing to retain user accounts. This means we don’t generate extra user data, require new accounts, and liquidity remains entirely within the Ethereum ecosystem.

Our architecture processes computational requests and delivers results back to Ethereum within the same block. Other solutions may reach similar outcomes, but often with delays since they operate across different blocks. Depending on the computation demands, we guarantee significant scalability. Our platform supports WebAssembly, and smart contracts are processed by a WebAssembly virtual machine running on our nodes, ensuring both speed and security.

Gear.exe employs a reverse gas model that allows applications to handle user transaction fees. How does this function in real-world applications?

In conventional Web3 applications, users must engage with the frontend while possessing a wallet and tokens to interact with the blockchain. This requirement can serve as a substantial barrier to widespread adoption.

Gear.exe addresses this issue with its reverse gas model. Rather than needing users to hold tokens to complete transactions, developers can prepay transaction fees via a system called vouchers. These vouchers get stored in the smart contract, allowing any user interacting with the contract to bypass the need for tokens or gas fees. This feature significantly enhances user experience and promotes adoption.

Have you performed performance benchmarks comparing dApps powered by Gear.exe to standard Ethereum or roll-up-based dApps? If yes, what have the findings shown?

Definitely. We’ve published various videos and articles outlining our benchmarking findings. We compared Gear.exe against both Ethereum and Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum, including its EVM and WebAssembly versions.

In terms of speed, Gear.exe excels, operating roughly 1,000 times faster than Ethereum and being substantially more cost-effective. Compared to Arbitrum, we're approximately 200 times more efficient. Even Arbitrum’s WebAssembly-compatible version—often regarded as the finest Layer 2 option for Ethereum—struggles to keep up with our performance, as we utilize Rust instead of Solidity and have developed our own smart contract platform.

As Layer 2 solutions continue to grapple with high fees, network congestion, and potential centralization risks, do you believe Ethereum will maintain its status as the leading smart contract platform, or are we likely to see alternative architectures take charge?

Rival platforms like Solana are gaining momentum, particularly among developers seeking fresh avenues. However, many of the prevailing use cases still revolve around meme coins, as Web3 users often prioritize financial returns. Although technology is vital, user engagement is also crucial for widespread adoption.

Nonetheless, Ethereum continues to possess the largest developer community. Our aspiration is to draw developers towards Gear.exe while remaining agnostic to any specific blockchain. Presently, Gear.exe interfaces with Ethereum’s Holesky testnet, yet we plan to extend our support to additional networks in the future.

Considering that Gear.exe utilizes WebAssembly for enhanced efficiency, do you envision WebAssembly-based execution environments becoming the benchmark for next-gen blockchain platforms?

Absolutely. WebAssembly has greatly optimized the performance of virtual machines. The initial smart contract platforms relied heavily on Ethereum’s EVM; however, the shift towards WebAssembly began with Gavin Wood during his work with Polkadot. Our CEO, Nikolay, played a role in that transition from EVM to WebAssembly.

Currently, WebAssembly has proven its worth in terms of both operational efficiency and security. Numerous blockchain platforms, including Near and various Ethereum Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum, are embracing WebAssembly, highlighting a burgeoning movement towards these execution environments.

As the intersection of blockchain and AI deepens, do you believe Ethereum's future will become intertwined with AI-driven smart contracts and decentralized compute networks?

Definitely. Although Ethereum is navigating some internal challenges within its user base, it remains the largest developer ecosystem available. The convergence of AI and blockchain is already in motion, with numerous solutions arising on the Ethereum platform.

At present, AI computations aren’t conducted directly on Ethereum due to prohibitive costs. Instead, many projects are leveraging off-chain processing. With Gear.exe, we enable decentralized AI executions to be viable, making AI-infused smart contracts increasingly practical. The appeal of AI agents is expanding, and this trend is poised to grow.

Will innovations such as Gear.exe’s reverse gas model suffice to make Web3 as user-friendly as Web2, or are more significant infrastructural transformations necessary?

I believe it won't suffice by itself. The reverse gas model marks an essential milestone in making Web3 more approachable, particularly for Web2 developers. Nevertheless, the Web3 ecosystem also requires novel business models that effectively bridge the divide between Web2 and Web3. The pathway to adoption hinges not only on infrastructural improvements but also on establishing compelling business incentives.

At present, Gear.exe operates on the Holesky testnet. Our team is diligently working on enhancements to boost compatibility, specifically concerning the smart contracts on the Vara network.

Can you share the roadmap for Gear.exe?

Our objective is to facilitate the seamless transition of Vara smart contracts to Gear.exe without requiring any alterations. This is a pivotal element of our development roadmap, and once realized, we will be gearing up for the launch of Gear.exe on the mainnet in the upcoming months.

Before the launch of the mainnet, a bridge connecting Gear.exe, Ethereum, and Vara will be introduced to enable fluid communication and token exchanges between these diverse networks.

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