Ethereum layer-2 scaling solutions Starknet and zkSync have bucked the trend by showing an increase in their total monthly active developer counts, while many other platforms have experienced a decline. This article explores the recent developer activity in the Ethereum ecosystem and discusses the potential reasons behind these trends.
In contrast to platforms like Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana, which have seen a decrease in developer counts, Starknet and zkSync have managed to increase their numbers. With respective increases of 3% and 6%, these layer-2 solutions have shown promise in scaling Ethereum through zero-knowledge rollups.
The recent focus of Starknet has been its “Quantum Leap,” which launched in July. This breakthrough can significantly increase Ethereum’s transactions per second (TPS) from its current range of 13-15 to a consistent 37 TPS, and even up to 90 TPS in certain cases. Meanwhile, zkSync has been working on zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) solutions to further enhance Ethereum scalability.
Both Starknet and zkSync have been actively building and expanding their networks. zkSync has introduced “Hyperchains,” an ecosystem of interoperable protocols and sovereign chains, as part of its zero-knowledge tech stack. This solution aims to create a more scalable and efficient Ethereum ecosystem. The team behind zkSync aims to have a working version of Hyperchains by the end of 2023.
Despite the overall decline in developer counts within the Ethereum ecosystem, it is important to note that the decrease mainly comes from the “newcomer” category. Developers with less than one year of experience in the field have seen a significant decline, while the more “established” developers with more than two years of experience and the “emerging” developers with one to two years of experience have remained relatively steady.
These trends follow a cyclical pattern commonly observed in the developer market. During bullish periods, newcomers flock to the market, but when prices begin to decline, their numbers dwindle. This suggests that the current decline in developer counts may be linked to the recent market downturn, rather than a lack of interest or activity in the Ethereum ecosystem.
The analysis presented in this article is based on data obtained by Electric Capital. They gather information from code repositories and code commits on open-source developer platform GitHub, providing valuable insights into the developer activity within the cryptocurrency space.
While Ethereum and other platforms have experienced a decline in developer counts, Starknet and zkSync have showcased an increase in their monthly active developers. This highlights the potential of layer-2 scaling solutions and their role in addressing Ethereum’s scalability issues. Despite the overall downturn, it is crucial to recognize the cyclical nature of developer activity, where newcomers tend to enter and exit the market based on market conditions. As the Ethereum ecosystem continues to evolve, it will be interesting to observe how these trends develop and what further innovations will emerge to enhance scalability.
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