Overview of SUI Network

The SUI blockchain was developed by Mysten Labs to address issues in existing blockchain technologies, such as high transaction costs, network congestion, and the most commonly known scalability limitations. SUI operates as a Layer-1 blockchain, and it offers a high throughput, low latency, and scalable infrastructure for decentralized applications (dApps) and other Web3 technologies.

The network supports over 100,000 transactions per second (TPS) and achieves transaction finality in less than a second on average. In order to have a clear picture of what this means, it is necessary to compare SUI to other blockchain, in terms of performance metrics.

1. SUI: The SUI blockchain supports over 100,000 TPS and achieves transaction finality in less than a second.
2. Solana: Solana can handle around 65,000 TPS under optimal conditions. It uses a combination of Proof of History (PoH) and Proof of Stake (PoS) to achieve scalability, but, during practical usage, the network is able to maintain quick transaction finality, due to its consensus mechanisms.
3. Algorand: Theoretical TPS for Algorand is around 6,000, with practical TPS averaging just under 30. Algorand achieves near-instant finality, typically around 3 seconds, due to its Pure Proof-of-Stake (PPoS) consensus and block proposal mechanisms.
4. Avalanche: This network claims theoretical capabilities of 4,500 TPS, but in practice, the C-Chain (handling EVM-compatible smart contracts) processes about 3.5 TPS. Including various subnets, Avalanche processes around 15.5 TPS, with transaction finality achieved in roughly one second.
5. Internet Computer: The theoretical TPS for the Internet Computer is approximately 11,500, while in practice, it handles around 6,000 TPS. The network achieves fast finality, with certain subnets processing transactions in about one second.
6. Cardano: Cardano’s theoretical TPS is over 1,000, largely supported by its Ouroboros PoS consensus mechanism and enhancements like the Hydra Layer 2 scaling solution. The practical TPS and finality times depend on network conditions, but Cardano aims to provide fast and efficient transaction processing.

The architecture of SUI ensures efficient transaction handling, even during high activity periods. This happens because this blockchain applies parallel transaction processing, which allows multiple transactions to be executed simultaneously, enhancing network efficiency. On the other hand, the object-centric model further enables effective data management and transaction validation by treating entities on the blockchain as objects with specific attributes and capabilities.

Main Features of SUI

zkLogin

This is a feature that enhances user privacy and security by using zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), enabling users to authenticate their transactions with standard web credentials, such as Google or Facebook, without the risks associated with exposing sensitive information publicly on the blockchain.

zkLogin facilitates user onboarding while maintaining strong security measures, making it easier for users to interact and get started with decentralized applications on the SUI network.

Parallel Processing

Parallel processing is a computational approach that divides a large problem into smaller, independent tasks that can be processed simultaneously, rather than individually (one by one). This method can be useful when it comes to enhancing efficiency and speed of certain computing systems, including blockchain networks like SUI.

When it comes to blockchain, parallel processing means that multiple transactions are being executed at the same time across different shards or segments of the network. Instead of processing each transaction one after the other (sequential processing), this process allows transactions to be executed at the same time, provided they do not interfere with each other. SUI uses parallel transaction processing to support over 100,000 transactions per second and achieve transaction finality in less than a second.

Object-Centric Data Model

In blockchain, an object-centric data model is an approach where entities within the network are treated as distinct objects with specific attributes and capabilities. This model contrasts with more traditional account-based models used by many systems.

Key Features

1. Encapsulation: Each object encapsulates its data and behavior, bundling together the state and functionality related to an object, simplifying them and making it easier to manage and interact with.
2. Attributes and Capabilities: Objects have attributes (data fields) and capabilities (functions or methods). For example, an object representing a digital asset might have attributes like ownership and value, and capabilities like transfer and update.
3. Hierarchical Structure: Objects can contain other objects, creating a hierarchical structure. This allows for complex relationships and ownership models to be represented naturally within the blockchain.

Advantages

• Clear Ownership and Control: The object-centric model provides explicit ownership and control mechanisms. Each object has a clear owner, and operations on the object can only be performed by the owner or authorized parties.
• Enhanced Security: By encapsulating data and behaviors within objects, the model reduces the risk of unauthorized access and manipulation. Only specific methods can alter an object’s state, ensuring that changes are controlled and predictable.
• Parallel Processing: The object-centric model is well-suited for parallel transaction processing. Since objects are independent units, transactions involving different objects can be processed concurrently without conflict, enhancing the scalability and performance of the blockchain.
• Flexibility: This model supports multiple applications, by allowing developers to define custom objects tailored to their specific use cases. It provides a flexible framework that can be adapted to various domains, from digital assets to complex business logic.

Unlike account-centric models used by many blockchain networks and protocols, SUI’s architecture uses object-centric data processing. Each entity on the blockchain is treated as an object with specific attributes and capabilities (key, store, copy, drop), which helps to simplify the conceptual framework for developers and enhances security by providing clear ownership and control mechanisms.

Highlights

• Developed by Mysten Labs, SUI addresses high transaction costs, congestion, and scalability issues in blockchain technology.
• SUI operates as a Layer-1 blockchain with high throughput, low latency, and scalable infrastructure for dApps and Web3.
• Supports over 100,000 TPS and sub-second transaction finality through parallel processing and an object-centric data model.
• Parallel transaction processing enhances network efficiency by executing multiple transactions simultaneously.
• The object-centric data model simplifies data management and validation, providing clear ownership and control.