Lesson 4

Understanding Manta Atlantic (Layer 1 on Polkadot)

This module provides a detailed examination of Manta Atlantic, Manta Network's Layer 1 blockchain on Polkadot, focusing on its technical architecture, main features, and roadmap, offering a comprehensive understanding of how Manta Atlantic functions, its unique attributes, and its development trajectory.

Overview of Manta Atlantic

Manta Atlantic is a fast and decentralized Zero-Knowledge (ZK) Layer 1 chain on Polkadot. It is designed to support modular on-chain compliance identities, providing a strong environment for privacy-focused applications. Manta Atlantic integrates zkSBTs (Zero-Knowledge Soulbound Tokens) to offer programmable identities and credentials, enhancing privacy and compliance in Web3.

Architecture

Manta Atlantic’s architecture includes a number of components:

ZK Circuit and Infrastructure

Manta Atlantic has developed a comprehensive ZK circuit infrastructure over two years. It features a public account-based address system and a UTXO-based private address system, known as zkAddress. This system shields information such as SBT minting, on-chain credentials, and off-chain identities, offering a reusable, independent, and auditable private address system.

The zkAddress supports multiple NFTs and can synchronize across different devices. Users can share specific credentials without revealing their full zk identity using a Prove Key.

Data Availability and Scalability

Manta Atlantic takes advantage of Polkadot’s shared security model to provide a scalable and secure environment, benefiting from Polkadot’s Relay Chain, which offers cross-chain interoperability and shared security across all parachains. The network uses Celestia’s data availability layer, employing advanced techniques such as 2D Reed-Solomon erasure coding and Namespaced Merkle Trees (NMTs). This reduces the data portion of transaction costs, making transactions more efficient and cost-effective for users.

Compliance and Identity Verification

Manta Atlantic emphasizes non-invasive compliance through zkSBTs, tokens that enable users to verify their identities in a decentralized manner without exposing personal details. This approach helps with on-chain KYC processes, ensuring privacy and security.

zkSBTs like zkBAB and zkGalxe Passport facilitate seamless on-chain KYC verification, allowing users to prove their identities without scanning passports or entering sensitive personal information.

Main Features and Benefits

Manta Atlantic offers a developer-friendly environment with various tools and libraries to facilitate the integration of on-chain identity and ZK functionalities with minimal coding effort. The platform supports EVM compatibility, allowing developers to use familiar tools and techniques for building and deploying smart contracts. This compatibility extends to general-purpose libraries like Ethers.js and Web3.js, developer tools like Hardhat and Foundry, and popular wallets like Metamask.

Scalability and Low Fees

Manta Atlantic ensures high transaction throughput and low fees by leveraging Polkadot’s shared security model and Celestia’s data availability layer. The network’s modular architecture offers unparalleled scalability, making it ideal for data-intensive applications.

Non-Invasive Compliance

zkSBTs (Zero-Knowledge Soulbound Tokens) enable decentralized identity verification without exposing personal details. This feature is particularly important for on-chain KYC processes, where privacy and security are paramount. zkSBTs like zkBAB and zkGalxe Passport provide seamless on-chain KYC verification without the need to scan passports or enter sensitive personal information.

Interoperability

Manta Atlantic benefits from Polkadot’s cross-chain interoperability, allowing it to interact with other parachains within the Polkadot ecosystem. This interoperability enables seamless integration with various blockchain networks, enhancing functionality and utility of Manta Atlantic.

Deployment and Development on Manta Atlantic

Deploying applications on Manta Atlantic follows similar processes to other EVM-compatible chains. Developers use familiar tools and methodologies, with the added advantage of integrating ZK functionalities through Manta’s tools and libraries. The deployment process involves configuring the project to use Manta Atlantic’s RPC URL, deploying smart contracts using tools like Hardhat, Foundry, or Remix, and ensuring the client-side application interacts with Manta Atlantic by updating the JSON-RPC URL.

Highlights

  • Technical Architecture: Manta Atlantic utilizes Polkadot’s shared security model and Celestia’s data availability layer, employing advanced data techniques for efficient and cost-effective transactions.
  • Developer-Friendly Environment: The platform supports EVM compatibility, allowing developers to use familiar tools and techniques for building and deploying smart contracts with minimal modifications.
  • Scalability and Low Fees: Manta Atlantic ensures high transaction throughput and low fees by leveraging Polkadot’s shared security model and Celestia’s data availability layer.
  • Non-Invasive Compliance: zkSBTs enable decentralized identity verification without exposing personal details, supporting on-chain KYC processes.
Disclaimer
* Crypto investment involves significant risks. Please proceed with caution. The course is not intended as investment advice.
* The course is created by the author who has joined Gate Learn. Any opinion shared by the author does not represent Gate Learn.