Layer 2 = Networks built on top of other blockchains. ⬆️ Layer 1 = Base level of a blockchain architecture.
size to 8MB, require a hard fork. This creates two versions of the blockchain, one with the update and one without. Another option to increase a network’s throughput is sharding. This splits a blockchain’s operations across multiple smaller sections that can process data simultaneously rather than sequentially.As discussed, Layer 2 solutions rely on secondary networks that work in parallel or independent of the main chain.
Both Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions have unique advantages and disadvantages. Working with Layer 1 can provide the most effective solution for large-scale protocol improvements. However, this also means that validators must be convinced to accept changes through a hard fork.