Root Chain

        Applications and software technology as a whole architecturally exists in the form of a “Stack”; Layers of technology piled on top of one another.

     The base layer technology (also commonly referred to as Layer 1 or the Root)used within the cryptocurrency and greater digital asset industry to refer to the ground floor level blockchain technology upon which further solutions are built, is called the “Root Chain”. The Root Chain is where the commoditized digital assets (such as Bitcoin & Ether) exist and it is the layer that provides the consensus mechanism and security guarantees. The name “root chain” comes from the paternal hierarchy that is found in biologic life, the Root holds the Tree that holds the branches that hold the leaves.

     While there are no theoretic limitations as to how many layers can exist in a technology; when thinking in terms of blockchain technology there are generally 3 addressable layers, the security, the scalability, and the interoperability.

examples of Root Chains / Layer 1’s:
   – Bitcoin
   – Ontology
   – Ethereum
   – NEO