L2 Gas

Definition ∞ L2 Gas refers to the computational fees required to execute transactions or operations on a Layer 2 scaling solution built atop a main blockchain, such as Ethereum. These fees compensate network validators or sequencers for processing and submitting aggregated transaction data to the Layer 1 chain. The primary purpose of Layer 2 solutions is to reduce the cost and increase the speed of transactions compared to direct Layer 1 execution. L2 gas costs are typically significantly lower due to off-chain processing and batching of transactions.
Context ∞ The reduction of L2 gas costs is a central objective for developers and users seeking to enhance the practical usability and accessibility of decentralized applications. Ongoing discussions address further optimizations through data compression techniques, more efficient proof generation, and improved rollup architectures. The critical challenge involves minimizing these fees while maintaining the security guarantees inherited from the underlying Layer 1 blockchain. Future advancements will likely concentrate on achieving near-zero transaction costs to support widespread micro-transaction adoption.