Infrastructure Overview
Nexis Appchain is a production-grade Layer 3 blockchain built on the OP Stack, specifically optimized for AI agent coordination and verifiable inference workloads. This document provides a comprehensive overview of the technical architecture and design decisions.Architecture Summary
Layer 3 on Base
Built as an OP Stack L3 on top of Base Sepolia (L2), inheriting Ethereum security
2-Second Blocks
High-throughput block production for sub-second transaction finality
Fault Proofs
Permissionless validation with 73-step bisection game for security
EVM Compatible
Full Ethereum compatibility - use existing tools and contracts
Network Specifications
| Parameter | Value | Notes | 
|---|---|---|
| Chain ID | 84532 | Unique identifier for the network | 
| Block Time | 2 seconds | Consistent block production rate | 
| Gas Limit | 30,000,000 | Per-block gas limit | 
| Base Fee | 1 gwei | Minimum gas price (EIP-1559) | 
| L1 Settlement | Base Sepolia | L2 that batches our L3 transactions | 
| Consensus | OP Stack Derivation | Deterministic block derivation from L1 data | 
| Finality | ~3-5 minutes | Until L2 batch is confirmed | 
OP Stack Layer Architecture
Layer Responsibilities
L1 (Ethereum Mainnet)- Ultimate source of truth and security
- Stores Base L2 state commitments
- Hosts Base L2 fraud proof contracts
- Settles Nexis L3 transactions
- Stores L3 batched transaction data
- Provides data availability guarantees
- Runs fault proof system for L3
- Executes AI agent transactions
- Produces blocks every 2 seconds
- Optimized for high-frequency operations
- Custom smart contracts for agent coordination
Core Components
1. op-geth (Execution Layer)
The execution layer is a modified version of go-ethereum (geth) with OP Stack enhancements:- EVM Execution: Processes smart contract calls and state transitions
- Transaction Pool: Manages pending transactions from users and agents
- State Database: Stores account balances, contract storage, and code
- JSON-RPC: Exposes Ethereum-compatible APIs for wallets and dApps
- Archive Mode: Optional full historical state for analytics
2. op-node (Consensus Layer)
The consensus layer derives L3 blocks from L2 data and manages the rollup protocol:- Block Derivation: Reconstructs L3 blocks from L2 data
- State Synchronization: Keeps execution layer in sync
- P2P Networking: Propagates blocks to other nodes
- Rollup Protocol: Implements OP Stack state transition logic
3. Sequencer
The sequencer is the privileged node that orders and batches transactions: Sequencer Workflow:- Receive transactions from users via JSON-RPC
- Order transactions into a canonical sequence
- Execute transactions through op-geth
- Produce blocks every 2 seconds
- Broadcast blocks to all nodes via P2P
- Batch transactions for L2 submission
Sequencer Operation
4. Batcher
The batcher aggregates L3 transactions and submits them to Base L2 for data availability:- Channel Duration: 30 L2 blocks (~1 minute)
- Max Batch Size: 128 KB per transaction
- Compression: Zlib for data efficiency
- Submission Frequency: Every ~60 seconds or when batch size reached
5. Proposer
The proposer submits L3 state root commitments to Base L2 for finality:- Frequency: Every 120 L3 blocks (~4 minutes)
- Bond Requirement: 1 ETH on Base Sepolia
- Challenge Period: 7 days for fault proofs
- Finalization: After challenge period with no successful disputes
Data Flow
Transaction Lifecycle
State Derivation
Any node can independently derive the canonical L3 chain from L2 data:Security Model
Trust Assumptions
- Liveness: Sequencer must be available (centralized currently, decentralizing soon)
- Data Availability: Base L2 must store and serve batch data
- Fault Proofs: At least one honest verifier must challenge invalid proposals
- L1 Security: Ethereum mainnet remains secure and censorship-resistant
Security Guarantees
- State Validity: Enforced by fault proofs (anyone can challenge invalid state)
- Data Availability: Guaranteed by Base L2 (inherits from Ethereum)
- Censorship Resistance: Users can force inclusion via L2 contracts
- Finality: Economic finality after L2 confirmation, absolute after L1 finalization
Fault Proof System
Nexis uses the OP Stack fault proof game for security:Performance Characteristics
Throughput
| Metric | Value | Notes | 
|---|---|---|
| Blocks/second | 0.5 | One block every 2 seconds | 
| Gas/block | 30M | Same as Ethereum mainnet | 
| Theoretical TPS | ~1,500 | Simple transfers (21,000 gas each) | 
| Realistic TPS | ~200-400 | Complex smart contract interactions | 
| AI Agent TPS | ~50-100 | Proof submissions (higher gas) | 
Latency
| Operation | Latency | Notes | 
|---|---|---|
| Transaction inclusion | < 2 seconds | Next block | 
| Soft confirmation | ~2 seconds | Sequencer broadcast | 
| Safe confirmation | ~4 minutes | After L2 batch + margin | 
| Finalized confirmation | ~15 minutes | After L1 (Base) finalization | 
| Withdrawal delay | 7 days | Challenge period | 
Cost Analysis
Network Topology
Comparison to Other Chains
| Feature | Nexis L3 | Base L2 | Ethereum L1 | Polygon PoS | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block Time | 2s | 2s | 12s | 2s | 
| Finality | ~15min | ~15min | ~15min | ~30s | 
| Gas Cost | 1 gwei | ~0.05 gwei | ~30 gwei | ~100 gwei | 
| Security | Fault proofs | Fault proofs | PoS consensus | PoS consensus | 
| EVM Compatible | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 
| DA Layer | Base L2 | Ethereum L1 | Ethereum L1 | Ethereum L1 | 
Roadmap
1
Phase 1: Testnet (Current)
Fully functional testnet with centralized sequencer
2
Phase 2: Mainnet Launch (Q2 2025)
Production deployment with decentralized validation
3
Phase 3: Decentralized Sequencing (Q3 2025)
Implement shared sequencing or leader election
4
Phase 4: ZK Proofs (2026)
Transition to ZK fault proofs for faster finality
Learn More
Consensus Mechanism
Deep dive into block derivation and sequencing
Fault Proofs
Understand the security model and dispute resolution
Run a Node
Participate in the network as a validator
RPC Infrastructure
Learn about the RPC architecture and endpoints
Want to contribute to infrastructure? We’re looking for node operators, validator runners, and infrastructure developers. Join our Discord #infrastructure channel.