What happens when the Foundational Architecture of the Virtual Machine of Ethereum is re -considered? Recently, Vitalik Blerin has suggested moving the Ethereum implementation environment to RISC-V, an open architectural teaching standard. But what does this mean for the broader Blockchain ecosystem, and why is Cartesi, a blockchain infrastructure project, has been promoting this change since 2018?
Cartesi co-founders Felipe Argento and Erick de Maura have long supported the RISC-V's adoption, not as an imaginary stake but as a calculated decision rooted in the evolution of mainstream software development.
The justification behind Cartesi's RISC-V integration since 2018
Erick de Maura, Cartesi's co-founder, explains:
“It's about not re -adjusting the tire and standing on the shoulders of the giants. When we started Cartesi in 2018, we asked ourselves how the blockchain could break the development of the main. The answer was clear – we had to embrace decades of software change, ignoring it.”
Cartesi has seen limitations to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), a specific virtual machine domain that requires developers to solve problems addressed in traditional computing environments.
“EVM developers are trying to recreate the wheel for major operations,” De Maura said.
“That is a profound setback to the expressive power for web3 developers.”
RISC-V allows Cartesi to run Linux within smart contracts. Unlocking of accessing mature software libraries, security enhancement, and connecting decentralized apps (DAPP) to the broader technology ecosystems. “The RISC-V is open, extensible, and free from obstacles to the legacy of older one. That's why we choose it,” De Maura said.
Understanding RISC-V: A technical primer
RISC -V (reduced instructional instruction – five) is an open standard of teaching architecture (one) based on established decreased principles of the teaching set. Unlike ownership of one such as X86 (Intel/AMD) or ARM, RISC-V is freely available for anyone who uses, change, and implement. This open model has led to rapid adoption throughout the academy, research, and industry.
At its core, the RISC-V is designed around a small, modular instruction set with optional standard extensions for additional capabilities, including integer/division reproduction, atomic operations, floating point arithmetic, and more. This modularity makes the RISC-V very easily adjustable, allowing implements to optimize processors for specific workloads-from low-strong embedded systems to high performance computing.
In the context of the blockchain, this modular and open nature translates into many advantages:
- Determinism: Blockchain environments require determinist implementation. Clean and minimalistic RISC-V design simplifies verification and deterministic calculation.
- Formally verify: RISC-V has a strong support for the formal procedure, allowing developers to prove math the accuracy of critical code paths, an important aspect of unreliable systems such as blockchains.
- Tooling ecosystem: With widespread support from GCC, LLVM, and QEMU, RISC-V developers can leverage strong, existing tools for aging, simulating, and debugging applications.
Moreover, RISC-V compatibility with the operation of a entire Linux operating system enables smart contracts and decentralized applications to use system level resources that are traditionally not available in constrained blockchain environments. It opens the door with the integration of advanced technologies such as AI recognition, high resolution data analysis, and cryptographic proofs directly within the blockchain infrastructure.
Can RISC-V be the common area of the blockchain industry?
Virtual machines are served as the computational backbone of the blockchain. To date, each network: Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot has developed its own virtual machine. This fragmentation increases developer friction and limits cross-chain interoperability.
De Maura gets a parallel to the Internet development:
“In the evolution of digital infrastructure, narrow waist law shows that a minimal, widely adopted standard developmental development. For the Internet, it is IP. For blockchain, it can be RISC-V.”
He suggests that RISC-V, by virtue of open nature and existing tooling, can be unified architecture for blockchain calculation. “As more blockchains link the RISC-V, the benefits will compound. Competing architecture will struggle to justify themselves against an open standard with decades of support.”
Lessons learned Cartesi to help Ethereum
Through their work at RISC-V, Cartesi gathered views that applicable to Ethereum and others taking into account the transfer.
- Mature ecosystem: “You don't have to start from the beginning,” De Maura said. “RISC-V lets you leverage compilers, debuggers, and even Linux itself.”
- Customization with compatibility: “You can add specific features of blockchain while remains compliant with the standard.”
- Deterministic OS implementation: “We have shown that Linux can run deterministically in a blockchain environment. It allows complex apps such as AI or simulations to run on-chain.”
He emphasized, “RISC-V is not just a better technical choice. It's strategically. It brings blockchain development closer to traditional computing, accelerated change.”
My opinion and final attitude
Vitalik Buterin's endorsement of RISC-V features a critical point of turning for Ethereum and Blockchain architecture. While still a proposal, this change reflects a broader industry's realization: the future of decentralized applications depends on the bridging of the web3 gap between the software and traditional development. Cartesi's early move to RISC-V shows the perspective and offers a tested model for others to follow.
The technical advantages of RISC-V-modularity, determinism, and extensive tooling-show a compelling case for widespread adoption in the industry. If the Ethereum moves in this direction, it can bestandardize the blockchain infrastructure as the TCP/IP did for the Internet, which creates a common foundation for change.
The question now is not whether the RISC-V can influence the blockchain, but how fast the ecosystem can adapt and if competing VMs can survive in an environment that drives for standardization.
Let me know if you want further expansion or refinement of any section.
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