Coinbase‘s Base Layer 2 network, nurtured under its wing, recently took a major step toward transparency and greater collaboration by open-sourcing its code repositories. This step gives developers access to the underlying Code Base, which covers processes from contracts to deployment.
By open-sourcing its code, Base intends to engage the larger developer community and leverage shared expertise to strengthen its existing infrastructure. Additionally, this event provides a platform for valuable feedback, potentially uncovering areas for improvement and previously overlooked errors.
Noteworthy is Base’s collaboration with Optimism on the Ethereum-based OP Stack. Anika Raghuvanshi, Senior Software Engineer at Base, emphasized the company’s continued commitment to open-source projects, which aligns with their vision of a decentralized and inclusive technology environment.
Open-sourcing, especially in the field of cryptocurrencies, is a complex issue. By exposing smart contract repositories on platforms like GitHub Base, it opens a window into its on-chain operations. While this transparency can speed up community audits and faster vulnerability fixes, critics say it can inadvertently expose the system to malicious actors who can identify and exploit weaknesses.
To encourage developers to review their codebase, Base has introduced a reward program that offers up to $1 million for bug disclosures through Coinbase’s HackerOne initiative.
In addition to its smart contracts, Base has also made its web assets, such as base.org, available to the public, encouraging developer engagement and contributions.
Base’s previous involvement with the Superchain project indicated its aspirations for decentralization, a prominent theme in the blockchain sector. While they have expressed an intention to move to a fully decentralized network model in the future, the specifics of that shift remain unclear.
In her statement, Raghuvanshi emphasized the importance of decentralization for the scalability of Base and Ethereum. However, achieving a high degree of decentralization in Layer 2 solutions is a complex process that requires time and concerted effort.
