Plasma is a layer-2 scaling solution designed to improve the speed and efficiency of blockchain networks, especially Ethereum. It helps handle more transactions without overloading the main blockchain. The main idea behind Plasma is to create smaller blockchains, called “child chains,” that run alongside the main chain. These child chains can process many transactions quickly and only send summaries to the main Ethereum chain.
This structure reduces congestion and lowers transaction fees. Plasma also ensures security by allowing users to withdraw their funds to the main chain if something goes wrong in a child chain. It uses smart contracts and cryptographic proofs to maintain trust between users and the main blockchain.
The concept of Plasma was introduced by Vitalik Buterin and Joseph Poon in 2017 to make Ethereum more scalable. Although newer technologies like rollups are now popular, Plasma remains an important milestone in blockchain development. It showed how off-chain solutions can make decentralized systems faster and more practical.
In simple terms, Plasma helps blockchains like Ethereum run smoother by moving most of the work off the main chain while keeping transactions safe and reliable.
