The Vision for Jito: Revolutionizing Solana and Beyond

In a recent episode of the Solana Compass podcast, Lucas Bruder, co-founder and CEO of Jito Labs, shared invaluable insights into the evolution and future of Jito and Solana. The conversation delved deep into the reasons behind Jito's unwavering commitment to building on Solana, the revolutionary DoubleZero network, and the rise of fat apps in the blockchain space.

Jito's Commitment to Solana

During the podcast, Lucas Bruder reflected on a critical juncture in Jito's journey when the team had to decide whether to continue building on Solana or explore other options. Despite the challenges and noise in the crypto space, particularly on social media platforms, Jito chose to remain committed to Solana.

Bruder explained, "The vision still resonated with us. And there is a lot of noise in crypto, especially in crypto Twitter. And it's easy to believe in things that don't have potential or lose belief in something that does have potential based on what people are saying online."

What initially attracted Jito to Solana was its focus on high performance and efficient use of hardware. Unlike other blockchain platforms that simply tweaked existing parameters, Solana represented a fresh approach built from the ground up. This unique design philosophy offered a vast design space for innovation, which aligned perfectly with Jito's vision.

The Impact of Jito on Solana's Growth

When asked about Jito's influence on Solana's current standing, Bruder acknowledged the significant impact his company has had on the ecosystem. From developing crucial software to contributing to protocol work and launching the Jito governance token, Jito has played a pivotal role in Solana's success.

Interestingly, Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder of Solana, had a different perspective on this matter. According to Bruder, Yakovenko believed that while Solana would have been fine without Jito, whichever blockchain Jito had chosen would have ultimately emerged victorious. This sentiment underscores the high regard in which Jito is held within the blockchain community.

The Vision for Jito

Bruder articulated a clear and ambitious vision for Jito's future. He emphasized that Jito's goal is not just to build on Solana, but to make Solana the best decentralized platform possible through Jito's contributions. This vision encompasses working on various aspects of Solana, from low-level infrastructure to encouraging broader adoption and development on the platform.

"I want Jito to make Solana so successful and just make it the best decentralized platform. And it should be like so successful because of the work that Jito does," Bruder stated. He envisions Jito playing a crucial role in advancing Solana across multiple fronts, including validator infrastructure, liquid staking, and restaking.

DoubleZero: A New Internet for High-Performance Blockchains

One of the most exciting developments discussed in the podcast was DoubleZero, a revolutionary project that promises to reshape the internet infrastructure for high-performance blockchains and applications. Bruder explained that while Solana is known for its speed, the main bottleneck in achieving even higher transaction throughput is actually the networking between servers.

DoubleZero aims to create a new internet specifically designed for high-performing blockchains and applications. It leverages underutilized fiber connections and introduces innovative routing techniques to significantly reduce latency and increase bandwidth.

Bruder elaborated, "Double zero is a new internet, essentially, for high performing blockchains, but also high performing applications, too. If you want to get to a million TPS or faster and have super low latency, there's often better routes in left fiber that you can go through to get from point A to point B."

This technology has the potential to revolutionize not just blockchain networks, but also traditional finance, AI training, and other data-intensive applications. By allowing for more efficient routing of data packets and enabling custom networking solutions, DoubleZero could dramatically improve the performance of distributed systems across various industries.

Solana's Ongoing Optimizations

Beyond DoubleZero, Bruder highlighted several ongoing optimizations within the Solana ecosystem. He mentioned that the core Solana team is working on increasing the block size limit, which would allow for more transactions to be processed faster and at lower fees.

Bruder praised the efforts of the Solana engineering team, stating, "There's a lot of cool core work going on in Solana. This is like pretty in the weeds, but there's a lot of cool stuff. Like it's all in today. They want to increase the block limit, block size limit, I think 5% thing."

He emphasized that contrary to some perceptions, the current Solana client is capable of scaling further. The core engineering team, including notable figures like Alessandro, Baysad, Andrew, and Steve Brooks, are continuously finding and implementing optimizations to push the boundaries of Solana's performance.

Jito's Role in Solana's Future

When asked about Jito's role in these ongoing improvements, Bruder expressed confidence in his team's ability to contribute significantly. He explained that Jito has built out much of the technology and has a deep understanding of how the network functions at a fundamental level.

Bruder noted, "We can probably move slightly faster than the core team because we kind of we don't touch consensus and it's kind of like a sidecar, where it's not like if our stuff fails, then it will fall back to the normal validator client."

This approach allows Jito to experiment and innovate rapidly while maintaining the stability and security of the core Solana network. Bruder hinted at Jito's evolving focus, suggesting that the company is exploring ways to play a more significant role in improving network efficiency and contributing to the "IBRL" (Increase Bandwidth, Reduce Latency) efforts.

Building a Cohesive Team

The podcast also touched on the importance of team building and company culture. Bruder shared insights into Jito's hiring process and the qualities they look for in potential team members. He emphasized the need for individuals who are not only technically proficient but also deeply bought into the company's vision and capable of working across multiple domains.

"You want people are dedicated, bought in, you want people that are curious, you want people that are like able to move across multiple domains very quick, not just in engineering, but operations and marketing and like people operations and all these things," Bruder explained.

He highlighted the importance of finding individuals who can handle the challenges of a startup environment, particularly the ability to make quick decisions and take shortcuts when necessary. Bruder also stressed the value of intuition in potential hires, especially the ability to identify and prioritize the most important problems to work on.

The Rise of Fat Apps on Solana

An interesting trend discussed during the podcast was the emergence of "fat apps" on Solana. Unlike on Ethereum, where protocols tend to focus on specific functionalities, many Solana projects are expanding their offerings to cover multiple use cases.

Bruder observed, "There are a lot of fat apps on Solana. Like Jupiter has perks and swap and DCA and like the launch pad and all stuff and Camino's bar land and liquidity management. And they just released like intent protocol in Judo's, you know, the Amoebi and staking and restaking."

He attributed this trend to the driven and competitive nature of entrepreneurs in the Solana ecosystem. These teams are constantly looking to expand and build new features that will attract more users and activity to the platform.

When asked about the long-term implications of value accruing to a few dominant apps, Bruder expressed support for a free-market approach. He stated, "I think the best thing to happen is that they're that capitalism can just flow in the happen on Solana. And like, may the best protocols in companies win."

This attitude reflects a broader philosophy within the Solana ecosystem that encourages innovation and competition, potentially leading to more robust and feature-rich applications for users.

Overrated vs. Underrated

The podcast concluded with a lighthearted "overrated/underrated" game, where Bruder shared his opinions on various topics:

1. Vegas: Overrated, especially for extended stays.
2. Solana: Still underrated, with Bruder citing the ecosystem's strong fundamentals and revenue-generating protocols.
3. Meme coins: Rated, acknowledging their role in user adoption but also recognizing the current challenges in the space.
4. Jito: Underrated, reflecting Bruder's confidence in his team's potential and ongoing contributions to the Solana ecosystem.

Conclusion

The conversation with Lucas Bruder provided deep insights into the current state and future direction of both Jito and the broader Solana ecosystem. From the revolutionary potential of DoubleZero to the ongoing optimizations in Solana's core protocol, it's clear that the platform is poised for continued growth and innovation.

Jito's commitment to Solana and its vision of contributing to the network's success across multiple fronts highlight the collaborative nature of the blockchain space. As the ecosystem continues to evolve, with trends like fat apps gaining prominence, it will be fascinating to watch how Jito and other key players shape the future of decentralized finance and blockchain technology.

The insights shared by Bruder not only underscore the technical advancements being made but also highlight the importance of team building, intuition, and adaptability in the fast-paced world of blockchain development. As Solana and its ecosystem continue to grow, the vision and contributions of companies like Jito will undoubtedly play a crucial role in realizing the full potential of this high-performance blockchain platform.

Facts + Figures

• Jito remained committed to building on Solana during challenging times, influenced by the platform's unique approach to high-performance blockchain design.
• Jito has had a significant impact on Solana's growth through software development, protocol work, and the launch of the Jito governance token.
• DoubleZero is described as a "new internet" for high-performing blockchains and applications, aiming to reduce latency and increase bandwidth.
• DoubleZero could potentially leverage satellite networks, including systems like Starlink, to further improve global connectivity.
• Solana's core team is working on increasing the block size limit by approximately 5%, which would allow for faster and cheaper transactions.
• Five of the top 10 protocols and companies by revenue are built on Solana, indicating strong ecosystem fundamentals.
• Jito's hiring process focuses on finding individuals who are not only technically proficient but also deeply committed to the company's vision and capable of working across multiple domains.
• The rise of "fat apps" on Solana contrasts with the tendency for protocols to focus on specific functionalities on other platforms like Ethereum.
• Solana has experienced significant growth in user adoption, with Bruder estimating a potential 100x increase in wallets holding more than one SOL compared to a year ago.
• Jito's approach to development allows for faster experimentation and innovation while maintaining the stability and security of the core Solana network.

Questions Answered

What made Jito decide to stay committed to building on Solana?

Jito remained committed to Solana because the platform's vision continued to resonate with the team. Despite challenges and negative sentiment in the crypto space, Jito recognized Solana's unique approach to high-performance blockchain design. The team was attracted to Solana's focus on efficient hardware utilization and its fresh, ground-up design philosophy, which offered a vast space for innovation aligned with Jito's goals.

What is DoubleZero and how could it impact blockchain technology?

DoubleZero is described as a "new internet" designed specifically for high-performing blockchains and applications. It aims to reduce latency and increase bandwidth by leveraging underutilized fiber connections and introducing innovative routing techniques. DoubleZero has the potential to significantly improve the performance of blockchain networks, as well as other data-intensive applications in fields like traditional finance and AI training. By enabling more efficient data packet routing and custom networking solutions, DoubleZero could dramatically enhance the speed and efficiency of distributed systems across various industries.

How is Solana working to improve its performance?

Solana's core team is continuously working on optimizations to enhance the platform's performance. One key development is the effort to increase the block size limit by approximately 5%, which would allow for more transactions to be processed faster and at lower fees. Additionally, the engineering team is focusing on finding and implementing various optimizations to push the boundaries of Solana's performance. These efforts aim to prove that the current Solana client is capable of scaling further and addressing perceived limitations.

What is the concept of "fat apps" on Solana and why is it significant?

"Fat apps" refer to applications on Solana that expand their offerings to cover multiple use cases, unlike on platforms like Ethereum where protocols tend to focus on specific functionalities. This trend is significant because it reflects the driven and competitive nature of entrepreneurs in the Solana ecosystem. Fat apps potentially offer users more comprehensive solutions within a single platform, which could lead to increased user adoption and activity on Solana. This approach also encourages innovation and competition, potentially resulting in more robust and feature-rich applications for users.

How does Jito contribute to Solana's ongoing improvements?

Jito contributes to Solana's improvements by leveraging its deep understanding of the network's fundamental operations and the technology it has built. The company can move quickly to implement innovations because its developments operate as a "sidecar" to the main Solana consensus mechanism. This approach allows Jito to experiment and innovate rapidly while maintaining the stability and security of the core Solana network. Jito is also exploring ways to play a more significant role in improving network efficiency and contributing to efforts to increase bandwidth and reduce latency across the Solana ecosystem.