--- title: Layer 1 url: "https://www.unknowngravity.com/en/glosario/layer-1-capa-1" site: Unknown Gravity published: "2025-06-07T15:19:33+00:00" modified: "2026-07-15T10:51:28+00:00" language: en-US description: "Layer 1 (L1) is the term used to describe the base layer of a blockchain, that is, the main infrastructure that is responsible for directly manage consensus, security, transaction validation and…" section: "Home > Layer 1" --- # Layer 1 GLOSSARY · BLOCKCHAIN & WEB3 Blockchain base that processes and validates all network transactions. WHAT IS IT? · FOR DUMMIES **Layer 1** (L1) is like the **main road** where all cars (transactions) travel on a blockchain. It is the base system that **processes, validates and saves all information**, such as payments, contracts or exchanges. Without this layer, nothing works, because it's where important decisions are made and everything is kept in order. WHAT IS IT? · PRO **Layer 1 (L1)** is the term used to describe the **base layer of a blockchain**, that is, the main infrastructure that is responsible for **directly manage consensus, security, transaction validation and smart contract execution**. This layer defines the fundamental logic of the protocol and its governance architecture, functioning as the **platform on which all other scalability solutions and decentralized applications are built**. Representative examples of Layer 1 include **Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana, Avalanche, Cardano, or Polkadot**. Each one has its own consensus mechanism (Proof of Work, Proof of Stake, Proof of History, etc.), issuance policies, block structure and way of maintaining the state of the network. Layer 1 is **responsible for ensuring that all nodes in the network reach an agreement** about what transactions are valid and in what order they should be executed. Due to inherent capacity and performance limitations (known as the **blockchain trilemma: decentralization, security and scalability**), many Layer 1 blockchains face problems of congestion, latency and high costs due to intensive use. To solve this, complementary solutions are developed in **Layer 2** (such as rollups, state channels or sidechains) that download work from Layer 1 without compromising its basic security. Layer 1 also acts as **settlement layer and trust reference**, which means that all operations on other layers (Layer 2, Layer 3) are finally resolved, verified or backed up on L1. ## 01 / Key points - It is the basic infrastructure of a blockchain that manages validation and consensus - It is responsible for executing transactions and smart contracts directly - Examples: Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana, Avalanche, Cardano - Upper layers such as L2 and L3 are built on it. - It is the layer that guarantees the security, decentralization and permanence of data ## 02 / Advantages - **Robust security**: protected by the network's native consensus - **High decentralization** on well-distributed public blockchains - **Legal and Technical Certainty**: it is the source of truth for higher layers - **Operational independence**: doesn't depend on other layers to work - **Direct support for smart contracts and tokens** on networks like Ethereum or Solana ## 03 / Disadvantages - **Limited scalability** on many current blockchains - **High transaction costs** when the network is congested - **Higher confirmation time** versus L2 solutions - **More complex and rigid development**, subject to protocol updates - **High competition between L1 blockchains**, which fragments the ecosystem RELATED CONCEPTS [Layer 2](/en/glosario/layer-2-capa-2) [Blockchain](/en/glosario/blockchain) [Node](/en/glosario/nodo) [Token](/en/glosario/token) [Smart Contract](/en/glosario/smart-contract-contrato-inteligente) [Smart contract](/en/glosario/smart-contract) KEEP LEARNING [Which blockchain suits me? A clear comparison of Ethereum, Arbitrum and Base](/en/articulos/que-blockchain-me-conviene-comparativa-clara-entre-ethereum-arbitrum-y-base) [DeFi: What decentralized finance is and how does it work](/en/articulos/defi-que-son-como-funcionan-finanzas-descentralizadas) [Comparison of smart contracts programming languages](/en/articulos/lenguajes-programacion-smart-contracts) [Tokenomics that work: How to design an economy that doesn't collapse in 6 months](/en/articulos/tokenomics-que-funcionan-como-disenar-una-economia-que-no-se-derrumbe-en-6-meses) [Blockchain Transforming the Financial Industry](/en/articulos/blockchain-transformando-finanzas) RELATED SERVICES [Development for Ethereum (EVM)](/en/servicios/desarrollo-para-ethereum-evm) [Blockchain protocol development](/en/servicios/desarrollo-de-protocolos-blockchain) [Web3 Development](/en/servicios/desarrollo-web3) [Blockchain consulting for companies](/en/servicios/consultoria-blockchain) [Smart contract auditing](/en/servicios/blockchain-security-audits) [Full glossary](/en/glosario) This entry is informative. It is not legal, tax or investment advice. The rules cited change: check the current version on [BOE](https://www.boe.es) and [EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu).