Posted on June 18, 2025June 18, 2025 | by priteshgeek

1. Introduction & Overview

What Are Rollups (Optimistic/ZK)?

Rollups are Layer 2 (L2) blockchain scaling solutions that bundle or “roll up” hundreds of transactions into a single batch. These batches are then executed off-chain and submitted to Layer 1 (L1) blockchains like Ethereum for security and finality. The two main types are:

Optimistic Rollups – Assume transactions are valid unless proven otherwise.
Zero-Knowledge (ZK) Rollups – Use cryptographic proofs (ZK-SNARKs/ZK-STARKs) to validate transaction batches before publishing.

History or Background

2018–2019: Emergence as Ethereum scaling bottlenecks became more apparent.
2020–2022: Maturity with platforms like Optimism, Arbitrum (Optimistic), zkSync, and StarkNet (ZK).
Today: Central to Ethereum’s scalability roadmap and widely used in production.

Why Is It Relevant in DevSecOps?

Rollups are increasingly integrated into blockchain infrastructure managed by DevSecOps teams:

Enhance security with off-chain verification.
Ensure scalability and cost efficiency in decentralized applications (dApps).
Improve automation and compliance in Web3 CI/CD pipelines.

2. Core Concepts & Terminology

Key Terms and Definitions

Term	Definition
Layer 1 (L1)	The base blockchain (e.g., Ethereum).
Layer 2 (L2)	A protocol built on L1 for off-chain scaling.
Optimistic Rollup	Assumes transactions are valid, includes a challenge period for fraud.
ZK Rollup	Verifies transactions with zero-knowledge cryptographic proofs.
Fraud Proof	A proof submitted if a transaction in an optimistic rollup is invalid.
Validity Proof	A cryptographic proof showing that a ZK rollup transaction is valid.
Sequencer	Orders and executes transactions in L2 before submitting to L1.

How It Fits into the DevSecOps Lifecycle

Phase	Integration Example
Plan	Architecture design with scalability and compliance requirements in mind.
Develop	Use L2 SDKs (e.g., zkSync SDK) for smart contract development.
Build/Test	Include fraud/validity proof validation as part of CI pipelines.
Release	Automate deployment to both L1 and L2 environments.
Operate	Monitor sequencer performance, L2–L1 transaction states, and ZK proof generation.
Secure	Implement integrity checks, proof validations, and compliance alerts.

3. Architecture & How It Works

Components

L2 Execution Environment: Executes batched transactions.
Sequencer: Aggregates transactions and maintains order.
Prover (ZK Rollups): Generates cryptographic proofs.
Challenger (Optimistic Rollups): Submits fraud proofs if needed.
Bridges: Connect L2 and L1 for asset and data transfer.

Internal Workflow

Optimistic Rollup Workflow

Users submit transactions to the L2.
Sequencer batches and executes transactions.
Batch submitted to L1 with a challenge window.
Fraud proofs can be submitted during this window.

ZK Rollup Workflow

Users submit transactions to the L2.
Prover generates ZK-SNARK/STARK proof for batch.
Batch + proof submitted to L1 for immediate finality.

Architecture Diagram (Described)

+-----------+      +-----------+     +-----------+     +-----------+
|   Users   | ---> | Sequencer | --> |  Prover/  | --> | Layer 1   |
|           |      |  (L2)     |     | Challenger|     | Blockchain|
+-----------+      +-----------+     +-----------+     +-----------+
                           |                |
                        Rollup State Commitments

Integration with CI/CD & Cloud Tools

GitHub Actions / GitLab CI: Automate deployment of smart contracts to L2.
Terraform / Ansible: Manage infrastructure for rollup nodes.
Prometheus + Grafana: Monitor prover/sequencer performance.
AWS Lambda / GCP Cloud Functions: Automate proof validation jobs.
Vault / KMS: Manage secrets (ZK keys, L2 credentials) securely.

4. Installation & Getting Started

Basic Setup or Prerequisites

Node.js and Yarn
Docker and Docker Compose
Access to Ethereum testnet (Goerli, Sepolia)
Alchemy or Infura API key (for L1 interactions)

Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Guide

Step 1: Clone a Rollup Framework (e.g., zkSync Lite)

git clone https://github.com/matter-labs/zksync
cd zksync

Step 2: Install Dependencies

yarn

Step 3: Run Local Environment (Docker)

docker-compose up

Step 4: Deploy Smart Contract (Solidity Example)

// MyRollupContract.sol
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;

contract MyRollupContract {
    event RollupEvent(address indexed user);

    function triggerRollup() public {
        emit RollupEvent(msg.sender);
    }
}

Step 5: Compile & Deploy via Hardhat

npx hardhat compile
npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js --network zkSync

5. Real-World Use Cases

1. Secure Off-Chain Computation in CI Pipelines

Use ZK proofs to verify artifact generation or test result authenticity.

2. Token Bridge for Multi-Cloud DApps

Securely move assets from AWS-hosted Ethereum nodes to Azure-based L2 rollups.

3. Decentralized Identity (DID) Verification

Use ZK rollups for privacy-preserving identity verification in DevSecOps tools.

4. Compliance Automation in Regulated Industries

Leverage rollup traceability and proof logs for continuous compliance audits.

6. Benefits & Limitations

Key Advantages

Advantage	Description
Scalability	10–100x more transactions per second than Ethereum L1.
Cost Efficiency	Reduced gas fees due to batch processing.
Security	Inherits L1-level security guarantees.
Privacy (ZK Rollups)	Proves correctness without revealing raw data.

Common Challenges

Optimistic Rollups: Long withdrawal times (challenge period).
ZK Rollups: Complex cryptography, heavy prover computation.
Tooling Maturity: Still evolving in some L2 ecosystems.
Integration Overhead: Requires L2-aware smart contracts and clients.

7. Best Practices & Recommendations

Security Tips

Validate L2 proofs regularly via CI workflows.
Monitor for rollup downtime or reorgs using Prometheus.
Use secure key management (e.g., HashiCorp Vault) for ZK credentials.

Performance Optimization

Use optimized compilers for ZK circuits (e.g., Circom, SnarkJS).
Batch user inputs efficiently to reduce proof cost.

Compliance Alignment

Log all L2 to L1 data for auditability.
Use rollup metadata in DevSecOps dashboards for traceability.

8. Comparison with Alternatives

Feature	Optimistic Rollups	ZK Rollups	Plasma	Sidechains
Finality Speed	~7 days (fraud window)	Immediate	Fast	Immediate
Security	High (fraud proof)	Very High (validity)	Lower (exit games)	Lower (depends on validators)
Privacy	Low	High	Low	Variable
DevSecOps Suitability	Medium	High	Low	Medium

When to Choose Rollups

Choose ZK Rollups for:
- High security, privacy, fast settlement.
- Sensitive enterprise environments.
Choose Optimistic Rollups for:
- Lower implementation complexity.
- Larger developer ecosystem (Arbitrum, Optimism).

9. Conclusion

Final Thoughts

Rollups, especially ZK and Optimistic, are revolutionizing the blockchain scalability and security landscape—key concerns in DevSecOps. Their integration into CI/CD pipelines, compliance automation, and cloud infrastructure shows tremendous promise.

Rollups (Optimistic/ZK) in DevSecOps