Monad Pipelining: Accelerating High Throughput Blockchain Performance
Posted January 14, 2025
In this series, we have been looking at key aspects of Monad’s design that make it cool. One of these is pipelining. In computer science, pipelining is a technique that makes processing more efficient by dividing a task into multiple stages, with each stage handled by a distinct processing unit operating concurrently. This method allows for overlapping execution of different steps.
Think of pipelining as an assembly line in a factory. Different stages of “production,” which is the production of a transaction, have multiple instructions that are processed simultaneously. Imagine you’re building toy cars, and you have to do three tasks that must be done in order:
Step 1: paint the car
Step 2: attach the wheels
Step 3: put on the stickers
If you do each task one after the other on a single car, it takes a long time to finish many cars. So instead, you create an assembly line where one factory worker paints, one worker attaches wheels, and one worker adds stickers. This allows you to work on different parts of several cars at the same time and finish cars more quickly.
Understanding Pipelining: A Core Concept in Efficient Computing
In computers, pipelining is the same concept. Tasks in solving a problem, like transaction execution, are broken down into steps that can be handled by separate parts. Instead of handling one instruction at a time from start to finish, different parts of the computer handle different steps simultaneously according to how many instructions are required to execute. This overlap allows the computer to work more efficiently and complete tasks faster, just like the toy car assembly line speeds up production.
A typical example of pipelining is found in central processing units (CPUs), where the instruction cycle is divided into stages such as instruction fetch, decode, execute, memory access, and write-back. Each stage processes a different instruction concurrently, so while one instruction is being executed, another can be decoded, and a third can be fetched from memory. This overlapping of instruction phases reduces the time required to execute a sequence of instructions, leading to higher processing speeds and more efficient utilization of CPU resources.
Pipelining in Monad: Enhancing Blockchain Efficiency
Monad employs pipelining to enhance transaction throughput by dividing tasks into smaller stages that can be processed at the same time. This approach leans on common techniques used in modern computer processors and allows multiple transactions to be executed in parallel. Of course, parallel execution is one of the coolest features of Monad as a blockchain.
For Monad, pipelining is applied at various levels, including consensus, transaction execution, and state access. For the most part, Ethereum handles each of these tasks together, but in Monad they are separated. By decoupling these processes and enabling them to operate simultaneously, Monad reduces bottlenecks associated with sequential execution machines like Ethereum.
The implementation of pipelining in Monad involves deferred execution, where transaction processing is separated from consensus. This means that the network can agree on the order of transactions without immediately executing them, which reduces latency. In other words, the network comes to agreement on ordering first, which allows for more time for transaction execution. More complex transactions then have more time to be completed, so Monad can raise the gas limit. We will cover deferred execution more in future posts.
By breaking transaction processing into multiple steps, then allowing these steps to be carried out in an assembly line fashion instead of one after another, Monad can boost EVM performance to 10,000 transactions per second.
Conclusion
Pipelining represents one of the many innovative design elements that set Monad apart, enabling the blockchain to achieve unparalleled efficiency and throughput. By breaking down transaction processing into discrete stages that operate concurrently, Monad significantly reduces bottlenecks and enhances performance, paving the way for a blockchain capable of executing 10,000 transactions per second.
This foundational design doesn’t just promise faster transactions; it also unlocks greater scalability and flexibility for more complex DeFi applications. As Kintsu continues to build its fully decentralized liquid staking protocol, pipelining ensures that the Monad ecosystem remains liquid, efficient, and ready to support cutting-edge innovations in decentralized finance. Together, Monad’s technical advancements and Kintsu’s liquid staking solutions are shaping a dynamic and highly capable blockchain environment.
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