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FAQs

This section answers common questions about the Agglayer Chain Development Kit (CDK), including multistack support, execution stack differences, Agglayer integration, and how to get started. If you’re exploring CDK for development or deployment, this is a great place to begin.

What is the Agglayer Chain Development Kit (CDK)?

Agglayer CDK is a toolkit for launching Ethereum Layer 2 chains that come with native Agglayer connectivity. It supports multiple stacks—such as cdk-opgeth and cdk-erigon—allowing developers to build performant, interoperable chains without being locked into a single architecture.

What does it mean for CDK to go multistack?

Multistack support means CDK allows developers to select from different execution stacks based on their needs. Each stack is fully integrated with Agglayer and offers unique benefits around performance, tooling, and flexibility.

What is cdk-opgeth, and what does it offer?

cdk-opgeth is a CDK stack based on Ethereum’s Geth client and the OP Stack architecture. It offers a familiar developer environment, high throughput, native Agglayer connectivity, and future support for zkRollup and Validium modes.

How does cdk-erigon differ from cdk-opgeth?

cdk-erigon is optimized for customization and ZK security. It supports:

  • Native gas tokens
  • Three rollup modes (zkRollup, Validium, Sovereign)
  • Advanced configuration options

cdk-opgeth is designed for developers familiar with the OP Stack who want familiar tooling and performance, with an upgrade path to ZK.

What is a sovereign chain in CDK?

A sovereign chain operates without a prover. Instead, it uses pessimistic proofs via Agglayer to enforce safety and ensure that no chain can withdraw more than it deposits. This enables secure, low-cost execution with fast finality.

Why is Agglayer integration important for CDK chains?

Agglayer enables CDK chains to share liquidity, state, and messaging across an interconnected network. This creates seamless user experiences and interoperability between chains, regardless of their execution stack.

Do I need to use Agglayer with CDK?

CDK chains are connected to Agglayer by default. While it’s technically possible to disable this, doing so removes the benefits of unified liquidity and cross-chain UX.

How can I start building with CDK?

Visit the CDK developer documentation quickstart sections to deploy a local testnet. For production-ready deployments: