# Modular Blockchain

> A blockchain design that splits responsibilities across separate, specialised layers.

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Source: What The Block! Dictionary v1.0 (last updated 2026-04-25), browsable at https://wtb.fudfomo.co.

## Definition

A modular blockchain breaks the work of running a chain into separate pieces: execution, settlement, consensus, and data availability. Each piece can be handled by a different network, optimised for its job.

The opposite is a monolithic blockchain, like Bitcoin, that does all of these things itself. The modular approach is meant to give better scalability, with the trade-off that more moving parts can introduce more dependencies.

## Related terms

- [Rollup](https://business.fudfomo.co/glossary/rollup): A type of layer 2 that bundles many transactions together and writes a summary back to the main chain.
- [Layer 2](https://business.fudfomo.co/glossary/layer-2): A faster, cheaper network built on top of a layer 1 like Ethereum. Borrows the main chain's security.
- [Data Availability](https://business.fudfomo.co/glossary/data-availability): The guarantee that the data behind a block can actually be read and reconstructed by anyone.
- [Layer 1](https://business.fudfomo.co/glossary/layer-1): The base blockchain itself, like Bitcoin or Ethereum. The foundation everything else builds on.

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