Account Abstraction: ERC-4337 + Biconomy SDK

Blockchain technology and decentralized apps (DApps) have been gaining popularity in recent years. However, the transition from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 has not been without its challenges. One of the main obstacles to mainstream adoption has been the complexity associated with interacting with DApps, especially when it comes to gas fees and changing networks. In this article, we will explore how account abstraction and the Biconomy SDK can help make the Web3 experience feel like Web2.

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The Difference between EOA and SCW

An External Owned Account (EOA) is a traditional account on the Ethereum blockchain that is controlled by a private key. On the other hand, a Smart Contract Wallet (SCW) is a contract-based account that operates on the blockchain. The main advantage of an SCW over an EOA is that it allows for the execution of complex logic, including the ability to delegate access and control to other parties.

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What is Account Abstraction in Computer Science?

In computer science, account abstraction is the separation of access control from ownership. This means that instead of controlling an account through a private key, the behaviour of the account is determined by the code within the smart contract — this offers much higher functionality for the end-user.

Account abstraction is a pivotal development in Web3 because it allows for the creation of flexible and secure access controls for smart contracts. In the case of Ethereum, Account Abstraction refers to the utilisation of smart contract wallets in place of externally owned wallets (EOAs), allowing for simplified user experiences.

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EIP4337: Improving Smart Contract Wallets

Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4337 is an important development that aims to improve the functionality of SCWs by allowing them to interact with smart contracts on behalf of the user. The proposal introduces the concept of a "pseudo transaction" that defines how smart contracts can make a transaction on behalf of the user.

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The pseudo transaction contains several components, including the target contract address, the data payload, and the amount of ether being sent. By utilizing the pseudo transaction, SCWs can make multiple transactions in a single operation, which is more efficient and cost-effective than using an EOA.

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How Biconomy Makes Use of Account Abstraction

Biconomy is a cross-chain relayer infrastructure and transaction network that aims to simplify the user experience when interacting with DApps. Biconomy utilizes account abstraction to enable a gasless experience for end-users when using DApps. Instead of requiring the user to pay gas fees, Biconomy uses meta transactions to sponsor the gas fees on behalf of the user.

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Biconomy also utilizes multi-chain meta-transactions to enable cross-chain transfers between Ethereum and various other layers. This allows users to pay for the usage of DApps in whichever ERC20 token they choose, without having to worry about changing networks or RPC wallet settings.

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How the Biconomy SDK Makes Onboarding Easy

The Biconomy SDK is a plug-and-play software development kit that allows developers to easily integrate Biconomy's gasless technology into their DApps. The SDK is designed to simplify the onboarding process for users by removing the need for them to interact with the blockchain directly. Instead, the SDK provides a familiar user interface that is similar to Web2, making it more accessible to non-technical users.

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What Does the Biconomy SDK Include?

The Biconomy SDK includes several components that make it easy for developers to integrate gasless technology into their DApps.

These components include:

Gasless API – This API allows developers to interact with Biconomy's gasless infrastructure, enabling them to sponsor gas fees on behalf of their users.

Meta Transaction API – This API enables developers to create meta transactions, allowing users to perform transactions without having to interact with the blockchain directly.

Cross-Chain API – This API enables developers to interact with Biconomy's cross-chain infrastructure, enabling them to perform cross-chain transfers between Ethereum and various other layers.

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In conclusion, the blockchain technology and decentralized apps have shown great potential in transforming the way we interact with the digital world.

However, the complex and often confusing nature of Web3 has hindered mainstream adoption. Account abstraction, as exemplified by EIP4337 and the Biconomy SDK, is a significant development that can simplify the user experience when interacting with DApps.

By enabling a gasless experience, Biconomy's technology can help make Web3 feel more like Web2, thus making it more accessible to a wider range of users. With further development and adoption of technologies such as these, the potential of blockchain and DApps can be fully realized, leading to a more secure, decentralized, and accessible digital ecosystem.

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Scale your dApp with the Biconomy SDK

Book a demo: https://www.biconomy.io/book-a-demo

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