Caldera

Caldera is a modular blockchain infrastructure platform that empowers developers to launch and operate their own high-performance rollups. As a true enabler of the multi-chain vision, Caldera allows applications to build custom, app-specific chains that are interoperable, scalable, and anchored to Ethereum for settlement. With over 75 rollups deployed, more than $1 billion in total value locked (TVL), and 17 million unique wallets onboarded, Caldera is one of the most successful modular blockchain platforms in operation.

At the heart of Caldera’s offering is the Rollup Engine—a developer-first framework for launching chains tailored to the specific needs of apps and communities. Whether the requirement is sub-second finality, low gas fees, or zero-fee transactions, developers can configure the environment to meet their needs without sacrificing performance or decentralization. This makes Caldera ideal for massive-scale blockchain games, AI computation platforms, and DeFi protocols seeking composability and horizontal scalability.

What truly distinguishes Caldera is the Metalayer—its proprietary interoperability and messaging infrastructure. The Metalayer is built to provide seamless cross-chain connectivity using a Hyperlane-powered message-passing protocol that supports both 1-to-1 writes and many-to-1 cross-chain reads. With Metalayer, Caldera rollups gain instant access to a broader liquidity ecosystem and unlock composable interactions across chains like Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, zkSync Era, and Optimism.

A standout feature of the Metalayer is the Intents Engine, which enables declarative cross-chain execution. Instead of manually orchestrating transactions across different environments, developers define high-level "intents" and let the infrastructure manage execution, security, and finality. The Metalayer also supports configurable finality modes, giving developers the choice between fast confirmation (~10s) or more secure “finalized” settlement anchored on the parent chain. This level of flexibility is crucial for apps that require different tradeoffs between speed and trust.

Caldera’s ecosystem supports use cases across:

• Gaming – Rollups offer zero-fee gameplay and instant asset transfers, enabling developers to craft seamless in-game economies.
• AI – Provides plug-and-play infrastructure to support decentralized machine learning and compute-heavy applications.
• DeFi – Modular exchanges can be built with access to cross-chain liquidity and tools like KYC enforcement via Metalayer integrations.

In the modular blockchain space, Caldera competes with platforms like:

• Polygon CDK – A modular framework for launching Layer 2 chains using zkEVM.
• Rollkit – A modular rollup framework that integrates with Cosmos SDK and Celestia DA.
• Fuel – A high-throughput rollup platform built with a parallelizable execution layer.

Ultimately, Caldera positions itself as the “internet of chains”—a horizontally scalable network of application-specific blockchains connected via the Metalayer. It offers builders everything needed to create performant, composable, and user-friendly Web3 apps. Developers interested in launching their own chain or exploring interoperability through Metalayer can get started via the official Caldera website.

Caldera offers a range of advanced features and benefits that position it as one of the most powerful platforms for building modular, scalable, and interoperable blockchain applications:

• Fully Custom Rollups: With the Rollup Engine, developers can create application-specific chains that are optimized for unique needs like low latency, custom gas economics, or high throughput.
• Horizontal Scalability: Caldera's architecture supports a network of 75+ chains, enabling projects to scale horizontally across multiple rollups without bottlenecks.
• Metalayer Cross-Chain Interoperability: The Metalayer allows seamless cross-chain asset transfers and communication across Caldera chains and L1s like Ethereum, Arbitrum, zkSync, Base, and Optimism.
• Intents-Based Execution Engine: Developers can define high-level intents for cross-chain actions, enabling declarative execution that simplifies development and enhances security.
• Modular Use Case Support: Caldera supports diverse applications—from zero-fee gaming ecosystems to AI computation platforms and modular DeFi protocols with built-in KYC and liquidity tools.
• Configurable Finality: Choose between soft finality for quick confirmation or finalized mode for high-security use cases—ideal for DeFi, bridges, and enterprise-grade applications.
• Robust Ecosystem Integrations: Collaborations with top protocols like Across, Hyperlane, Relay, and Eco ensure developers get access to top-tier infrastructure.

Getting started with Caldera is straightforward for developers, founders, and teams looking to launch scalable, interoperable rollups:

• Visit the Website: Go to caldera.xyz to explore the platform’s features, use cases, and documentation.
• Explore the Docs: Read the in-depth documentation covering the Rollup Engine, Metalayer, intents architecture, deployment options, and integration guides via the Caldera Docs.
• Contact the Team: If you’re interested in launching a chain or integrating Metalayer, you can reach out to the Caldera team for guidance through the contact section on the official site.
• Join the Community: Engage with 300k+ community members across platforms by following Caldera on Twitter, Discord, and other social media (links available on the homepage).
• Deploy a Rollup: Use Caldera’s infrastructure to configure and launch your own customizable rollup, whether it’s for gaming, AI, DeFi, or general Web3 scalability needs.
• Build with Metalayer: Start developing cross-chain applications using the Metalayer. With built-in message passing and an intents engine, you can easily enable cross-chain functionality in your dApp.
• Stay Updated: Subscribe to Caldera’s newsletter via the homepage to receive ecosystem and product updates, or explore their blog for recent announcements and case studies.