Jan Xie is a researcher, software developer, and co-founder of the Nervos Network, a blockchain structured to prioritize decentralization and offer minimalism, flexibility, and security. ^[1]

Education

Xie graduated from Zhejiang University with a BS in Computer Science and Engineering in 2005. ^[1]

Career

After graduating from university, Xie worked as a software analyst for Trilogy Software, Inc., a global software company, from 2005 to 2007. In 2008, he worked at RoRCraft as a tech lead until February 2009, when he joined The Plant, a tech consulting firm, as a tech lead and later a technical consultant. In June 2011, Xie worked as a senior engineer for Intridea, Inc., a web and mobile application development company, until March 2014, when he became an architect and full-stack developer for Yunbi, a Chinese cryptocurrency exchange. ^[2]

In May 2015, Xie co-founded EthFans, a non-commercial organization focused on accelerating Ethereum and blockchain adoption in China. During this time, he worked as a researcher and developer for Ethereum, a decentralized open-source blockchain network. He worked on Casper and Sharding for Ethereum 2.0 until October 2017. He also founded Cryptape, a blockchain research and engineering consultancy, and co-founded the Nervos Network with Kevin Wang, Terry Tai, Cipher Wang, and Daniel Lv. ^[2]

Nervos Network

In an AMA with Starfish Mission, Xie discussed the origins of Nervos and the challenges they faced during development: ^[3]

“We aim to build Nervos Network as the next-generation infrastructure for the crypto economy, comprising a network of blockchains and related protocols rather than relying on a single blockchain. We believe that a suite of protocols offers a more viable solution than a singular one due to scalability limitations. The challenge with a single blockchain lies in achieving scalability without compromising decentralization and security. As more nodes join the network to enhance decentralization, the increased message exchange between nodes can reduce efficiency. This conflict underscores the need for a network of protocols to address these challenges effectively.”

He then shared his background in crypto and blockchain development: ^[3]

“I've been involved in the blockchain space for quite some time. My initial project related to blockchain was an open-source crypto exchange called Pshaw, which is still running on GitHub and utilized by numerous exchanges. Following that, we ventured into building our own permissioned blockchain, Sita, to collaborate with banks in China on various proof of concept projects. Additionally, we established a mining pool, initially assisting East Fence, a large Ethereum community in China, which is now known as Sparkpool. Furthermore, our team includes a co-founder who launched a mobile wallet company, imToken,  years ago, which became the most popular wallet in China.”

When asked about the design choices for a Layer 1 blockchain, Xie responded: ^[3]

“We approached the challenge of slow and expensive layer one by maximizing its limited trust and security resources. By focusing on using this trust to create deterrents against bad behavior, we ensure that only legitimate operations occur on layer one, while other transactions can happen on higher layers. This strategy minimizes the workload on layer one, effectively scaling the throughput of the entire network in an unlimited manner.”

He also shared how they came up with the name “Nervos”: ^[3]

“In my view, blockchain will facilitate broader collaboration within society, enabling people worldwide to work together more effectively. It's akin to a nervous system for society, fostering novel ways of interaction and connectivity. Additionally, I appreciate the open-source ethos, which promotes transparency and collaboration, ultimately benefiting society as a whole.”

Interviews/Panels

Nervos Deep Dive

Xie presented Nervos' layered design, focusing on a neutral, technically driven, and mission-oriented approach within the blockchain ecosystem. The team, experienced in blockchain technology, highlights scalability challenges and proposes a layered network architecture. In this model, normal operations occur on Layer 2, while Layer 1 handles abnormal transactions, ensuring efficient utilization of resources. Layer 1, termed "Layer 1 Block," functions as a secure store of assets based on on-chain states, simplifying verification and enhancing Layer 2 compatibility. The economic model introduces CKByte as the native asset for transaction fees, with ongoing research on consensus mechanisms. ^[4]

Lighting Chat

At the 2019 HBS Blockchain and Crypto Club Conference, Xie delved into the fundamental differences between Layer 1 and Layer 2 blockchains, highlighting the importance of a broad consensus scope for Layer 1. He outlined challenges facing existing blockchains, including storage commons issues and scalability concerns, proposing innovative solutions such as a new state model and a flexible virtual machine architecture. Nervos aims to address these challenges while fostering community engagement through an open RFC process, ultimately striving to optimize blockchain protocols for broader adoption and efficiency. ^[5]