Epoch Protocol leverages Intents to abstract away protocols, chains, and execution. It translates user Intents from their initial state to their desired final state without requiring an understanding of intermediary state updates.

Methods for Executing User Intents

There are three possible approaches to solving a user’s Intent:

1. Identify a single solver capable of solving the entire intent.

2. Allow solvers to collaborate without orchestration on their own.

3. Deconstruct Intents into Sub-Intents, find partial solutions and merge them into a complete solution (Epoch Protocol’s approach).

The first approach requires a one-intent solver that can transition the user from the initial to the final state. For simple state updates like bridging or swapping, this is straightforward. However, as Intents require more partial state updates, fewer solvers can address them, potentially resulting in suboptimal solutions.

With the second approach, solvers would need to collaborate through peer-to-peer communication. Due to technical limitations and economic reasons might not be able to reach a more optimal solution. The solver might choose not to collaborate hindering the process of finding a solution.

Epoch Protocol’s Approach

Epoch Protocol deconstructs Intents into smaller Sub-Intents. Each Sub-Intent is then solved by a competing market of purpose-specific Intent solvers. This approach eliminates the need for a comprehensive solver, instead relying on multiple solvers that address smaller Sub-Intents, which are then combined and committed to a settlement layer.

Example: DAI on Optimism to Eigen Layer Restaking Position

Let’s consider a user who has DAI on Optimism and wants a restaking position in Eigen Layer on Ethereum Mainnet.

Approach 1: Find a solver willing to exchange DAI on Optimism for an equivalent restaking position in Eigen Layer.

Approach 2: Intent solvers work together to find solvers that can solve for the intermediate steps while one solver coordinates and executes the final intent.

Approach 3 (Epoch Protocol): Break down the Intent into Sub-Intents:

1. Swap DAI for ETH

2. Bridge ETH to Ethereum

3. Use optimal liquid staking platforms (e.g., Lido or RocketPool)

4. Restake obtained liquid restaking token to Eigen Layer

Multiple solution paths are possible:

1. One Intent solver provides stETH on Ethereum in exchange for DAI on Optimism, then another solver provides a way to restake stETH.

2. Different Intent solvers address each step: DAI to ETH, bridging ETH to Ethereum, using Lido for liquid staking, and restaking stETH.

Epoch Protocol queries Intent solvers and their markets for possible solutions and quotes. Each route is evaluated, and the most optimal one is selected for execution

The Importance of Sub-Intents

User Intents often involve interactions with multiple protocols, combining swaps, bridges, lending, staking, and any other arbitrary protocol interaction. Finding a single solver for complex Intents becomes increasingly difficult as the number of protocol interactions increases.

The Sub-Intents model ensures that if solvers exist for all individual Sub-Intents, a solution can be found. Moreover, competing solvers for each Sub-Intent lead to more optimal solutions.

Sub-Intent Orchestrator (SIO)

Epoch’s Sub-Intent Orchestrator (SIO) is a game-changing component that utilizes an extensive graph comprising of protocols, tokens, dApps, chains and more. Each node in the graph represents one of the elements mentioned before with their specific attributes and traits. These attributes would be able to establish connections to other such elements.

Once the SIO reaches the final desired node through these multiple potential paths, it queries multiple solvers for their proposed partial state updates. This information is used to assign costs and weights to nodes and paths.

The path with the lowest cost and maximum weight is selected, ensuring users receive the most optimized solution for their Intent.

Conclusion

Sub-intent orchestration enables the use of smaller, purpose-specific solvers and their competing markets to reach more solutions. By selecting the most optimal solutions for all involved Sub-Intents, Epoch Protocol avoids the limitations of relying on a single comprehensive solver to address all user needs.