# Layer 1 (L1) Layer 1 network is the basic layer of the blockchain. Both Ethereum and Bitcoin are layer 1 blockchains, as they are the cornerstone of the entire network, allowing various layer 2 networks to be built on top of them. The success of Ethereum has caused the current network congestion and a massive increase in the gas price. And some L1 blockchains have to make sacrifices in terms of security and decentralization in order to achieve higher transaction throughput and lower transaction fees than Ethereum. Therefore, better scalability solutions are necessary for the long-term development of the blockchain network. This is where Layer 2 comes in. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.zecrey.com/education/concepts-explained/crypto-knowledge/layer-1-l1.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.