Optimism is one of the leading Layer 2 solutions on Ethereum offering fast and cheap transactions that are paid for in ETH. With nearly instant transaction finality times it provides a much more dynamic experience than Ethereum and here is how you can start using it in a few simple steps.
Step 1 – Add Optimism To Metamask #
To get started with Optimism you first need to add it as a network to your Metamask wallet. To do so click on “Add Network” in the dropdown menu and enter the following parameters:
Network name: Optimistic Ethereum
RPC URL: https://mainnet.optimism.io
Chain ID: 10
Currency: ETH
Explorer: https://optimistic.etherscan.io
If done correctly it should look like this
Click “save” and move on to the next step.
Step 2 – Connect Your Wallet #
Go to the Connext bridge website and connect your wallet by clicking on the button in the top right corner of the screen.
Once connected, select the appropriate networks before executing the transaction. It should go from Ethereum to Optimism and the preferred currency should be ETH.
Advanced users can find additional options by enabling “advanced options” on the same screen. This would give you more control over the transfer, but complete beginners will not need to use any of these unless they want the tokens to arrive at a different wallet address.
When everything is set up correctly simply input how much Ethereum you want to send. Before the transaction can take place, you will need to approve ETH spending on Connext. This means that the bridging process will include two separate transactions, one that approves the protocol to use your Ethereum tokens and the second to actually execute the bridging process.
Step 3 – Claim Tokens On Optimism #
When the Connext bridge is done transferring your Ethereum tokens it will require you to claim them. This notification will pop up at the top right corner of your screen and it won’t require a gas fee. Simply signing a transaction will release the tokens to your wallet on Optimism.
During the bridging process you will be able to track the status of your transaction if there is a need for it. Simply go to Connextscan and enter your wallet address into the search bar.
If for any reason the claim option doesn’t show up when the bridging process is complete you can use the Connextscan explorer to claim the tokens manually.
Conclusion #
The Connext bridge is a very easy and straightforward tool that enables Ethereum users to easily move tokens between Layer 2 solutions and mainnet. Hopefully this guide will make the whole process easy and simple for everyone, including complete beginners.
