Exploring the Implementation Challenges of Intent-Centric Architecture from UniswapX and Account Abstraction

Recently, there has been a high level of attention in the Web3 field on "intention-centered protocols and infrastructure." This trend is seen as a new driving force for the popularization of Web3, with the core goal of significantly enhancing user experience by hiding the complex details of transactions. This article will explore the concept, applications, and challenges faced by intention-centered architecture, starting from two specific applications: UniswapX and ERC4337.

1. Concept of Intent-Centric Architecture

Intent-centric protocols can be understood as a set of signed contracts that allow users to outsource the transaction process to third parties while maintaining full control over the transaction. Users only need to specify the goals they want to achieve without worrying about the specific implementation process. This model is similar to the development trajectory of the traditional Internet, from early vertical services to mid-stage service aggregation platforms, and finally to later intelligent platforms.

2. Typical Application Cases

2.1 Economic Design of UniswapX

UniswapX is a new type of permissionless, open-source, auction-based routing protocol for trading across AMMs and other sources of liquidity. It adopts an off-chain matching on-chain execution order book model, addressing the issues of user costs, execution prices, and trading links faced by traditional AMMs.

The operational model of UniswapX includes:

• User end: Select order, sign, and publish to the order book.
• Fillers end: Scan various data, analyze the optimal transaction chain and participate in bidding.

The economic model of UniswapX incentivizes Fillers to participate in transactions through fee-sharing, creating a positive cycle. This design effectively addresses the incentive problem of intent publishing, providing a feasible solution for the implementation of intent-centric architecture.

2.2 ERC4337 and account abstraction

ERC4337, as the infrastructure for account abstraction, provides support for the realization of a pure intent transaction model. Its core mechanisms include:

• Verify user signatures on-chain through the entryPoint contract.
• Off-chain, the user signs UserOperation as an instruction.
• The Bundler is responsible for batch packaging on-chain execution.

The paymaster system of ERC4337 provides a universal solution for achieving gas-free transactions and is expected to become an important infrastructure for future intent-based applications.

3. Challenges Faced in Implementation

The contradiction combined with AI 3.1

Although AI can assist with intent parsing, stability and interpretability remain the primary considerations in financial systems. AI may only be used as an auxiliary tool in the short term.

3.2 The design challenges of intentPool

The intentPool needs to find a balance between decentralization and centralization, addressing the issues of the propagation mechanism while avoiding centralized auditing and intervention. Designing a mechanism for intent discovery and matching that balances incentives and decentralization still faces challenges.

3.3 Intent to Protect Privacy

The irreversibility of signatures brings privacy risks. Some projects like Anomo are exploring solutions to the standardization and privacy issues of intent. The development of new privacy-preserving intent languages like juvix is also underway.

4. Conclusion

The rise of intent-centered architecture reflects the Web3 industry beginning to focus on actual user needs, paving the way for widespread adoption. Future development models may include fee-sharing models similar to UniswapX or business models based on user tiering.

The DeFi sector may be the stage where intent architecture first blossoms. Multiple projects are exploring in this direction, such as DappOS and Brink Trade. The key to the future lies in establishing a market or collaborative framework for intent solvers to achieve universally standardized intent solutions. The standardization process requires top-down promotion, and projects like DappOs and Anomo are at the forefront in this regard, which is worth looking forward to.