Avalanche operates as a layer one blockchain designed to support decentralized applications (DApps) and customizable blockchain networks. Positioned as a competitor to Ethereum, Avalanche aims to surpass Ethereum's popularity as the leading blockchain for smart contracts by offering higher transaction throughput of up to 6,500 transactions per second without compromising scalability. This enhanced performance is enabled by Avalanche's distinctive architecture, which comprises three individual blockchains: the X-Chain, C-Chain, and P-Chain. Each chain serves a specific purpose, departing from the traditional approach of having all nodes validate all transactions, as seen in Bitcoin and Ethereum. Moreover, Avalanche blockchains employ different consensus mechanisms tailored to their respective use cases. Since its mainnet launch in 2020, Avalanche has been cultivating its ecosystem of DApps and decentralized finance (DeFi) projects. Notably, various Ethereum-based initiatives, such as SushiSwap and TrueUSD, have integrated with Avalanche. Additionally, the platform is actively enhancing interoperability between its ecosystem and Ethereum through the development of bridges.