# ETH2 (consensus layer)

Ethereum 2 (ETH2) is an upgrade to the Ethereum (execution layer) that improves efficiency, speed, scalability, and overall security of the network.&#x20;

The upgrade replaces the [Proof-of-Work](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_of_work) consensus mechanism with [Proof-of-Stake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_of_stake).&#x20;

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The term 'ETH2' is being phased out in preparation for [The Merge.](https://ethereum.org/en/upgrades/merge) For more information, learning, and resources, go to our [Learn -> The Merge page](https://paralinker.gitbook.io/paralinker-docs/learn/the-merge).
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### Beacon chain

The ETH2 beacon chain is the Proof-of-Stake consensus layer. It is the coordination mechanism responsible for creating new blocks, validating them, and rewarding validators with ETH.

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The beacon chain does not manage smart contracts or accounts. Writing or retrieving data is still managed by the [Ethereum JSON-RPC API](https://paralinker.gitbook.io/paralinker-docs/reference/ethereum-execution-layer/json-rpc-api).
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## Get started

To get started with the Eth2 network, [create an paralinker account and an Eth2 project](#get-started).
