Swap
Exchanging one token for another on the same chain using a decentralized exchange (DEX).
Bridge
Moving value from one blockchain to another (e.g., Ethereum → Base). Some routes mint a temporary representation on the destination chain and may auto-swap back to the canonical token.
Cross-chain call
A bridge or swap plus an automatic contract action on the destination chain (e.g., deposit into a protocol) in one flow.
Layer 1 (L1)
A base blockchain (e.g., Ethereum, Solana, Bitcoin).
Alt L1
An L1 different from the one you’re starting on (often non-EVM).
Layer 2 (L2) / Rollup
A scaling network that processes transactions off-chain and posts proofs or summaries back to an L1, lowering costs and increasing throughput.
Virtual Machine (VM)
The runtime a chain uses to execute smart contracts (e.g., EVM on Ethereum, Sealevel on Solana).
Alt-VM
A Swaps label for non-named VMs (e.g., Bitcoin, XRP). These may use deposit-style flows and extra indexing steps.
Native token vs. wrapped token
The native token is the chain’s gas currency (e.g., ETH on Ethereum). Wrapped tokens represent another asset in a compatible format on a different chain (e.g., WBTC on Ethereum).
Canonical vs. synthetic/“wrapped” asset
The canonical token is the official representation on a chain. Some bridges deliver a wrapped/synthetic version first; routes may auto-swap to canonical when liquidity allows.
Gas
Network fee paid in the source chain’s native token to submit your transaction. Some routes also fund destination execution by netting a small amount from the bridged value.
Token approval (allowance)
Permission for a contract to spend your ERC-20 tokens to execute a swap. Approvals can be revoked later.
Slippage
The allowed difference between your quoted and executed price.
Exact-in trades: slippage sets the minimum you’ll receive
Exact-out trades: slippage caps the maximum you’ll spend
Price impact
The price change caused by the size of your trade relative to pool liquidity (distinct from slippage due to market movement).
Exact-in vs. exact-out
Exact-in: You fix the input and enforce a minimum output
Exact-out: You fix the output and allow spending up to a maximum input
Transaction hash / explorer link
A unique ID to track your transaction on a block explorer (e.g., Etherscan, Solscan).
Cross-chain explorers
Explorers that show message/bridge status across chains (e.g., LayerZero Scan, Wormholescan, Axelarscan).
Mint
A mint during a token swap is when new tokens are created on the destination chain to represent the amount you swapped in. This is common in cross-chain routes where a bridge issues tokens on the receiving chain.