Polygon

Assist with Polygon PoS and zkEVM transactions, bridging, gas tokens, and ecosystem navigation.

Security Scan

This is an instruction-only skill that provides high-level guidance about Polygon PoS and zkEVM networks; it requests no credentials, installs nothing, and its content is consistent with the described purpose.

Purpose & Capability

The skill's name and description match the SKILL.md content: it is a how-to / reference guide for Polygon PoS and zkEVM topics (bridging, gas, wallets, staking). It does not request unrelated credentials, binaries, or permissions.

Instruction Scope

The SKILL.md contains only explanatory guidance and safety tips. It does not instruct the agent to read local files, access environment variables, call external endpoints on behalf of the user, or exfiltrate data. There is no open-ended 'gather whatever context you need' language that would broaden scope.

Install Mechanism

No install spec or code files are present. Being instruction-only, it requires no downloads or filesystem changes, which minimizes installation risk.

Credentials

The skill declares no required environment variables, credentials, or config paths. This is proportionate for a read-only guidance/reference skill.

Persistence & Privilege

The skill is not always-enabled and has default invocation settings. It does not request persistent system-level privileges or modify other skills' configurations.

Assessment

This skill is a readable reference about Polygon networks and appears safe to install because it asks for nothing and makes no system changes. Treat its content as guidance only — it will not perform transactions. Before sending funds or bridging, independently verify chain IDs, RPC endpoints, and official bridge URLs (e.g., check polygonscan.com or official Polygon docs); the advice may become outdated. If you later install or use a different skill that performs transactions for you, only provide the minimal credentials required and prefer well-known providers or wallet integrations rather than giving private keys directly.

Network Confusion (Critical)

• Polygon PoS is the main chain — EVM compatible, uses MATIC for gas
• Polygon zkEVM is separate — different RPC, same MATIC token but bridged separately
• MATIC is rebranding to POL — transition in progress, wallets will update
• Polygon Mainnet ≠ Ethereum Mainnet — same address format, different networks
• Sending to wrong network loses funds — always verify network before sending

MATIC/POL Token

• MATIC used for gas on Polygon PoS — required for all transactions
• MATIC exists on Ethereum as ERC-20 — must bridge to use on Polygon
• POL replacing MATIC — same value, automatic migration for most users
• Native MATIC on Polygon vs ERC-20 MATIC on Ethereum — different networks

Bridging

• Official Polygon Bridge: bridge.polygon.technology — safe but slow (30+ minutes to Polygon, 7 days back)
• Withdrawals to Ethereum take 7 days — checkpoint mechanism for security
• Third-party bridges faster but have smart contract risk — Hop, Across, Stargate
• Bridge MATIC before bridging tokens — need gas on destination chain
• Always have MATIC for gas after bridging — tokens without gas are stuck

Gas and Fees

• Gas prices in gwei like Ethereum — but much cheaper (typically 30-100 gwei)
• Transactions cost fractions of a cent — major advantage over Ethereum
• Gas spikes during high activity — NFT mints, popular drops
• Failed transactions still cost gas — same as Ethereum behavior
• Priority fee for faster inclusion — same EIP-1559 model

Tokens and DeFi

• Same token standards as Ethereum — ERC-20, ERC-721, ERC-1155 all work
• Many Ethereum tokens have Polygon versions — verify contract addresses
• Wrapped tokens need unwrapping — bridged ETH is not native ETH
• QuickSwap, Uniswap, Aave all on Polygon — same interfaces as Ethereum
• Lower liquidity than Ethereum mainnet — higher slippage on large trades

Wallet Setup

• MetaMask supports Polygon natively — add network from chainlist.org
• Chain ID: 137 — RPC: https://polygon-rpc.com
• Block explorer: polygonscan.com — verify transactions and contracts
• Same address as Ethereum — but balances are network-specific

Common Issues

• "Insufficient MATIC for gas" — need MATIC, not just tokens
• Transaction stuck pending — gas price too low, speed up or wait
• Tokens not showing in wallet — add custom token with contract address
• Bridge transaction pending — checkpoints take time, don't panic
• "Network not supported" — dApp may not support Polygon, check docs

zkEVM Specifics

• Separate network from PoS — different RPC and chain ID (1101)
• Uses ETH for gas, not MATIC — bridge ETH from Ethereum
• Faster finality than optimistic rollups — ZK proofs instead of fraud proofs
• Some opcodes behave differently — minor contract compatibility issues
• Growing ecosystem — fewer dApps than PoS currently

Staking

• MATIC staking on Ethereum mainnet — validators secure both networks
• Delegate to validators — no minimum, rewards vary by validator
• Unbonding takes 80 checkpoints (~3-4 days) — funds locked during unbonding
• Liquid staking available — stMATIC, MaticX for liquidity while staking

Security

• Same security model as Ethereum — private key controls all
• Approve tokens carefully — revoke unused approvals at polygonscan.com
• Verify contract addresses — scam tokens use similar names
• Official bridge is safest — third-party bridges have additional risk
• Keep some MATIC for emergencies — stuck tokens without gas is common