How does a bridging between EVM compatible networks occur?

When a user undergoes a bridging transaction, the following processes occur:

Step 1: User’s tokens are being deposited on the Bridge contract

Step 2: Bridge contract requests Handler contract to perform a deposit action

Step 3: Handler contract locks the deposited tokens in the token safe

Step 4: The Bridge contract does the emission of the Deposit event

Step 5: The Relayer receives the Deposit event from the source chain

Step 6: The Relayer creates a vote proposal on the destination chain to mint new tokens (in parity with the deposited tokens)

Step 7: The proposal is being executed after the threshold relayer has voted

Step 8: Tokens are being minted and deposited to the address of the recipient

Mind that the process of bridging tokens from the source network to the destination network would involve a process which is called “lock and mint” as it locks the tokens on the source network and mints then on the destination network.

And the opposite process of bridging tokens from the destination network to the source network is called “burn and release”. That is when the tokens on the destination chain are being burned before the tokens on the source network are being released.