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Exploring zkSync Era: Enhancing Ethereum's Privacy and Scalability with Zero-Knowledge Proof

Writer's picture: Michael PaulynMichael Paulyn

Zero-knowledge (ZK) is an area of growing interest in blockchain, particularly within the Ethereum community. The primary goal is to address two critical issues of the Ethereum blockchain: privacy and scalability. This blog examines zkSync Era, a leading project leveraging zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to provide scalable and low-cost transactions on Ethereum.



The Essence of Zero-Knowledge Proofs

The core of ZK's promise lies in its zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), which enable data verification without exposing the underlying information. In the context of blockchain, ZKPs offer a way to scale networks efficiently by processing transactions off-chain while preserving the security guarantees of on-chain operations. Additionally, ZKPs maintain the integrity of data in decentralized networks.


Overview of zkSync Era

zkSync Era is a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum that employs zk-rollup technology to bundle multiple transactions into a single proof, processing them off-chain. This significantly boosts Ethereum's transaction throughput, allowing Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) dApps to be ported effortlessly to zkSync Era, offering higher transaction throughput while maintaining Ethereum's security and decentralization.


How zkSync Era Works

Transaction Lifecycle

  • Creation: A user initiates a transaction or a priority operation.

  • Processing: The operator processes this request, creating a rollup operation and adding it to a block.

  • Commitment: The operator submits the block to the zkSync smart contract as a block commitment, with the smart contract checking the rollup operation logic.

  • Verification: The proof for the block is submitted to the zkSync smart contract as block verification, finalizing the new state upon successful verification.


Block Stages

  • Pending: The transaction is received by the operator but not yet processed.

  • Processed: The transaction is processed and confirmed for inclusion in the next block.

  • Committed: The transaction data is posted on Ethereum, ensuring data availability.

  • Finalized: The SNARK validity proof for the transaction is submitted and verified, marking the transaction as final.


The Role of the Operator

Operators in zkSync Era play a pivotal role in managing the processing of transactions, creating and committing blocks, and generating and submitting zero-knowledge proofs. They are responsible for maintaining the network's integrity and security, ensuring transactions are processed correctly and efficiently, and safeguarding the network against potential threats.


zkSync Era and EVM Compatibility

According to Vitalik Buterin, EVM compatibility fall into four types. zkSync is a Type 4 system in the zkEVMs taxonomy, which compiles smart contract source code written in high-level languages (like Solidity or Vyper) into a language designed to be zk-SNARK-friendly. zkSync Era supports smart contracts written in Solidity or Vyper, using custom compilers like zksolc for Solidity and zkvyper for Vyper, ensuring compatibility and efficient execution.



Advantages and Disadvantages of zkSync Era

Advantages

  • Performance: Type 4 systems like zkSync have speedy prover times, prioritizing performance by bypassing the need to zero-knowledge prove every aspect of EVM execution.

  • Seamless Migration: The support for Solidity 0.8.x allows developers to deploy their existing Ethereum codebase with minimal changes, facilitating a smoother transition.

Disadvantages

  • Compatibility Issues: This approach leads to more incompatibility than systems that closely replicate the EVM, making handwritten EVM bytecode more challenging.


Key Features for Developers

  • Solidity 0.8.x Support: Enables deploying existing Ethereum codebase with minimal changes.

  • Native Account Abstraction: Allows for programmable authorizations, enhancing wallet designs with features like social recovery and multisig capabilities.

  • L1 → L2 Smart Contract Messaging: Enables two-way communication between Ethereum and zkSync, allowing actions like triggering smart contracts based on L2 events.


The Future of Ethereum Scalability with zkSync Era

zkSync Era is poised to address Ethereum's scalability challenges via zero-knowledge proofs. Matter Labs, the team behind zkSync, is working on zkPorter, an off-chain data availability solution expected to reduce costs and increase transaction scalability significantly. zkPorter will offer users the choice between on-chain and off-chain data availability.


Final Thoughts

zkSync Era represents a significant advancement in Ethereum's scalability solutions, leveraging zero-knowledge proofs to enhance transaction throughput and maintain security. Developers can build on zkSync Era today, utilizing a suite of smart contracts from thirdweb, from NFT airdrop contracts to staking contracts for ERC20 tokens, ensuring a robust and scalable environment for their web3 applications.


Hungry for more? Join me each week, where I'll break down complex topics and dissect the latest news within the cybersecurity industry and blockchain ecosystem, simplifying the world of tech.

 

 

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