Scaling Ethereum L1, Proving for L2s
In Ethereum’s proof-of-stake system, finality is achieved when a block is confirmed by at least two-thirds of validators over two consecutive epochs, taking about 12 minutes under current settings. This duration balances decentralization, processing power, and security, though our developers are exploring ways to reduce it to improve efficiency and security for decentralized applications and exchanges.
Erigon is researching the potential of Zilkworm, a C++ based ZK core for prover backends: a project in the realm of the Ethereum Foundation’s increased focus for scalability, privacy, and decentralization.
// Create block proofs in one command
z6m_prover prove --block-number 23456789 --out proof.json
z6m_prover verify proof.json
As of today, current proof generation takes about 100 seconds on a decent GPU (~1 Nvidia 4090), which is acceptable given Ethereum’s 12-minute finality. The Zilkworm team has established a robust, debuggable foundation, which includes a functional RISC-V debugger, and it is now aggressively driving technical innovations aimed at a 150-200% performance gain.
This new validator model enables consumer-grade hardware to handle increased block sizes by downloading only block headers and proofs, which significantly reduces data processing. In other words, this is a big step towards Ethereum’s goal of 1 Gigagas per second.
This approach also facilitates faster “rollups” with dramatically improved transaction inclusion latency and reduced processing overhead. Furthermore, a new type-1 EVM chain can be easily spun off re-using the same software stack.
Zilkworm marks Erigon’s entry into the space of STARKifying Layer 2 solutions, representing a significant step for the company.
Full ETH-Proofs on ethproofs
Zilkworm is now live on https://ethproofs.org/clusters, demonstrating itself to be one of the fastest proving clients, running on a cheaper architecture machine, with a single 5090 GPU and a modest consumer desktop chip. At the time of writing it is 2x faster than competition in terms of cycle count!
The C++ Advantage in a Rust-Dominated World
Zilkworm is loosely based on the former Erigon project Silkworm that heavily made use of battle-tested C++ constructs and libraries to achieve big performance leaps. Its successor continues the journey and aims to scale Ethereum using Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs). At the moment it’s one of a kind “guest program” running on top of solutions like Succinct’s SP1 Turbo.
Needless to say, the current domain of provers is largely dominated by Rust, and the standout C++ implementation offers the much required client diversity, a crucial factor for ecosystem resilience.
Furthermore when it comes to small embedded targets of RISCV (e.g rv32im) C++’s proximity to machine hardware results in many opportunities for superior optimizations.
While Rust is often favored for new implementations, Zilkworm’s existing C++ codebase provides a competitive edge in performance, a strong marketing point in the race for efficient ZK solutions.
Strategic Integration and Decentralization with L2s
Zilkworm could potentially integrate with any Ethereum L2 and by eliminating the challenge period, it could provide them with true L1-level security. While decentralizing sequencers presents a revenue challenge for most L2s, the move could attract more Total Value Locked (TVL) and prevent customer loss to competitors. This strategic shift would enhance decentralization, addressing concerns about censorship and centralized control, especially for international entities.
Privacy for Enterprise and Beyond
For enterprises, we are looking at applications with Zilkworm as an offering for privacy-preserving blockchain. Businesses can maintain internal accounting and transactions privately, submitting only proofs of state transitions to Ethereum and vice-versa: call it a private L2. This enhances public trust, enables interoperability and integrates with the Ethereum smart contracts’ existing ecosystem for assets.
Broader Applicability and Future Outlook
Zilkworm’s applicability extends beyond Ethereum to other EVM blockchains. Zilkworm can thrive in partnership with various Risc V prover SDKs and solutions, offering a superior alternative to existing solutions like Revm (and others in the line). With mainnet proofs expected to reach beta or production release soon, Zilkworm is poised to become a market leader in this domain.
Join us in our mission to make ZK more accessible for the Ethereum protocol!
Visit https://zilkworm.erigon.tech/ for more information.
