Introduction Fairy Tale Version: zk Zero-Knowledge Proof
story background:
A long time ago, in a distant village, there lived a little girl named Alice. Alice loved adventure very much. One day, when she was playing in the forest, she found a mysterious cave.
Curiosity drove Alice into the cave. It was dark inside, so she could only grope her way forward. Suddenly, she saw a door in front of her with a big lock on it. Alice tried, but the door wouldn't open.
At this time, a voice came from behind the door: "If you can prove that you are honest, I will open the door and let you in."
Alice was curious about what was behind the door, so she asked, "How can I prove that I am honest?"
The person behind the door said, "You need to answer me a question. Only an honest person knows the answer to this question."
Alice thought for a moment and said, "Okay, go ahead and ask."
The person behind the door asked, "What is the most beautiful flower in the forest?"
Alice thought for a moment, and then said, "I think it is the rose. Roses are not only beautiful, but also have a very sweet smell."
The person behind the door was silent for a moment, then said, "You are right. The door is open."
As soon as the door opened, Alice saw a magical world. In this world, everyone has different secrets, but they can all use a technology called "zk zero-knowledge proof" to prove their secrets without revealing the contents of the secret.
Story analysis:
In this story, Alice is the prover and the person behind the door is the verifier. If Alice wants to enter the world behind the door, she needs to prove that she is honest to the verifier.
Alice knows what the most beautiful flower in the forest is, which is a secret. But she cannot tell the verifier the secret directly, because this will reveal the secret.
So Alice used zk zero-knowledge proof technology. She only told the verifier the answer to a question related to the secret**, but did not reveal any information about the secret itself**.
The verifier can determine whether Alice knows the answer to the secret through the answer she provides. If Alice is indeed honest, the verifier will believe that she knows the secret and allow her to enter the world behind the door.
If you still don’t understand, you can go to youtube and search for Professor Li Yongle’s public video explanation of zero-knowledge proof:
About ZK's blockchain knowledge:
first lesson
The English abbreviations of zk zero-knowledge proof are mainly as follows:
* zk: This is the most common abbreviation, which can refer to all blockchain projects that use zero-knowledge proof technology.
* ZKP: The abbreviation of Zero Knowledge Proof, which refers to zero-knowledge proof technology.
* ZK Rollup: refers to the Layer 2 expansion solution based on zero-knowledge proof technology.
The following are some specific zk projects and their corresponding abbreviations:
* Zcash: A cryptocurrency that uses zk-SNARK technology to achieve privacy protection, referred to as ZEC.
* StarkNet: A general-purpose programmable zk Rollup based on zk-STARK technology, referred to as STARK.
* Loopring: zk Rollup based on zk-SNARK technology, referred to as LRC.
* zkSync: zk Rollup based on zk-SNARK technology, abbreviated as ZK.
* Polygon zkEVM: zk Rollup based on zk-EVM technology, compatible with Ethereum smart contracts, abbreviated as MATIC.
* Scroll: zk Rollup based on zk-SNARK technology, abbreviated as SCRL.
In practical applications, the specific meaning of zk may depend on the context. For example, when discussing zero-knowledge proof technology, zk or ZKP is often used. When discussing zk Rollup, ZK Rollup is often used.
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Second lesson
There are mainly the following types of zk networks:
1. Layer 1
The first-level network refers to the original network built on the bottom layer of the blockchain, such as Ethereum, Bitcoin, etc. These networks usually have strong decentralization and security, but the transaction speed is slow and the handling fee is high.
2. Layer 2
The secondary network refers to an extended network built on the primary network, which aims to solve the scalability problem of the primary network. Zk Rollup is a type of secondary network that uses zero-knowledge proof technology to compress transaction data, thereby increasing transaction speed and reducing handling fees.
3. Testnet
A testnet is a copy of a blockchain network used to test it before its official release. Testnets usually contain no real money and can be used by developers to test new features and fix bugs.
According to my search results, the main zk networks currently include:
First level network:
* Zcash: A privacy-preserving cryptocurrency that uses zk-SNARK technology.
Secondary network:
* StarkNet: Universal programmable zk Rollup based on zk-STARK technology.
* Loopring: zk Rollup based on zk-SNARK technology.
* zkSync: zk Rollup based on zk-SNARK technology.
* Polygon zkEVM: zk Rollup based on zk-EVM technology, compatible with Ethereum smart contracts.
* Scroll: zk Rollup based on zk-SNARK technology.
Testnet:
* zkSync 2.0: zkSync's secondary network testnet.
* StarkNet Alpha: StarkNet’s mainnet testnet.
It should be noted that the zk network is still developing rapidly, new networks are constantly emerging, and existing networks are constantly being upgraded and iterated. Therefore, the above list may not be complete.
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Lesson Three
On June 17, 2024, Binance Exchange officially launched zkSync (ZK) spot trading pairs, including ZK/BTC, ZK/USDT, ZK/FDUSD, and ZK/TRY. ZK tokens also began to be distributed to eligible Binance users on the same day.
zkSync is a secondary network based on Ethereum that aims to increase Ethereum's transaction speed and reduce transaction fees through zero-knowledge proof technology. zkSync also supports the execution of smart contracts, which means that developers can build decentralized applications (DApps) on zkSync.
Other zk networks
The other zk networks you mentioned also have their own tokens, such as:
* StarkNet: Token is STARK
* Loopring: The token is LRC
* Polygon zkEVM: The token is MATIC
* Scroll: The token is SCRL
None of these tokens are currently listed on the Binance exchange.
How to distinguish different zk networks
To distinguish different zk networks, you can look at the following aspects:
* Zero-knowledge proof technology used: Different zk networks use different zero-knowledge proof technologies, such as zk-SNARK and zk-STARK.
* Supported functions: Different zk networks support different functions, for example, some support smart contracts and some do not.
* Development stage: Different zk networks are in different stages of development, some have been launched on the mainnet, and some are still in the testnet stage.
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Lesson 4 The difference between ZKsync network and ARB arbitrum one network:
principle
* Decision:
* Using Optimistic Rollup technology, the transaction data is packaged and processed outside the Ethereum mainnet, and then the transaction results are submitted to the Ethereum mainnet for verification.
* Adopts Arianite virtual machine, which is highly compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
* zkSync:
* Use zk Rollup technology and zero-knowledge proof technology to compress transaction data, process transactions off-chain, and submit the compressed transaction data to the Ethereum mainnet for verification.
* Uses zkEVM virtual machine, which is highly compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
Gas Fees
* Decision:
Gas fees are generally lower than Ethereum mainnet*, but higher than zkSync.
* Gas fees fluctuate depending on network congestion.
*zkSync:
Gas fees are currently the lowest*, typically just a few cents.
* Gas fees are relatively stable.
**speed
* Decision:
Transaction speed is over 100 times faster than Ethereum mainnet*.
* Speeds may vary depending on network congestion.
*zkSync:
Transactions are much faster*, typically in just seconds.
* The speed is relatively stable.
**The following table summarizes the key differences between the Arbitrum and zkSync networks when sending 100 USDT:
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Overall, zkSync has advantages in both gas fees and speed. However, Arbitrum's network is more mature and supports more DApps.
Arbitrum is an Ethereum secondary network based on Optimistic Rollup technology. Optimistic Rollup is a Layer 2 scaling solution that increases transaction speed and reduces transaction fees by packaging transaction data outside the Ethereum mainnet for processing and then submitting the transaction results to the Ethereum mainnet for verification.
Arbitrum’s core technology is Arianite**, a virtual machine designed specifically for Optimistic Rollup. Arianite is highly compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which means developers can easily migrate DApps on Ethereum to Arbitrum.
Arbitrum’s key benefits include:
* High throughput: Arbitrum can increase Ethereum’s transaction speed by more than 100 times.
* Low fees: Arbitrum’s transaction fees are much lower than Ethereum mainnet.
* Security: Arbitrum’s security is consistent with the Ethereum mainnet.
* Ease of use: Developers can easily migrate DApps on Ethereum to Arbitrum.
Arbitrum has officially launched its mainnet in August 2021 and has become one of the largest Layer 2 networks on Ethereum. A large number of DApps have been deployed on Arbitrum, including DeFi, NFT, games, etc.
What makes Arbitrum different from other zk networks?
Zk Rollup is also a Layer 2 scaling solution, but it uses different technology from Optimistic Rollup. Zk Rollup uses zero-knowledge proof technology to compress transaction data, thereby increasing transaction speed and reducing fees.
The main differences between Arbitrum and zk Rollup are:
* Technology: Arbitrum uses Optimistic Rollup technology, while zk Rollup uses zero-knowledge proof technology.
* Privacy: zk Rollup can provide higher privacy because transaction data is processed off-chain.
* Scalability: Arbitrum is potentially more scalable because zero-knowledge proofs are computationally expensive.
In general, Arbitrum and zk Rollup are both promising Layer 2 scaling solutions. Which solution is better depends on the specific application scenario.
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