Recently, as the demand for zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology has gradually increased, more and more projects require related proof computing resources, so a new modular field has been derived - Shared Provers, which will be discussed in detail in this article Introduce its demand sources and existing projects.
What problem is the shared prover network trying to solve?
The ZK Rollup solution has the advantage of dramatically scaling transaction speeds, moving transaction calculations off-chain for faster processing, while validating zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) on Ethereum for finality. Separating calculation and verification maximizes transaction speed, so zero-knowledge proof technology is also regarded as an important key to the development of blockchain.
Generate zero-knowledge proof by calculating the ZK line to submit to the main network for verification (source)
However, generating ZK proofs requires high computing power. Node costs will need to be increased and efficiency will be reduced at this stage. Centralized provers will reduce performance and increase user gas costs during peak network hours, and sharing the prover layer may be a good way to solve this problem.
Introduction to Shared Attester Network
Differences in positioning between prover and sorter
Although some projects have plans for the future, currently Rollups based on zero-knowledge proofs including zkSync, Starknet, and Scroll use their own independent provers and sequencers to process transactions submitted by users. There are currently many of the latter The development of decentralized and shared networks, while provers have received relatively little attention from the market.
zkSync operational architecture diagram (data source)
The Shared Provers network is also called the Proof Aggregation layer. Its main job is to decentralize the process of calculating zero-knowledge proofs to improve efficiency. The shared sorter outsources the transaction sorting work to a decentralized network. Although both are related to the efficiency and security of Rollups, they do different things.
Recommended reading: Opinion | Rollups decentralization of sorters will bring more on-chain ecological opportunities Reason for recommendation: This article explains the technical and economic difficulties of decentralization of sorters, and looks forward to the opportunities that decentralization of sorters can bring. You can read it in conjunction with this article to learn more about the differences and uses of sorters and provers.
Shared prover network operation process
Using a shared prover layer, the ideal transaction operation flow is as follows:
Rollups or other requesting parties submit certification requests.
The matching mechanism automatically selects one or more provers.
This prover generates a proof to satisfy the request.
If multiple provers participate, the proofs will be aggregated.
Submit the final proof to Layer1 for verification.
Shared prover network advantage
The shared prover network can outsource the proof resources required by Rollups, allowing other professional suppliers in the network to assist in calculation and generation, achieving better efficiency and optimizing costs through professional division of labor.
The shared prover network can split the proof requirements with large computational load among multiple provers according to the architecture, further improving efficiency. On the other hand, it is also possible to integrate batches of proof requirements into one proof, while reducing the cost of calculation and on-chain, so that Rollups with smaller requirements can share the cost with other projects.
The ideal shared prover network is trustless and can be used as part of the module architecture to provide computing resources for various projects. It can help teams that need zero-knowledge computing support but do not have the relevant hardware and development capabilities to quickly build it. product.
(Arweave launches decentralized computing network ao to create an innovative smart contract computing environment)
Introduction to Shared Certifier Network Project
Nebra
Nebra is a general-purpose zero-knowledge proof aggregation layer project that packages and batches the requirements of multiple zero-knowledge proof-based services to achieve cheaper proof and verification costs. However, the project is still a centralized structure at present and aims to be decentralized in the future.
Nebra's goal is to integrate multiple zk applications to generate proofs in batches (source)
Nebra security is guaranteed through mechanisms. Nebra has a mechanism similar to existing Layer2 escape hatches. If the prover censors the content of the transaction or delays the calculation and submission of the proof, the project using the service can choose to bypass the prover and force the proof settlement on Layer1.
Nebra currently has an open test network.
Avail Nexus
Nexus is a new project under the decentralized data availability layer project Avail. It provides zero-knowledge proof calculation and sequencer services for Rollups projects with specific needs to complete the Avail ecosystem and maximize the potential market.
Projects that want to use Avail can choose Nexus modules according to their own needs (data source)
Nexus regularly submits aggregate proofs to Ethereum and Avail DA for verification.
AggLayer
AggLayer is an aggregation layer developed by the Polygon team. Its goal is to provide liquidity for all blockchain networks through unified bridge technology and create a shared prover to aggregate zero-knowledge proofs from all chains for settlement to the Ethereum main network. with verification.
Shared prover networks will be a new frontier for modularization
The current concept of industrial modularization usually focuses on the execution layer, consensus layer, settlement layer and data availability layer (DA). However, as Rollups and zero-knowledge proof technologies mature, the demand for computing zero-knowledge proofs gradually increases, and shared prover networks may become a new important field in the future.
However, it may also evolve into an aggregation layer service that integrates the sequencer and prover services, like the product built by Nexus.
But no matter how the industry is classified, the computing demand for zero-knowledge proofs will undoubtedly be a growing market opportunity.
This article introduces the shared proof layer. Why has it become an important cornerstone of modular development? First appeared in Chain News ABMedia.
