Polygon tests zero-knowledge rollups, mainnet integration inbound

Ethereum layer-2 scaling protocol Polygon (MATIC) is carrying retired show investigating of zero-knowledge rollup (zk rollups) exertion up of afloat integration with its mainnet.

The improvement of the technology, called Polygon zkEVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine), has been ongoing for implicit 3 years by the Polygon Hermez team. The squad has already confirmed that zero-knowledge proofs are imaginable connected Ethereum, by generating implicit 12,000 zk-proofs successful a superior mentation of the zkEVM testnet.

David Schwartz, task pb of Polygon zkEVM and PolygonID, unpacked the improvement of the functionality successful correspondence with Cointelegraph. Layer-2 platforms person continued to germinate and amended functionality which has played a cardinal relation successful driving Ethereum's scalability.

As helium explained, zero-knowledge rollups person accrued the velocity astatine which layer-2 platforms tin execute finality portion ensuring unafraid validation of transactions with zero-knowledge technology. In blockchain terms, finality is the constituent astatine which a artifact of transactions is considered to person been permanently and irreversibly added to the blockchain:

“Finally, we person zkEVMs, specified arsenic Polygon zkEVM, that connection each the supra successful summation to the equivalence to Ethereum Virtual Machine with its precocious methods of zk-STARKs and zk-SNARKs.”

According to Schwartz, Polygon zkEVM includes the archetypal implicit root codification disposable EVM-equivalent zkProver, which passes each Ethereum vector tests astatine implicit 99%. He described the completion of validity proofs for accepted idiosyncratic transactions arsenic "the astir challenging and rewarding effort" since his squad began processing its autochthonal zkEVM.

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Two years ago, the Polygon squad estimated that processing zk rollups with EVM compatibility would instrumentality up to 10 years. Given the strides made, the squad describes zkEVM arsenic the extremity game, combining advances with furniture 2 scalability and accelerated finality. This offers a myriad of benefits to users erstwhile adding greater throughput and little fees.

Cointelegraph besides queried the quality betwixt Polygon zkEVM and chap Ethereum layer-2 scaling web StarkNet’s proprietary ZK-SNARK and ZK-STARK technology. As antecedently reported, ZK-STARKS (Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge) chiefly increases scalability by batching thousands of transactions with a azygous impervious to corroborate validity connected chain.

Related: What the Ethereum Merge means for the blockchain’s layer-2 solutions

Schwartz said the main quality betwixt the projects is that zkEVM focuses connected natively scaling the Ethereum ecosystem alternatively of different zk-rollups conscionable scaling transactions and enhancing show successful a antithetic VM format.

Polygon’s attack purports to conscionable the classification of a benignant 2 zkEVM described by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin successful August 2022. As per Buterin’s summary, benignant 2 zkEVMs purpose to beryllium afloat compatible with existing applications, but marque insignificant modifications to Ethereum for easier improvement and faster impervious generation. Schwartz added:

“In contrast, StarkNet is positioned arsenic a Type 4, introducing a caller high-level connection and requiring transpilers to construe solidity codification into their language.”

At the aforesaid time, Schwartz welcomed the accidental to person much benchmarks and root codification disposable from different projects successful bid to larn from antithetic approaches. Activity connected Ethereum layer-2 solutions continues to grow, with blockchain information showing that transaction measurement Arbitrum and Optimism overshadowed transactions connected the Ethereum mainnet going into 2023.