{"id":5005,"date":"2023-01-11T17:02:40","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T15:02:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/holytransaction.com\/blog\/?p=5005"},"modified":"2023-01-31T17:28:26","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T15:28:26","slug":"understanding-the-basics-of-zero-knowledge-proofs-zkps-before-examining-zk-starks-and-zk-snarks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/holytransaction.com\/blog\/2023\/01\/understanding-the-basics-of-zero-knowledge-proofs-zkps-before-examining-zk-starks-and-zk-snarks.html","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Basics of Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) Before Examining zk-STARKs and zk-SNARKs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Ethereum now has privacy thanks to zero-knowledge proof technologies, specifically zk-STARKs. But before we can assess zk-STARKs, it is important to define a zero-knowledge proof (ZKP).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>Understanding the Basics of Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs)<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">A ZKP is a <a href=\"https:\/\/holytransaction.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/cryptocurrency-fundamentals.html\">cryptographic technique<\/a> that enables a prover to confirm another person&#8217;s assertion without disclosing any supporting data. zk-STARKs and <a href=\"https:\/\/z.cash\/technology\/zksnarks\/\">zk-SNARKs<\/a> are two of the most compelling zero-knowledge technologies available today, standing for zero-knowledge succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge and zero-knowledge scalable transparent argument of knowledge, respectively. These technologies allow one party to demonstrate their knowledge to another without actually revealing the knowledge, making them both scaling technologies, as they can enable faster <a href=\"https:\/\/holytransaction.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/bitcoin-proof-of-work-is-under-scrutiny.html\">proof verification<\/a>, and privacy-enhancing technologies, as they reduce the amount of information shared between users.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">zk-STARKs, specifically, enable users to communicate validated data or carry out computations with a third party without the other party knowing the data or results of the analysis. They are an advancement over zk-SNARKs because of their reduced algorithmic complexity, making them easier for even crypto experts to find mistakes in. These types of knowledge testing tools are primarily used to build highly private and secure systems that are decentralized and can only be accessed under specific, difficult-to-obtain conditions, such as those found in cryptocurrencies. These systems not only secure the network but also protect and anonymize users.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>Comparing zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">There are a few main differences between zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs. Firstly, zk-SNARKs require a reliable configuration phase, while zk-STARKs create verifiable computing systems without trust using publicly verifiable randomness. Secondly, zk-STARKs are more scalable in terms of speed and computational size when compared to zk-SNARKs. And thirdly, zk-SNARKs are vulnerable to attack by quantum computers, while zk-STARKs are currently immune. However, it is important to note that STARKs have larger proof sizes than SNARKs, meaning they take longer to verify and require more gas. In addition, the STARKs developer community is smaller and has less documentation compared to SNARKs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>Support from the Developer Community<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #27282d;\"><span style=\"font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Despite these differences, both the SNARKs and STARKs communities have support from developers. The <a href=\"https:\/\/ethereum.org\/en\/foundation\/\">Ethereum Foundation<\/a>, in particular, has shown support for Starkware, a company using STARKs, by awarding them a $12 million grant. While documentation for STARKs is currently less comprehensive than that for SNARKs, the <a href=\"https:\/\/holytransaction.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/how-zcash-is-changing-the-crypto-game-with-its-wrapped-debut.html\">technical community has recently created more resources<\/a> for those interested in the technology.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Open your free digital wallet <a href=\"https:\/\/holytransaction.com\/app#!\/signup\">here<\/a> to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ethereum now has privacy thanks to zero-knowledge proof technologies, specifically zk-STARKs. But before we can assess zk-STARKs, it is important to define a zero-knowledge proof (ZKP). Understanding the Basics of Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) A ZKP is a cryptographic technique that enables a prover to confirm another person&#8217;s assertion without disclosing any supporting data. zk-STARKs and [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":5019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,76,101,270,271,468,518,519],"tags":[894,944,1492,1177,1178,1491],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.6 (Yoast SEO v22.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Understanding the Basics of Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) Before Examining zk-STARKs and zk-SNARKs -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover the technical differences between zk-STARK and zk-SNARK 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