Web3 has placed so much emphasis on the basic concept of zero-knowledge technology that it now stands on a pedestal, spotlighting every development. But its scalability, security, and privacy benefits don’t make it reliable by default.
People don’t realize that zero-knowledge (zk) technology, in a Web3 context, is still quite new and not without its flaws. Developers are actively addressing zk tech’s current problems, but the innovative nature of the space means they often conceptualize faster than they can build.
Continuing to place faith in zk technology without fully understanding its problems is dangerous to a sustainable Web3 future. We need to thoroughly examine the technology and its potential drawbacks before blindly trusting it.
Heroes should not exist in Web3; no technology should be put on a pedestal.
In an ideal future, zk technology will play a more integrated role in all on-chain activities. However, the technology currently exists almost as an add-on feature or accessory, rather than something that can fundamentally support on-chain execution. This is because the field and the products being developed are still relatively new.
But the ZK technology space has reached a point where it risks overcomplicating itself. A knowledge gap is growing between zk builders and Web3 users.
Other issues facing zk tech development include optimizing time-to-market without compromising project integrity. Zk proofs and circuits are currently inaccessible because developers need to learn domain-specific languages (DSLs) to further prove these calculations.
This is a very knowledge-intensive process, with the perfect example being the almost year and a half between the launch of Scroll’s pre-alpha testnet and the mainnet. Taking the time to properly implement and audit the code, Scroll’s time-to-market was likely delayed by an intensive review process of the zkEVM circuit code implemented via a custom Halo2-related zkDSL.
This is a problem because there are only a handful of people worldwide who have first-hand knowledge of DSLs and cryptography. As we get more developers on board using advanced zk technologies, we need to ensure that every part of zk technology is independently verifiable.
Then there is the challenge of configurability. Any necessary upgrade is ultimately a complete overhaul of a newly built system, rather than an “upgrade” in the sense of developers building on an existing framework.
Zk-enabled projects are already working on solutions that simplify the building process for developers. This would help solve key issues, including slow time to market, the cost of generating proofs as an independent party, circuit configurability, and the demanding nature of learning specific cryptographic languages.
Read more in our opinion section: It’s time for blockchain security companies to join forces
Building simpler ways to compile code into fully functional circuits as easily as possible is critical to ensuring the composability of a working zk-compatible application. Tools such as compilers can quickly help verify the functionality of code. Developers can also use multiple coding languages to develop more efficient applications.
Continuing to fixate on scalability and security takes away from the crucial work on other issues going on in the field. The shortcomings in ZK technology are simply ignored because the industry is in desperate need of scalability and security, overlooking the drawbacks of cost and complexity.
The truth is that zk technology needs to make itself simpler. It should be possible for developers to use the technology even if they are not experts in cryptography or circuit design.
Zk infrastructure providers must create tools that make building zk-compatible applications easier and simplify the build process for developers.
Streamlining production procedures and reducing costs associated with infrastructure is one solution to these problems. Another could be to provide more resources and support for developers looking to break into this space, such as educational programs and mentorship opportunities.
Ultimately, even with zk tech, you need to not only trust, but also verify.
This goes beyond basic transaction settlement; it should apply to the tools we use to build or compile code and should be more recognized by developers and users to promote integrity between projects.
We can avoid disappointment by taking a holistic view of the zk space – the future of zk promises untested implementations for reliably validating almost anything. Builders need to understand that its capabilities go far beyond scalability and security.
Misha is a leading developer of infrastructure for effectively generating zero-knowledge proof (ZKP). He is a researcher and developer in the field of cryptography and database management systems (DBMS), developing vital infrastructure within zero-knowledge technologies such as =nil;’s native circuit compiler zkLLVM, Proof Market and ‘Placeholder’. His technological journey began in 2013 when he started contributing to BitMessage, a peer-to-peer encrypted communication protocol. He then worked with the blockchain network BitShares and Steemit, the first application built on the Steem blockchain. Misha worked on a fork of Steem from 2017 to 2018 before founding =nil; Founded in April 2018.