zkEVM: What The Newest Way For Scaling Ethereum Brings To The Web3 Space!

Key Takeaways:

• Check out zkEVM, the newest scaling solution for Ethereum that combines zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
• See how this Ethereum scaling solution enables efficient transactions in terms of speeds and costs alongside other benefits.
• Learn how you can tap into customized zkEVMs for business in the ever-diverse Web3 market.

The world of blockchains has been constantly evolving, with breakthroughs being more common in terms of technology and business models. We all know Ethereum’s arrival was a pathbreaking endeavor for the blockchain industry owing to its support for smart contracts alongside impeccable security. We also know the network’s susceptibility to slower processing speeds and associated gas wars (which had become commonplace during the 2021 crypto boom). Although many solutions have been developed to provide scalability to Ethereum, new ones keep dropping in, just like how zkEVM announced itself. This blog will focus exclusively on zkEVMs and how these solutions can contribute to the wider cause of the decentralized market.

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zkEVM: An Introduction

A zkEVM or zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine is a development environment that offers support for zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to be executed on the Ethereum main network. The solution strives to amplify Ethereum’s scalability, safety, and decentralization using advanced technological facets.

• zkEVM technology is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, meaning it can support Solidity-based smart contracts without the need to change the underlying code. Such provisions enhance accessibility to this new subsystem for Ethereum-native developers, maximizing the utility of zkEVMs that can elevate business dApps they build code for.
• The usage of zero-knowledge proofs by zkEVM means transaction senders will never need to reveal all their data by showing sufficient evidence of knowledge through mathematical equations. This technology brings the scope of zero-knowledge proofs to the Ethereum core infrastructure, ushering in a novel way to scale the network without the risks of data breaches and malicious access.
• Currently, there are several entities having their own versions of the zkEVM, including Polygon, Immutable, and Consensys, that allow developers to provide seamless functionality to their decentralized applications. The ecosystem is expected to have multiple players entering soon as the potential of zkEVMs is felt well across the market.

General Architecture of a zkEVM

Before looking at how a zkEVM works, it is essential to understand the architecture that drives this version of the Ethereum Virtual Machine. The zero-knowledge technological solution comes with three critical components that operate it to achieve massive advantages for users. 

1. Execution Environment: The execution environment provides a place for the zkEVM to run its programs, which look to smart contracts on Ethereum. It functions similarly to the original Ethereum Virtual Machine by processing the state before the transaction and the transaction involved to give the new form.
2. Proving Circuit: The proving circuit creates zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) that verify the accuracy of the transactions processed through the execution environment. It uses data from the initial state, transaction input, and the final state to form a complex and concise mathematical proof to confirm the transaction is legitimate.
3. Verifier Contract: The verifier contract receives the validity proofs generated by the zero-knowledge (ZK) rollups in the proving circuit and analyzes them. If the data in the proof shows the updated state of those bundled transactions, the transaction is processed on the Ethereum mainnet without having to process individual transactions.

How Do zkEVMs Work In General?

Now that we have seen the core architecture of the zkEVM technology that enables enhanced efficiency and security for transaction data, it is time to see how these solutions actually work. Their emphasis on processing bundled transactions instead of individual ones (a core facet of the original notion of blockchain technology) makes them a vital element when Web3 adoption levels are rising.

1. The process begins with the zkEVM accessing the relevant bytecode that ensures the virtual machine loads the intended smart contract program from the correct address.
2. The zkEVM conducts the necessary tests to ensure that the smart contract derives the correct value from the storage that assures the accuracy of the transaction.
3. After executing the smart contract, the zkEVM verifies whether the generated output is correct, ensuring the results from the underlying code are as intended.
4. Lastly, the zkEVM deals with computational verification to guarantee the ideal execution of the operational codes, placing the transaction on the Ethereum main network forever.

Unparalleled Benefits zkEVMs Offer

The zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) provides a plethora of benefits to users, opening a wide array of opportunities for them. With its unique way of processing transactions and ramping up efficiency levels, this technological solution enhances the functionality and appeal of the original Ethereum network in the market.

• Safely Scalable: Unlike other blockchain solutions that thrive on certain assumptions for scaling up and down, zkEVMs come with mathematical computational proofs that enhance security. By processing transactions on a layer-2 and verifying on the Ethereum mainnet, they optimize for high-speed and high-volume transactions without giving up security and decentralization.

• Quick Finality: Transactions processed by a zkEVM attain finality (that is becoming immutable) far quicker than traditional blockchains, ensuring that no leeway is available for malicious actors to act upon. This also elevates the user experience and transaction processing efficiency, both of which are essential for blockchains to achieve successful mainstream adoption.

• Programmability: By design, zkEVM solutions are compatible with Ethereum smart contract programming environments. This allows developers to utilize familiar tools and languages like Solidity and Ether.js to create the back-end aspect of decentralized applications. Such provisions enhance zkEVMs’ appeal in the Web3 space, as developers will be more readily able to capitalize on their powerful nature.

• Elevated Privacy: As zkEVM technology uses zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) for registering bundled transactions on the Ethereum main network, privacy levels are bolstered. No data from individual transactions will be visible to other nodes, although operators will be able to verify that the intended transactions still exist.

• Lowered Costs: These solutions tap into off-chain mechanisms to process and pool transactions into bundles, which are then verified and registered on the main Ethereum blockchain. Such an approach dramatically reduces transaction costs, as the Ethereum mainnet does less intimidating work, elevating the overall blockchain experience for businesses handling microtransactions.

Conclusion

Therefore, we have seen everything about zkEVM technology solutions that strive to enhance the nature of the Ethereum blockchain. With the potential these solutions hold for the wider blockchain community, one can easily imagine how much good it will do for the digital world. If you are planning to build a blockchain-based business, why not try out zkEVM for the smart contacts governing your projects? With our experts at Blockchain App Factory, you can easily code and implement powerful zkEVM solutions that offer unparalleled efficiency for your Web3 business. Get in action now to realize your new venture idea!