POLYGON ZKEVM

- What is ZkEVM

- Why Build ZKEVM

- Benefits

- Use cases

Introduction

Before we dive into what a zkEVM really is, we need to understand each component of this product. A zkEVM is a combination of two powerful technologies: zero knowledge, an ingenious cryptographic solution and an EVM, a distributed state machine that ushered in the development of applications in the blockchain space.

Zero Knowledge

Zero-knowledge is a cryptography protocol that provides more security when creating proofs to validate a statement. The basic idea behind this is that it is possible to prove a statement without necessarily exposing the information used to reach that solution.

A consistent zero-knowledge proof needs to follow a few rules: verifiers should be convinced of a proven statement if that is valid. In the same way, verifiers should not be convinced by false statements, unless for a small probability. And also, the proof needs to be validated without disclosing the secret, any additional information or the statement itself.

Ethereum Virtual Machine​

The Ethereum Virtual Machine is the system employed by the Ethereum network to enable the running of smart contracts and dapps on the blockchain. In the beginning, this distributed network of computers, the blockchain, was more limited in the sense that it only offered the basic function of storing transactions in a decentralized manner.

The Ethereum network uses this virtual machine so that the code made on Solidity might be compiled into bytecode and then this more low-level instance could generate a state change. In fact, the whole idea of the EVM is to function as a state machine, which receives inputs that makes changes to the network's current state, eliciting the blockchain operation.

zkEVM​

The zkEVM conjoins the zero-knowledge cryptography speed and security boost with the Ethereum Virtual Machine standardization of coding and software development. As it is well known that Ethereum has some major drawbacks, such as its difficult scalability and transaction costs, a few solutions might leverage this service to deliver superior network outcomes. Such is the case of rollups.

Polygon ZKEVM

Polygon zkEVM is an open-source ZK-Rollup providing EVM opcode compatibility for a frictionless user experience and the security of Ethereum.

It is the first zero-knowledge scaling solution that is fully equivalent to an EVM. All existing smart contracts, developer toolings and wallets work seamlessly. The zkEVM harnesses the power of ZK proofs to reduce transaction costs and massively increase throughput, all while inheriting the security of Ethereum.

Why Build Polygon ZKEVM

PROVIDE USERS WITH AN EXPERIENCE IDENTICAL TO ETHEREUM L1 WITH MASSIVE SCALABILITY ENHANCEMENT

Benefits

Use Cases

Comparing with Optimistic Rollup based Defi Applications

Reference:

What is Polygon ZKEVM (no date) Polygon Wiki. Available at: https://wiki.polygon.technology/docs/home/polygon-basics/zkEVM-basics/ (Accessed: April 4, 2023).