Ethereum Polygon (MATIC) layer-2 scaling protocol performs performance tests of zero-knowledge rollup technology (zk rollups) before full integration with the mainnet.
The development of the technology, called Polygon zkEVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine), has been carried out for more than three years by the Polygon Hermez team. The team has confirmed that zero-knowledge proofs are possible on Ethereum, generating more than 12,000 zk-proofs in the main version of the zkEVM testnet.
David Schwartz, the leader of the Polygon zkEVM and PolygonID projects, explained the development of these functions in a correspondence with Cointelegraph. The Layer-2 platform continues to evolve and add functionality that plays a key role in driving Ethereum’s scalability.
As described, zero-knowledge rollup increases the speed at which layer-2 platforms can achieve finality while ensuring secure transaction validation with zero-knowledge technology. In blockchain terms, finality is the point at which a block of transactions is considered to have been permanently and irreversibly added to the blockchain:
“Finally, we have zkEVMs, such as Polygon zkEVM, which offer all of the above in addition to being similar to the Ethereum Virtual Machine with advanced zk-STARKs and zk-SNARKs methods.”
According to Schwartz, Polygon zkEVM includes the first complete source code available EVM-equivalent zkProver, which passes all Ethereum vector tests in over 99%. He described completing the proof of validity for conventional user transactions as “the most challenging and rewarding endeavor” since the team began developing the original zkEVM.
Two years ago, the Polygon team estimated that developing zk rollups with EVM compatibility would take ten years. Given the strides made, the team describes zkEVM as the end game, combining progress with layer 2 scalability and quick finality. This offers many benefits to users while adding greater throughput and lower costs.
Cointelegraph also asked the difference between Polygon zkEVM and fellow Ethereum layer-2 scaling network StarkNet’s proprietary ZK-SNARK and ZK-STARK technology. As previously reported, ZK-STARKS (Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Knowledge Argument) mainly improves scalability by combining thousands of transactions with a single proof to confirm validity on the chain.
Related: What Ethereum Merger means for blockchain layer-2 solutions
Schwartz said the main difference between the projects is that zkEVM focuses on native scaling of the Ethereum ecosystem instead of other zk-rollups that only scale transactions and improve performance in different VM formats.
Polygon’s approach aims to meet the zkEVM type 2 classification described by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin in August 2022. According to Buterin’s summary, type 2 zkEVMs aim to be compatible with existing applications, but make small modifications to Ethereum to make development easier. and faster evidence generation. Schwartz added:
“In contrast, StarkNet is positioned as Type 4, introducing a new high-level language and requiring a transpiler to translate solidity code into its language.”
At the same time, Schwartz welcomes the opportunity to have other benchmarks and source code available from other projects to learn from different approaches. Activity on Ethereum’s layer-2 solution continues to grow, with blockchain data showing that Arbitrum and Optimism’s transaction volume will outpace transactions on the Ethereum mainnet until 2023.