Request for Comments: ZkBoost - Unified Client for Outsourced Proof Generation
Overview
This RFC proposes ZkBoost, an open-source initiative to standardize proof generation service integration through a unified client software. The proposal aims to reduce fragmentation in the ZK proving landscape and enable a more competitive market for proving services.
We invite the ZK community to review and provide feedback on the architectural design, potential challenges, and implementation considerations detailed below. Your input will be crucial in shaping this solution to benefit all stakeholders in the ZK ecosystem.
What is ZkBoost?
ZkBoost is an initiative within the ZK landscape aimed at reducing fragmentation in proof generation. We believe that introducing a unified client software for outsourced proving will benefit the proof demand side, delivering competitive pricing for users. This is a collaborative effort to establish a foundational level of uniformity ahead of emerging proof markets, further driving down costs.
Problem Description
As ZK projects grow, maintaining in-house infrastructure for proof generation quickly becomes unfeasible due to the large number of GPU machines required. Renting such infrastructure in the cloud is often prohibitively expensive.
Consequently, outsourcing proof generation has become a common solution, yet it introduces a key challenge:
Demand side (e.g., L2 blockchains): Must rely on custom, provider-specific integrations, making it difficult to switch providers or use multiple services concurrently.
Due to this fragmentation, the ZK market cannot fully realize its competitive potential.
Proposed Architecture
Below is a high-level architecture designed to address the fragmentation challenge. It serves as a starting point for further discussion and refinement. Our primary goal is to secure the Committee's approval of this base concept before we move forward with more detailed technical plans.
The ZkBoost software would be used as a common proving client, with no central operator:
ZkBoost Software
ZkBoost will be maintained as an open-source project with decentralized governance. Any proving service can contribute an adapter, ensuring that no single entity controls integrations. The adapter model prevents vendor lock-in and enables a truly competitive proving market.
The software will consist of a Proving API and Adapters:
Proving API - Designed to facilitate the following functions:
Retrieve supported provers
Request proof
Retrieve the proof
Adapters - Used for Proof Service integration, each developed and maintained by the respective service provider.
At this point, implementation details remain open, but we expect that:
When sending proving input, the ZkBoost client will use URIs, allowing for flexible data submission methods such as the data:// scheme for direct input and https:// for delegated input.
When retrieving supported provers, the ZkBoost client will receive a list of key-value labels, enabling custom logic for filtering versions, matching circuits, etc.
Adapters may include logic for notifying users when proving is complete, reducing unnecessary polling of proof status.
Proving Flow
The overall coordination process can be summarized as follows:
Request for Feedback
Please leave any comments, suggested improvements, or questions under this post, or contact Norbert (TG: @vadasnorbert; email: [email protected]) by Friday, February 28, 2025.
Your feedback is essential to ensure this proposal meets the needs of all stakeholders and helps pave the way for a more competitive, interoperable ZK-proving ecosystem.
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About ZkBoost Consortium:
The purpose of the ZkBoost Consortium Governing Council is to collaboratively develop standards for proof supply chain abstraction. We invite all ZK- or validity rollups and proving services to unite in architecting and funding ZkBoost, a generic abstraction for outsourced proving.
ZkCloud is funding early work on ZkBoost, but through establishing the Governing Council our goal is for ZkBoost to be a public good, open-source software.
About ZkCloud:
ZkCloud, built by Gevulot, is the first universal proving infrastructure for ZK. Generate ZK proofs for any proof system at a fraction of the cost. Fast, cheap, and decentralized.
Learn more about ZkCloud:
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