What Is zk-STARK?
Also known as: zkSTARK, STARK, Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge
In short
A zk-STARK (Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge) is a type of zero-knowledge proof that requires no trusted setup and, because it relies on hash functions, is thought to be resistant to quantum computers. It is used in networks such as Starknet.
zk-STARKs are based on the academic work of Eli Ben-Sasson and his colleagues and were developed by the company StarkWare for blockchain scaling. The term transparent in the name describes that the system does not need a trusted setup ceremony in which secret values are generated, and that the required randomness is obtained from publicly verifiable sources. The term scalable indicates that proof generation and verification times grow slowly relative to the size of the computation.
Compared with zk-SNARKs, the most important difference is the security assumptions: because STARKs use hash functions instead of elliptic curves, they are expected to remain secure in the post-quantum era as well. In return, STARK proofs are significantly larger than SNARK proofs; this increases the cost of on-chain verification. In practice, some systems combine the two approaches by wrapping a STARK proof in a smaller SNARK proof.
StarkWare's ZK-Rollup Starknet and its enterprise scaling engine StarkEx use this technology. On Starknet, smart contracts are written in the Cairo language, which is designed to suit STARK proofs. STARK-based proving has also spread to other projects over time.
Last updated: · This content is for information purposes only and is not investment advice.