Ethereum Layer 2 Scaling Solution zkSync was you thrown out a new Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge (STARK)-based test system called Boojum that promises to run on consumer-grade general processing units (GPUs).
ZkSync Era is one of the few Ethereum scaling protocols that use zero-knowledge rollups (ZK-rollups) to increase capacity and speed while lowering fees. ZK packages mainly uses two prominent test systems: zk-STARKs and Zero-Knowledge Sucinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge (zk-SNARKs).
The new Boojum test system is based on a zkSync Rust-based cryptographic library that implements an improved version of arithmetic circuitry for zkSync Era and its ZK developer stack. More importantly, it allows Boojum testers to run on everyday personal computers instead of powerful hardware and servers.
The update can run on computers with only 16 gigabytes (GB) of GPU random access memory (RAM), ensuring regular users can participate in network activity. For context, zkSync currently runs on a pool of 100 GPUs, each with 80 GB of RAM.
Prior to the Boojum release, zkSync relied primarily on zk-SNARK, which were capable but comparatively less transparent than zk-STARK-based systems. The previous system processed around 100 transactions per second, while Boojum promises to offer superior processing capabilities.
Related: Privacy, scalability drive use cases for zero-knowledge technology
In the final stage of the implementation, the new test will wrap the STARK tests with a non-transparent pairing-based SNARK. Basically, it will be a slightly improved version of the current SNARK-based test system. This test requires less storage and is cheaper to verify, which reduces the cost of the test system and therefore the transactions themselves.
Boojum is currently live on the zkSync Era mainnet to test, generate and verify "shadow proofs". The developers are currently testing shadow tests with real production data before full migration and wider use. The new system will update without any feedback.
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