ZK Coprocessor

What Is a ZK Coprocessor?

Large operations often have specific tasks that can be run separately in order to make their overall processes more efficient. The same applies to blockchain networks. 

Why Are ZK Coprocessors Necessary?

Traditional blockchains often struggle with handling complex computations. You can’t run a modern AAA game onchain, for example. 

Therefore, ambitious web3 projects commonly use systems that allow them to execute their applications’ computations offchain and then submit their results back to the main blockchain network. The remaining problem is proving that all the computations that happened offchain are, in fact, correct and can be verified onchain. This is where ZK Coprocessors become necessary. 

Proving that the results of offchain computations are correct requires the use of ZKPs, which are particularly time-consuming and costly to generate. ZK Coprocessors are designed to help with the specific task of generating ZKPs in a way that is both fast and effective for end-users on the main blockchain network.

How Do ZK Coprocessors Work?

Typically, ZK Coprocessors take several steps to fulfill their role:

1. Data retrieval: When a computation is too complex to be handled by a blockchain network, it is taken offchain. This process starts by retrieving all the information needed to complete the task from historical blockchain data.

1. Off-chain computation: Once all the inputs are gathered, the computation is split into smaller computations which are executed separately. The results are then pieced back together before the ZK Coprocessor generates a proof of their correctness.

1. Proof generation: The ZK Coprocessor then creates a ZKP of the results by offering the task in a decentralized marketplace where a network of provers competes to offer the most timely proof generation. This cryptographic proof serves as evidence that the task was performed correctly without revealing the actual data or the specifics of the computation.

1. Onchain verification: Finally, the ZKP is submitted to the main blockchain where it is incorporated into the network’s regular transaction data. This process confirms the validity of the offchain computation, ensuring that the results are trustworthy and have not been tampered with.

Overall, this process ensures that complex tasks can be executed efficiently and securely while the main blockchain network maintains its role as the ultimate verifier of truth.

ZK Coprocessors in Action

Besides paving the way for blockchains to scale more effectively and accommodate a growing number of users and applications, ZK Coprocessors are also opening new doors for blockchain projects. Developers can now be more ambitious and build fully-featured applications that still maintain the same guarantees of the main chain they’re running on.

Another benefit of using ZK Coprocessors comes from facilitating interoperability. In many cases, ZK Coprocessors can handle tasks from different blockchain networks without the use of bridges.

Current developments in ZK Coprocessors are driving experimentation in popular blockchain use cases such as NFTs and DeFi. They’re also being applied to new developments in the use of AI and its intersection with blockchain.

After transitioning to venture capital, Ismael honed his skills in identifying market opportunities, but his focus on building decentralized technologies led him to found Lagrange. As CEO, he focuses on growth, business development, partnerships, and setting the strategic direction while staying closely connected to the market and customers.