On April 10th, A16z Crypto released the zero-knowledge solution Jolt to accelerate and simplify blockchain scaling operations. Jolt integrates SNARK (Succinct Non-interactive Argument of Knowledge), allowing developers to quickly create SNARK-based L2 solutions. The team also stated that Jolt is twice as fast as current zkVMs. ZK technology has been one of the main threads in the crypto industry, with ZK-Rollup being hailed by Vitalik as a long-term solution for Ethereum scalability. A16z’s launch of Jolt from August last year to its official release this year indicates that ZK-Rollup is still a long-term track that requires arduous effort. ZK-Rollup has attracted many players, forming more refined technical categories to differentiate between projects. Its compatibility with EVM is the most representative classification standard.
EVM, due to historical reasons, has many ZK-unfriendly designs. However, many existing projects were built on EVM in the early stages, and ZK-Rollup is still seen as a future scalability solution. Therefore, the vast majority of ZK-Rollup projects naturally face the trade-off between being more compatible with EVM or more compatible with ZK.
ZKM incubated by Metis DAO takes a more fundamental approach and proposes a universal zkMIPS solution. zkMIPS achieves the conversion from the program execution process to ZKP by using a lower-level MIPS instruction set. In addition to compatibility with EVM, it can also be compatible with other VMs, such as MoveVM and RustVM, allowing ZK-Rollup to open its doors to a more diverse range of developers.
This article will provide readers with an in-depth understanding of Metis’ efforts and progress in ZK and decentralized Sequencer.
Metis’s remarkable performance in the market is inseparable from its innovative Hybrid Rollups mechanism, which combines fraud proofs and validity proofs to embody the advantages of both.
ZKM’s zkMIPS technology provides solid compatibility support for Metis’s Hybrid Rollups, enabling Metis to achieve organic integration of ZK and EVM.
In Hybrid Rollups, key roles include:
In standard L2 solutions, the Sequencer collects and processes transactions, and then publishes transaction data to the Ethereum mainnet (L1). This process requires final data validation and confirmation by L1 to ensure security and consistency.
Source: https://mirror.xyz/msfew.eth/WQJaOcFkpTOZLns8MBQaCS4OepRoaZ7uoctnLAnalVw
Hybrid Rollups takes a hybrid approach when processing and optimizing L2 transactions. The specific steps are as follows:
The design of Hybrid Rollups provides several significant advantages:
The core idea of ZK is to convert the program execution process into a mathematical proof that can be easily verified so that everyone can easily verify the correctness of the program execution without repeating the program. The difficulty lies in transforming arbitrary program logic into Relatively stable mathematical proof.
Developers usually use high-level languages to develop programs, and different high-level languages use different logic to “talk” to the hardware.
Therefore, the implementation paths of existing ZK projects are often incompatible with each other. Scroll directly writes circuits for each opcode of EVM, achieving opcode-level equivalence, which accurately reflects EVM, but brings a huge amount of engineering.
Polygon zkEVM creates a custom VM with optimized performance, converts EVM bytecode directly into VM bytecode, and achieves opcode-level equivalence more efficiently. However, the introduction of a large amount of custom code may lead to deviation from EVM in the long term;
zkSync created its VM (SyncVM) and defined its algebraic intermediate representation (AIR) based on registers, and then built a specialized compiler to compile Yul (an intermediate language that can be compiled into words of different EVM versions). Section code (considered as a lower-level Solidity) is compiled into LLVM-IR, and then compiled into instructions for a custom VM, thus achieving Solidity-level compatibility, but it cannot directly use existing Ethereum tools. Conversions may also require re-audit procedures.
StarkNet abandons EVM compatibility and directly uses its low-level language (Cairo) to run a custom smart contract VM (Cairo VM) to achieve ultimate ZK efficiency.
Compared to the solutions of the above projects, ZKM has chosen a more inclusive path: zkMIPS.
MIPS, which stands for “Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages”, is a simply designed microprocessor instruction set that started in 1985.
The basic principle of MIPS is to reduce complex microprocessor instructions to their most basic form, which increases processing speed and reduces the complexity of executing programs.
In the zkMIPS system, this instruction set is used to implement the conversion of programs to ZK proofs.
The implementation process of zkMIPS is as follows:
Advantages of zkMIPS
The advantages of MIPS have been integrated into projects such as Optimism. Optimism’s Cannon mechanism converts executed programs into MIPS, making it easier and more efficient to find errors and re-execute when the execution process is challenged.
Metis has also followed this trend and integrated Cannon into its ecosystem. This further validates the practicality and efficiency of zkMIPS technology.
In addition to using Hybrid Rollups to combine the advantages of OP and ZK, Metis also actively promotes the implementation of decentralized sequencers and sets a decentralized example for Rollups.
In the traditional Rollup model, although a single Sequencer can effectively process transactions and data, it also concentrates a great deal of power, which may lead to various risks:
To solve the above problems, Metis designed a decentralized Sequencer pool. It is composed of multiple Sequencer nodes to jointly aggregate, sequence and execute transactions. This design ensures the fairness and transparency of the system:
Advantages of decentralized Sequencer:
In Metis’ decentralized Sequencer model, each node is composed of several key components:
Source: https://ethresear.ch/t/pos-sequencer-pool-decentralizing-an-optimistic-rollup/16760
This design allows Metis’s decentralized Sequencer pool to not only improve the fairness and transparency of transaction processing but also enhance the security and stability of the network through decentralized power. All of them are key elements in building a trusted and sustainable blockchain ecosystem.
Metis’ technological and conceptual advantages create a solid foundation for further development in the future. Its zkMIPS-based Hybrid Rollups is expected to solve the compatibility problem for ZK-Rollup and bring a more diverse developer ecosystem.
The advancement of decentralized Sequencer demonstrates the team’s vision of pursuing decentralization. As the Metis ecosystem continues to mature, we have reason to believe that Metis will become a dark horse that continues to run in the future L2 competition, creating a steady stream of value for users and developers.
This article originally titled “Exploring Technological Advantages of Metis” is reproduced from [Biteye Community]. All copyrights belong to the original author [Wilson Lee, Biteye core contributor]. If you have any objection to the reprint, please contact the Gate Learn team, the team will handle it as soon as possible.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article represent only the author’s personal views and do not constitute any investment advice.
Translations of the article into other languages are done by the Gate Learn team. Unless mentioned, copying, distributing, or plagiarizing the translated articles is prohibited.
On April 10th, A16z Crypto released the zero-knowledge solution Jolt to accelerate and simplify blockchain scaling operations. Jolt integrates SNARK (Succinct Non-interactive Argument of Knowledge), allowing developers to quickly create SNARK-based L2 solutions. The team also stated that Jolt is twice as fast as current zkVMs. ZK technology has been one of the main threads in the crypto industry, with ZK-Rollup being hailed by Vitalik as a long-term solution for Ethereum scalability. A16z’s launch of Jolt from August last year to its official release this year indicates that ZK-Rollup is still a long-term track that requires arduous effort. ZK-Rollup has attracted many players, forming more refined technical categories to differentiate between projects. Its compatibility with EVM is the most representative classification standard.
EVM, due to historical reasons, has many ZK-unfriendly designs. However, many existing projects were built on EVM in the early stages, and ZK-Rollup is still seen as a future scalability solution. Therefore, the vast majority of ZK-Rollup projects naturally face the trade-off between being more compatible with EVM or more compatible with ZK.
ZKM incubated by Metis DAO takes a more fundamental approach and proposes a universal zkMIPS solution. zkMIPS achieves the conversion from the program execution process to ZKP by using a lower-level MIPS instruction set. In addition to compatibility with EVM, it can also be compatible with other VMs, such as MoveVM and RustVM, allowing ZK-Rollup to open its doors to a more diverse range of developers.
This article will provide readers with an in-depth understanding of Metis’ efforts and progress in ZK and decentralized Sequencer.
Metis’s remarkable performance in the market is inseparable from its innovative Hybrid Rollups mechanism, which combines fraud proofs and validity proofs to embody the advantages of both.
ZKM’s zkMIPS technology provides solid compatibility support for Metis’s Hybrid Rollups, enabling Metis to achieve organic integration of ZK and EVM.
In Hybrid Rollups, key roles include:
In standard L2 solutions, the Sequencer collects and processes transactions, and then publishes transaction data to the Ethereum mainnet (L1). This process requires final data validation and confirmation by L1 to ensure security and consistency.
Source: https://mirror.xyz/msfew.eth/WQJaOcFkpTOZLns8MBQaCS4OepRoaZ7uoctnLAnalVw
Hybrid Rollups takes a hybrid approach when processing and optimizing L2 transactions. The specific steps are as follows:
The design of Hybrid Rollups provides several significant advantages:
The core idea of ZK is to convert the program execution process into a mathematical proof that can be easily verified so that everyone can easily verify the correctness of the program execution without repeating the program. The difficulty lies in transforming arbitrary program logic into Relatively stable mathematical proof.
Developers usually use high-level languages to develop programs, and different high-level languages use different logic to “talk” to the hardware.
Therefore, the implementation paths of existing ZK projects are often incompatible with each other. Scroll directly writes circuits for each opcode of EVM, achieving opcode-level equivalence, which accurately reflects EVM, but brings a huge amount of engineering.
Polygon zkEVM creates a custom VM with optimized performance, converts EVM bytecode directly into VM bytecode, and achieves opcode-level equivalence more efficiently. However, the introduction of a large amount of custom code may lead to deviation from EVM in the long term;
zkSync created its VM (SyncVM) and defined its algebraic intermediate representation (AIR) based on registers, and then built a specialized compiler to compile Yul (an intermediate language that can be compiled into words of different EVM versions). Section code (considered as a lower-level Solidity) is compiled into LLVM-IR, and then compiled into instructions for a custom VM, thus achieving Solidity-level compatibility, but it cannot directly use existing Ethereum tools. Conversions may also require re-audit procedures.
StarkNet abandons EVM compatibility and directly uses its low-level language (Cairo) to run a custom smart contract VM (Cairo VM) to achieve ultimate ZK efficiency.
Compared to the solutions of the above projects, ZKM has chosen a more inclusive path: zkMIPS.
MIPS, which stands for “Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages”, is a simply designed microprocessor instruction set that started in 1985.
The basic principle of MIPS is to reduce complex microprocessor instructions to their most basic form, which increases processing speed and reduces the complexity of executing programs.
In the zkMIPS system, this instruction set is used to implement the conversion of programs to ZK proofs.
The implementation process of zkMIPS is as follows:
Advantages of zkMIPS
The advantages of MIPS have been integrated into projects such as Optimism. Optimism’s Cannon mechanism converts executed programs into MIPS, making it easier and more efficient to find errors and re-execute when the execution process is challenged.
Metis has also followed this trend and integrated Cannon into its ecosystem. This further validates the practicality and efficiency of zkMIPS technology.
In addition to using Hybrid Rollups to combine the advantages of OP and ZK, Metis also actively promotes the implementation of decentralized sequencers and sets a decentralized example for Rollups.
In the traditional Rollup model, although a single Sequencer can effectively process transactions and data, it also concentrates a great deal of power, which may lead to various risks:
To solve the above problems, Metis designed a decentralized Sequencer pool. It is composed of multiple Sequencer nodes to jointly aggregate, sequence and execute transactions. This design ensures the fairness and transparency of the system:
Advantages of decentralized Sequencer:
In Metis’ decentralized Sequencer model, each node is composed of several key components:
Source: https://ethresear.ch/t/pos-sequencer-pool-decentralizing-an-optimistic-rollup/16760
This design allows Metis’s decentralized Sequencer pool to not only improve the fairness and transparency of transaction processing but also enhance the security and stability of the network through decentralized power. All of them are key elements in building a trusted and sustainable blockchain ecosystem.
Metis’ technological and conceptual advantages create a solid foundation for further development in the future. Its zkMIPS-based Hybrid Rollups is expected to solve the compatibility problem for ZK-Rollup and bring a more diverse developer ecosystem.
The advancement of decentralized Sequencer demonstrates the team’s vision of pursuing decentralization. As the Metis ecosystem continues to mature, we have reason to believe that Metis will become a dark horse that continues to run in the future L2 competition, creating a steady stream of value for users and developers.
This article originally titled “Exploring Technological Advantages of Metis” is reproduced from [Biteye Community]. All copyrights belong to the original author [Wilson Lee, Biteye core contributor]. If you have any objection to the reprint, please contact the Gate Learn team, the team will handle it as soon as possible.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article represent only the author’s personal views and do not constitute any investment advice.
Translations of the article into other languages are done by the Gate Learn team. Unless mentioned, copying, distributing, or plagiarizing the translated articles is prohibited.