Proof System Overview

When a the RISC Zero zkVM executes, it produces a computational receipt that consists of:

• a journal, which contains the public outputs of the computation, and
• a seal, which is a zk-STARK.

Given a receipt and an ImageID, a skeptical third party can verify the purported output of the computation.

Learn More

About the zkVM

• Video Explainer from zkHack
• Written Explainer

About the Proof System

• ZKP Whitepaper
• Prover-Verifier Sequence Diagram
• STARK by hand
  • Website version
  • Google Sheet version
  • Printable Version

Helpful Background

RISC Zero Study Club is intended to help make the technology underpinning RISC Zero more accessible. Past sessions include:

• What is RISC-V and how does it relate to RISC Zero?
• Intro to Finite Fields
• Intro to Reed-Solomon Codes
• Intro to Number Theoretic Transforms
• Intro to the FRI Protocol
• Finite Field Implementation Options: Barrett & Montgomery Multiplication