Polygon recently unveiled the “type 1 prover,” a technology designed to facilitate the integration of zero-knowledge proofs into EVM-compatible chains.
Expected to launch later this year, the type 1 prover will be integrated into Polygon’s CDK (software stack), representing an upgrade from the previous type 2 proving mechanism. Unlike its predecessor, the type 1 prover boasts compatibility with various EVM chains without requiring hard forks or adjustments to existing clients, as explained by Brendan Farmer, a co-founder of Polygon.
Polygon Labs aims to utilize the type 1 prover to transition a diverse array of blockchains, including side chains and optimistic roll-ups, into validiums. Validiums are a specialized form of Layer 2 networks that leverage zero-knowledge proofs to enhance efficiency and reduce transaction costs.
In the validium structure, only zk-proofs are stored on the Ethereum mainnet, while actual transaction data is kept off-chain, supported by a data availability solution. This differs from ZK-Rollups, which also necessitate publishing proofs of app data on the Ethereum mainnet.
Farmer emphasized that projects have the option to become full-fledged ZK-rollups if they desire to utilize the type 1 prover. Ultimately, the decision lies with the respective teams.
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