Polygon Introduces Prover Type 1 Verification Mechanism
Polygon has recently introduced the "Prover Type 1" mechanism, a technology that enables EVM chains to easily integrate Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZK Proof) verification.
The Prover Type 1 mechanism is scheduled to be deployed this year and will be integrated directly into Polygon's CDK toolkit. Brendan Farmer, co-founder of Polygon, stated:
"Prover Type 1 will facilitate the creation of Zero-Knowledge Proofs for EVM chains without necessitating a hard fork or client software adjustments."
According to Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin's classification, Type 1 proof is the most compatible format with the Ethereum mainnet and the EVM system.
Polygon Labs aims to leverage the Prover mechanism to transition current blockchain operations from Side Chain and Optimistic Rollup mechanisms to the Validium model—a Layer-2 model that uses ZK Proof to enhance operational efficiency and reduce transaction costs.
Releasing the Type-1 upgrade to the zkEVM prover, the next generation of Polygon’s proving tech. It can generate proofs for any EVM chain—sidechain, optimistic rollup, even Ethereum itself.
— Polygon | Aggregated (@0xPolygon) February 8, 2024
When proving Ethereum mainnet blocks, avg per-transaction costs are $0.002 - $0.003.… pic.twitter.com/KDX8XIiwyh
Validiums will store ZK-Proof verifications on the Ethereum mainnet, while transaction data will be stored off-chain. This operation method differs from ZK-Rollup solutions, where all data is uploaded and stored on the Ethereum mainnet.
Transitioning to the Validium or ZK-Rollup model will help Layer-2 solutions avoid the 7-day asset withdrawal delay typical of Optimistic Rollup solutions.
Additionally, projects using Polygon's toolkit can benefit from the AggLayer-compatible protocol, which synchronizes liquidity for Layer-2 solutions. The first version of AggLayer is expected to launch this February, allowing projects to begin product development.
The goal of this initiative is to synchronize the security of monolithic and modular blockchains. AggLayer is a critical component of Polygon 2.0, a plan the ecosystem has been developing since late 2023.
