Vitalik published a new article discussing the future prospects and challenges of ZK-EVM

ChainCatcher news, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin published an in-depth discussion on the concept of "ZK-EVM" (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) and its possible implementations.

The article points out that current Layer-2 EVM protocols (such as Optimistic Rollups and ZK Rollups) rely on the verification mechanism of the EVM, but this also means they must trust a large codebase. Once there are vulnerabilities in the codebase, these virtual machines may face the risk of being attacked. Furthermore, even the ZK-EVM, which aims to maintain complete equivalence with L1 EVM, requires some form of governance mechanism to replicate changes from L1 EVM into its own EVM implementation.

The ZK-EVM concept proposed by Buterin aims to reduce the redundant implementation of Ethereum protocol functionalities by Layer-2 projects and improve their efficiency in validating Layer-1 Ethereum blocks. He also envisions that future light clients will become more powerful and may even utilize ZK-SNARKs (zero-knowledge proofs) to fully verify L1 EVM execution, at which point the Ethereum network will essentially have built-in ZK-EVM functionality.

The article also discusses different versions of implementing ZK-EVM, including their design challenges, trade-offs, and why certain directions may not be adopted. It emphasizes that when implementing protocol functionalities, one should weigh the benefits against the advantages of keeping the underlying protocol simple. Regarding the key attributes of ZK-EVM, Buterin highlighted its fundamental functionality, compatibility with Ethereum's multi-client philosophy, data availability requirements, auditability, and upgradability. Additionally, he mentioned support for "almost-EVM," which allows L2's VM to use the protocol's ZK-EVM while having only minor differences from EVM, providing flexibility for partial customization of EVM.