zkSync launches new proof system dubbed Boojum

Boojum upgrade is live as zkSync Era transitions to a new STARK-powered proof system.
The new proof system is designed to power world-class performance on regular consumer-grade hardware.
zkSync is rolling out the feature in phases as it tests out its security and functionality.

zkSync Era, a zero knowledge (ZK) proofs layer 2 protocol for Ethereum, has announced its high-performance proof system called Boojum.

According to the team, the upgrade is not only to scale network performance but also significantly improve on its overall decentralisation by allowing for the use of consumer-grade hardware.

Say hello to Boojum 👋: zkSync Era’s new high-performance proof system for radical decentralization. Boojum is an upgrade that will transition zkSync Era to a STARK-powered proof system, providing world-class performance on consumer-grade hardware.

💡 Learn more:… pic.twitter.com/1GrwJ5Y07A

— zkSync ∎ (@zksync) July 17, 2023

New zkSync Era upgrade

Boojum is a Rust-based arithmetization and constraint library that zkSync is transitioning to from its SNARK-based prover system. The protocol noted in an announcement on Monday that the new proof system will power the platform’s upgraded version of ZK circuits.

While zkSync Era can currently process over 100 transactions per second (TPS), Boojum is expected to considerably bump this up. On top of that, the team targets near-real-time and cheap transactions.

“Our current SNARK-based system, while effective for today, won’t scale to the high-volume, near real-time transactions the ZK Stack, where zkSync Era operates as a Hyperchain, aims to support in the coming years. The future we imagine for these systems is one in which proofs are generated and verified cheaply and quickly, allowing for fast finality and interoperability between Hyperchains,” the zkSync Era team wrote.

In terms of reducing hardware requirements, Boojum will allow for GPU provers with as little as 16 GB of RAM. The move to have such a low barrier is crucial to supporting an increasingly decentralised ecosystem.

Today’s rollout of Boojum upgrade will incorporate a phased out integration into mainnet. While live on the mainnet, the upgrade’s first implementation is in “shadow mode”. It means the team will run the new proof system in tandem with the current one.

However, while Boojum will be in testing mode, “shadow proofs” will be generated and verified from real production data on Mainnet blocks. zkSync will continually work on the ecosystem to fine-tune the upgrade’s functionality as it moves closer to full migration.