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A STARK is a zero-knowledge proof system that achieves transparency (no trusted setup — all randomness is derived from publicly verifiable hash functions) and scalability (proof generation time scales quasi-linearly with computation size), at the cost of larger proof sizes (tens to hundreds of kilobytes) compared to SNARKs. STARKs rely only on collision-resistant hash functions and are therefore post-quantum secure, unlike elliptic-curve-based SNARKs, making them theoretically more robust for long-term deployments. On Solana, STARKs are not yet commonly used for on-chain verification because their proof sizes exceed practical transaction and account limits, but they are employed in off-chain proving infrastructure and Layer-2 research projects targeting future SVM integrations with recursive or aggregated proof verification.

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Compressed state, proofs, and scale-oriented storage patterns.

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STARK (Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge) (stark)
Category: ZK Compression
Definition: A STARK is a zero-knowledge proof system that achieves transparency (no trusted setup — all randomness is derived from publicly verifiable hash functions) and scalability (proof generation time scales quasi-linearly with computation size), at the cost of larger proof sizes (tens to hundreds of kilobytes) compared to SNARKs. STARKs rely only on collision-resistant hash functions and are therefore post-quantum secure, unlike elliptic-curve-based SNARKs, making them theoretically more robust for long-term deployments. On Solana, STARKs are not yet commonly used for on-chain verification because their proof sizes exceed practical transaction and account limits, but they are employed in off-chain proving infrastructure and Layer-2 research projects targeting future SVM integrations with recursive or aggregated proof verification.
Aliases: STARK, zk-STARK
Related: Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP)

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Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP)

A zero-knowledge proof is a cryptographic protocol by which a prover convinces a verifier that a statement is true — for example, that a state transition is valid — without revealing any information beyond the truth of the statement itself, satisfying the properties of completeness, soundness, and zero-knowledge. In Solana's ecosystem, ZKPs are used by ZK Compression (via Groth16 SNARKs) to prove correct state transitions for compressed accounts without storing full account state on-chain, and by the Token-2022 Confidential Transfers extension (via ElGamal encryption and range proofs) to prove token balances are non-negative without revealing the actual amounts. Solana's BPF VM exposes the alt_bn128 elliptic curve syscall to make on-chain Groth16 proof verification computationally feasible within the 1.4M compute unit budget.

Groth16 PLONK

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ZK Compression

Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP)

A zero-knowledge proof is a cryptographic protocol by which a prover convinces a verifier that a statement is true — for example, that a state transition is valid — without revealing any information beyond the truth of the statement itself, satisfying the properties of completeness, soundness, and zero-knowledge. In Solana's ecosystem, ZKPs are used by ZK Compression (via Groth16 SNARKs) to prove correct state transitions for compressed accounts without storing full account state on-chain, and by the Token-2022 Confidential Transfers extension (via ElGamal encryption and range proofs) to prove token balances are non-negative without revealing the actual amounts. Solana's BPF VM exposes the alt_bn128 elliptic curve syscall to make on-chain Groth16 proof verification computationally feasible within the 1.4M compute unit budget.

Open term

ZK Compression

State Compression

State Compression is Solana's technique for storing the cryptographic fingerprint (root hash) of a Merkle tree on-chain while keeping the actual leaf data off-chain in the Solana ledger's account data logs, reducing the cost of storing large datasets by orders of magnitude. A compressed NFT collection of 1 million items costs roughly 50 SOL to mint versus ~12,000 SOL with standard SPL accounts, because only a single Concurrent Merkle Tree account occupies on-chain storage. Any data change requires updating the root hash and supplying a Merkle proof to the on-chain program, which verifies inclusion without reading the full dataset.

Open term

ZK Compression

SNARK (Succinct Non-interactive Argument of Knowledge)

A SNARK is a class of zero-knowledge proof system characterized by succinctness (proofs are short — typically hundreds of bytes — regardless of the computation's complexity), non-interactivity (the prover sends a single message without back-and-forth with the verifier), and the argument-of-knowledge property (a prover who produces a valid proof must know the witness, i.e., the secret inputs to the computation). zk-SNARKs such as Groth16 and PLONK are the cryptographic core of ZK Compression on Solana, enabling off-chain provers to compress complex state transition validity into a proof that a Solana validator can verify on-chain cheaply using the alt_bn128 syscall over the BN254 elliptic curve. Most current Solana zk-SNARK deployments rely on trusted setups, though newer transparent variants like STARKs eliminate this requirement at the cost of larger proof sizes.

Open term

ZK Compression

ZK Compression, pioneered by Light Protocol, extends Solana's state compression model beyond NFTs to general-purpose compressed accounts by using zero-knowledge proofs (specifically Groth16 SNARKs verified via the alt_bn128 syscall) to prove the validity of state transitions without storing full account state on-chain. Compressed accounts live in on-chain Merkle trees but their data is reconstructed from the Solana ledger by indexers like Photon, enabling developers to build applications that use thousands of accounts at a fraction of the normal rent cost — often 1,000x to 5,000x cheaper than regular accounts. The protocol introduces compressed tokens, compressed PDAs, and a system of nullifiers to prevent double-spends while maintaining Solana's throughput.

Open term

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ZK Compressionsnark

SNARK (Succinct Non-interactive Argument of Knowledge)

A SNARK is a class of zero-knowledge proof system characterized by succinctness (proofs are short — typically hundreds of bytes — regardless of the computation's complexity), non-interactivity (the prover sends a single message without back-and-forth with the verifier), and the argument-of-knowledge property (a prover who produces a valid proof must know the witness, i.e., the secret inputs to the computation). zk-SNARKs such as Groth16 and PLONK are the cryptographic core of ZK Compression on Solana, enabling off-chain provers to compress complex state transition validity into a proof that a Solana validator can verify on-chain cheaply using the alt_bn128 syscall over the BN254 elliptic curve. Most current Solana zk-SNARK deployments rely on trusted setups, though newer transparent variants like STARKs eliminate this requirement at the cost of larger proof sizes.

AliasSNARKAliaszk-SNARK

Open term

Related terms

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ZK Compressionzk-proofs

Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP)

A zero-knowledge proof is a cryptographic protocol by which a prover convinces a verifier that a statement is true — for example, that a state transition is valid — without revealing any information beyond the truth of the statement itself, satisfying the properties of completeness, soundness, and zero-knowledge. In Solana's ecosystem, ZKPs are used by ZK Compression (via Groth16 SNARKs) to prove correct state transitions for compressed accounts without storing full account state on-chain, and by the Token-2022 Confidential Transfers extension (via ElGamal encryption and range proofs) to prove token balances are non-negative without revealing the actual amounts. Solana's BPF VM exposes the alt_bn128 elliptic curve syscall to make on-chain Groth16 proof verification computationally feasible within the 1.4M compute unit budget.

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ZK Compression

State Compression

State Compression is Solana's technique for storing the cryptographic fingerprint (root hash) of a Merkle tree on-chain while keeping the actual leaf data off-chain in the Solana ledger's account data logs, reducing the cost of storing large datasets by orders of magnitude. A compressed NFT collection of 1 million items costs roughly 50 SOL to mint versus ~12,000 SOL with standard SPL accounts, because only a single Concurrent Merkle Tree account occupies on-chain storage. Any data change requires updating the root hash and supplying a Merkle proof to the on-chain program, which verifies inclusion without reading the full dataset.

Open term

ZK Compression

ZK Compression, pioneered by Light Protocol, extends Solana's state compression model beyond NFTs to general-purpose compressed accounts by using zero-knowledge proofs (specifically Groth16 SNARKs verified via the alt_bn128 syscall) to prove the validity of state transitions without storing full account state on-chain. Compressed accounts live in on-chain Merkle trees but their data is reconstructed from the Solana ledger by indexers like Photon, enabling developers to build applications that use thousands of accounts at a fraction of the normal rent cost — often 1,000x to 5,000x cheaper than regular accounts. The protocol introduces compressed tokens, compressed PDAs, and a system of nullifiers to prevent double-spends while maintaining Solana's throughput.

Open term

ZK Compression

Compressed Account

A compressed account is a Solana account whose state is stored as a leaf in an on-chain Concurrent Merkle Tree rather than as a dedicated on-chain account, making it 100–1,000x cheaper to create and maintain because no rent-exempt lamport balance is required per account. Compressed accounts are identified by a hash of their data and position in the tree; to interact with one, a client must supply a Merkle proof (or rely on the canopy) showing the leaf is part of the current tree root, which the on-chain program verifies before processing the state change. Light Protocol's compressed account model supports arbitrary data, discriminators, and owner programs, making it a general-purpose replacement for expensive on-chain accounts in high-volume use cases.

Open term

ZK Compression

Concurrent Merkle Tree

A Concurrent Merkle Tree (CMT) is a specialized on-chain Solana data structure that allows multiple state updates to the same Merkle tree within a single block without conflicting, by recording a changelog buffer of recent root transitions that validators use to reconcile parallel proof submissions. A CMT is parameterized by its maximum depth (max_depth, determining tree capacity of 2^max_depth leaves), max_buffer_size (number of concurrent changes the changelog can track, directly controlling how many operations per slot the tree can safely absorb), and an optional canopy_depth. The SPL Account Compression program manages CMTs, and they are the foundational storage primitive for both Metaplex compressed NFTs and Light Protocol compressed accounts.

Open term