Aleo’s Computing Environment

zkCloud

Cornerstone for decentralized, private computations

Decentralized, Private Computing

zkCloud

Alex Pruden

COO Aleo

“zkCloud is an off-chain, trustless computing environment, where programs are executed privately, securely, and cheaply, and with unlimited runtime.”

With its features, zkCloud provides a solution to the privacy dilemma of Web 2.0 and eliminates existing tradeoffs between privacy and programmability of current blockchains. Presently, blockchains either prioritize privacy (such as Zcash) at the expense of programmability, or the other way around.

So far, there exists no blockchain that is able to offer both. Aleo’s zkCloud provides the solution to programmable privacy.

Understanding zkCloud

Definition

What is Aleo’s zkCloud?

zkCloud is a key component of Aleo and enables applications that are safer and more private than ever. zkCloud describes a model of peer-to-peer, private, and fully decentralized computing where shielded identities interact through shielded transactions. This can happen either directly (when transfering assets, for example) or programmatically (through smart contracts). Moving these interactions off-chain enables Aleo to guarantee privacy and a higher transaction throughput.

The interactions between two or more parties are linked via shielded transactions within zkCloud to the Aleo blockchain. Included in the transactions is cryptographic proofs that verify the validity of the interactions. Not included is any information about who participated in the transaction, where it was executed or which program was used. The Aleo blockchain can then be referenced to cryptographically verify the state of an application.

Users can run zkCloud apps either locally or delegate the task to a third-party proving-service. Such services then construct proofs and submits transactions for the users.

How zkCloud works

Typical public blockchains are characterized by the fact that program execution happens on-chain in a global “virtual machine” (VM). Every node in the network runs this VM, which means that each node will have to re-compute each step of a given program – and collectively agree on it. The underlying architecture of this is inefficient and increases costs for end-users considerably while reducing speed. The virtual machine needs access to all the relevant information as a result of being collectively run by each node in the network, which limits any realistic option of privacy.

Aleo’s zkCloud esparates application runtime from the state maintained by its blockchain, thus overcoming above mentioned limitations. In combining its zkCloud with zero knowledge proofs, Aleo enables true privacy in combination with full programmability.

zkCloud is an off-chain, decentralized, and trustless execution environment where shielded identities (individuals, organizations, DAOs, and smart contracts) can interact with one another through shielded transactions. 

zkCloud separates computation from state, enabling it to provide unlimited application runtime. This approach helps developers to create far greater and resource-intense applications than are possible with on-chain execution models, such as Ethereum where runtime is limited by “gas.”

Summary

Zero knowledge primitives are the building blocks that enable zk cryptograph. Key to Aleo are its core primitives of shielded transactions, shielded identities, and its zkCloud.

  • The zkCloud acts as cornerstone enabling fully private, decentralized computation that users can run locally or by specialized service providers
  • The zkCloud enables programmatic interactions between shielded identities (such as end users, organizations, smart contracts, and DAOs
  • The interactions between shielded identities occur via shielded transactions. These private transactions include cryptographic proof that guarantee the correct execution of a given program
  • The Aleo blockchain updates its global state once these transactions are submitted. It also anchors the activity on zkCloud to provide a decentralized, censorship-resistant data availabiltiy guarantee

The core technology stack of Aleo unlocks the combined power of the above-mentioned primitives and empowers developers to create truly private decentralized applications. Aleo’s solution of executing applications privately, safely, cheaply, and scalable – without the need to sacrifice programmability – opens the doors to a fully private and truly decentralized Web3 ecosystem.

Ecosystem