How far is this project along? Close to mainnet or all theory so far?
While coding the basics, I‘ve added a feasability report with core technology assassment.
https://github.com/drbommel/zensia/blob/main/docs/research/feasibility_report.md Quote:
„The good news is that all core technologies required for Zensia are already invented and proven in various production systems. There are no fundamental technological barriers preventing implementation of the features described in the roadmap. However, there are several areas where developers will face significant challenges:
Zero-Knowledge Proof Implementation Status: Exists but complex • ZKP frameworks like zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs are well-established • Libraries like libsnark, bellman, and arkworks exist
Challenge Level: High • Implementing ZKPs correctly is mathematically complex • Security vulnerabilities can be subtle and catastrophic • Performance optimization requires specialized knowledge
Recommendation: GitHub contributors should leverage existing ZKP libraries rather than implementing from scratch, and arrange for academic review of the implementation.
Privacy-Preserving Consensus
Status: Conceptually sound but implementation challenges • Combining privacy features with PoS consensus is theoretically possible • No major cryptocurrency has fully implemented this combination yet
Challenge Level: High • Validating transactions without full visibility is complex • Preventing double-spending while maintaining privacy requires careful design • Governance and staking reward distributions with privacy add complexity
Recommendation: Create a detailed specification for the consensus mechanism and undergo extensive peer review before implementation.
Network Layer with Privacy Status: Exists but integration challenges • Onion routing (Tor), mixnets, and I2P exist and work • Integration with blockchain P2P networks has precedents (e.g., Monero) Challenge Level: Medium • Network-level leaks can compromise transaction privacy • Performance trade-offs are significant • Bootstrapping a decentralized network with privacy is challenging R ecommendation: Adopt and adapt existing privacy network protocols rather than creating new ones.
Scalability Solutions Status: Partially solved • Layer 2 solutions, sharding, and state channels exist • Combining these with strong privacy remains challenging
Challenge Level: Very High • This is the area where developers will likely struggle most • Privacy features typically increase computational and storage requirements • Maintaining privacy across scaling solutions is an open research area
Recommendation: Start with a well-functioning but limited throughput system, then incrementally add scaling solutions with careful testing.
What Might Cause the Project to Fail?
The project is unlikely to fail due to missing technology, but rather from:
Implementation Complexity o The integration of multiple complex systems could lead to security vulnerabilities o Developers might underestimate the challenge of correctly implementing cryptographic primitives
Resource Constraints o Privacy features increase computational overhead o Without sufficient resources for development and security audits, implementations may be flawed
Regulatory Challenges o Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies face increasing regulatory scrutiny o Legal uncertainties could impact adoption and development
Community Coordination o The community-driven approach requires effective coordination o Without strong technical leadership, implementation quality may suffer
Will GitHub Developers Struggle with Implementation?
Yes, in certain areas:
Areas of Likely Struggle:
Cryptographic Implementation o Correctly implementing zero-knowledge proofs o Ensuring cryptographic assumptions are valid o Optimizing performance of cryptographic operations
Distributed Systems Design o Maintaining network consistency with privacy constraints o Handling edge cases in consensus with incomplete information
Testing and Verification o Creating comprehensive test suites for privacy-preserving systems o Formal verification of critical components
Areas of Lower Difficulty:
Web and API Development o Wallet interfaces and explorers o API services for blockchain interaction
Documentation and Tooling o Development tools and environments o User and developer documentation
Recommendations to Mitigate Challenges
Phased Implementation Approach o Begin with core functionality, then add privacy features incrementally o Allow extensive testing between implementation phases
Leverage Existing Libraries o Use established, audited cryptographic libraries o Adapt proven privacy techniques from existing projects
Academic Collaboration o Partner with academic researchers in cryptography o Submit implementations for peer review before deployment
Security Focus o Allocate significant resources to security audits o Implement bug bounty programs early o Create formal verification for critical components
Reference Implementations o Provide detailed reference implementations for complex components o Include extensive documentation and test cases
Conclusion The Zensia project is technically feasible with current technology. There are no “missing inventions” that would prevent its implementation. However, the integration of multiple complex privacy and consensus technologies presents significant challenges that will require disciplined engineering, extensive testing, and potentially academic collaboration. The most critical areas for focused attention are the correct implementation of zero-knowledge proofs, the integration of privacy features with consensus mechanisms, and the development of scalability solutions that maintain privacy guarantees. With proper technical leadership, phased implementation, and rigorous security practices, the GitHub community should be able to successfully implement the Zensia roadmap, though certain advanced features will require significant expertise and resources.“
