zkRollups-as-a-service: Simplifying launch of zero-knowledge Rollups

Zkrollups or zero-knowledge rollup is a scaling solution for Layer-1 that is getting widespread adoption due to its ability to generate zero knowledge-based cryptographic proofs, eliminating the need for a separate validator set. Along with Zk-rollups, zkrollups-as-a-service is also gaining popularity as it provides a managed solution for seamless, low-code, and few-clicks deployment of Zk-rollups. In this article, we will talk about zkrollups-as-a-service, its benefits, use cases, and few other important aspects.

What exactly are zk-Rollups?

Zk- rollup is a decentralized Layer-2 scalability solution that harnesses the power of zero-knowledge proof— a cryptographic proof that guarantees the authenticity of the transactions batched and computed off-chain. For Layer-1, a Zk-powered rollup serves as a Layer-2 scaling solution that batches transactions from L1, computes them, and creates proof that are again submitted on Layer1. Likewise, Zk-rollups when implemented on Layer-2, they serve as Layer-3 scaling solution that further improves the scalability and interoperability across various layers of the ecosystem. A  Zk-rollup consists of various components such as the sequencer, aggregator, prover, verifier, consensus contract, and ZK bridge that allows the Rollup infrastructure to function and scale underlying Layer-1 ecosystem.

What are the complexities of deploying zk-Rollups?

The programming-based approach of building custom zk-rollups– using customizable templates, modules, and SDKs is a viable method, but it comes with a specific set of challenges, such as:

Hardware/software setup: In order to deploy and manage your Zk-rollups infrastructure, you need a specialized hardware and software setup. For example, a special version of CPU processor, RAM, extendable storage, execution environment, programming tools, libraries, SDKs, and modules. Setting up this infrastructure  is costly and managing them is is often challenging.

Managing multi-layered infrastructure: A Zk-rollup infrastructure can include multiple layers- layer-1, layer-2, and layer3; based on the scalability requirements of projects. Managing multiple layers, their functionalities, and ensuring their optimal performance is really a complex, time and resource-consuming task. Even a small negligence can lead to downtime and other performance-related issues.

Integration of Rollup-level components: While the integration of Zk-rollup’s components such as bridge, wallet, nodes, and explorers is crucial– maintaining them all together can be challenging. Also, you need to ensure the bridge works properly, enabling a seamless and uninterrupted communication between multiple layers. For this, you must master the zk- rollup infrastructure, get devops skill set and complete knowledge about compliance management.

Zk-rollup configurations: Configuring Zk–rollup chains are again complex. For example, you need to run specific nodes, and setup components such as sequencer, aggregator, consensus contract, and data availability committee. This requires you to hire a dedicated DevOps team with extensive experience in Zk-projects, which can be costly and more resource-intensive. Management of Zero-knowledge proof: Zk-proofs are cryptographic mathematical proofs that include complex calculations and specialized hardware setup. Therefore, projects that are just starting out or those with less familiarity with Zk-based development may come across extreme challenges while implementing and managing Zero-knowledge proofs for their Rollups.

How zkrollups-as-a-service tackles the above challenges of zkRollups deployment?

Zkrollups-as-a-service solution bypasses the complexities of building and deploying Zk-rollups with the programming-based approach. With a zkrollups-as-a-service platform, you interact with a dashboard-like interface from where you can quickly deploy Zk-rollups with custom configurations through one-click deployment approach.

ZK-Raas is basically a managed-service for a seamless and technical complexity-free Zk-rollup development. It is yet another way to launch your custom Layer-2 rollup with no-code deployment interfaces and configuration panels within a few clicks and usually in minutes.

Further, the platform will ensure the high-performance of various layers and their components such as a sequencer, data availability layer, prover, etc. Regarding the integration, Zk–Raas solutions allow for quick integration and management of tools like nodes, bridges, wallet, explorers, and more. Implementation and management of ZK-proof is also done automatically– you do not need to manage anything on your end.

The end purpose of the zk-Rollup remains the same; to enhance the performance, scalability, security, and interoperability of decentralized applications through the computation of transactions off-chain. Hence, ZK-Raas solutions enable projects to easily and quickly build their own EVM or non-EVM Rollup chain with benefits such as EVM-equivalency, gas fee configuration, complete hardware/software infrastructure management, cross-rollup communication, and more.

What are the main benefits of zkrollups-as-a-service solutions?

Following are the main benefits web3 projects can leverage from Zk-Raas solutions: 

1. Choice of infrastructure: ZK-Raas solutions are designed to provide your flexibility of choosing your Zk-rollup infrastructure. As such, you can deploy Zk-roll on Layer-1 Ethereum or you a Layer-2 protocol like Polygon. For Layer-1, Rollup will service as Layer-2 and for Layer-2, it will serve as Layer-3 scaling solution.
2. Rollup configurations: ZK-Raas solution allows for full customization of default components of your Zk-rollup chain. For example, you can choose your preferred Rollup execution environment, data availability committee, sequencers, and aggregators. Further, you can make changes in the genesis file, set specific security parameters, choose cloud infrastructure, set gas price limit, transaction per second (TPS) capability, and so on.
3. Additional infrastructure components: Zkrollups-as-a-service platforms allow you to integrate necessary tools and components for your Rollup chain, making it a full-fledged Layer-2 chain. As required, you can add nodes, explorers, data indexing tools, and other Layer-2 components like nodes, bridges, wallets, etc.
4. Rollups monitoring and alerts: Monitoring features are the integral part of a Zkrollups-as-a-service solution that monitor your Zk-Rollups on critical performance parameters and automatically releases updates, keeping the chain highly-performant, secure, and up-to-date.
5. Support for scaling up: As your Zk-rollup ecosystem expands, Zkrollups-as-a-service allows you to scale the chain based on the current standardization and specific requirements of your projects. For example, you can shift from a dedicated sequencer to shared sequencer or you can switch to a preferred rollup infrastructure (Layer1 or Layer2) anytime.

How web3 projects can leverage zkrollups-as-a-service solutions?

zkrollups-as-a-service solutions allow web3 projects to build their project-specific ZK-Rollup chains for enabling vertical scaling on any base chain– be it Layer-1 like Ethereum or Layer-2 like Polygon. Following are the two main ways how web3 projects can leverage Zk-Raas solutions:

For launching general-purpose Zk-Rollups: Zk-Raas solutions integrate deployment support for all the leading ZKEVM projects like Polygon zkEVM, Scroll, zkSync, and Starkware on their interface and meanwhile it adds each project’s unique features and conditions (like chain-specific DAC, sequencer type, aggregrator etc. It means, you will get a highly-optimized, deployment-ready Zk-Rollup infrastructure with all the default configurations. If our project’s requirements align with the default Zk-rollup infrastructures, you can instantly deploy your general-purpose ZkEVM Rollups with zkrollups-as-a-service solutions.

For application-specific Zk-Rollups: For application-specific Zk-rollups, ZK-Raas solutions support independent rollup execution environments powered by popular ZkEVM Rollup frameworks like Polygon CDK. As per the specific project needs, dApps can deploy their rollups with custom configurations and optimization options in terms of performance, security, token models, and more. This way, web3 projects can eliminate the time and resources required for performing rollup configurations through the coding-based approach.

What are the use cases and applications of ZkRaas?

ZkRaas solutions are well-suited for a range of web3 projects spanning DeFi, NFTs, gaming, payments, supply chain, and more. Projects that are already launching their Zk-rollup chain or planning one– can use zkrollups-as-a-service for quick and effortless deployment options.

Defi: ZkRaas is a perfect solution for DeFi projects for sectors like insurance, banking, decentralized exchange, cross-border payment apps, and a lot more. With zkRaas, DeFi projects can launch Zk-rollups with specific features like higher throughput, lower transaction costs, greater security, and meanwhile avoid issues like censorship and exploitation of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) across DeFi networks. DeFi projects like Plena finance, ScalarDAO, ReadOn, and Interport finance, those are building their Zk-rollups, can use Zk-Rass for seamless deployment and maintenance.

Gaming: Gaming projects can use ZKRaas solution for quick, one-click launch of game–focused Zkp-rollups with all the customized features such as massive scalability, ease of offering cheaper and even gasless transactions, option of enabling player-focused features, and more. Projects like Metaname, ImmutableX, Era-7, Black Eye Galaxy, etc can deploy Zk-rollup with Zk-raas for a simplified deployment process, scaling support, and ease of Rollup infrastructure management.

Payments: Web3 payment is another prominent use case of Zk-Raas where this solution can enable rapid deployment of payment-focused Zk-rollups with customized features, including extremely low transaction fees, customization of TPS, next-level security of funds, identify verification, interoperability between various dApps, confidentiality of payment-related data, resistance against fraud and manipulations. Projects like Wirex, Gnosis Pay, and Stable Pay can choose zkrollups-as-a-service for leveraging its benefits and ofcourse for seamless rollup deployment.

Want to learn more about Rollup infrastructure is beneficial for diverse sectors? Learn our detailed guide below:

The benefits of using Rollups Infrastructure across different sectors: Key aspects to consider

Launch your Custom Zk-Rollup with Zeeve’s Polygon CDK Sandbox

Polygon CDK Sandbox at Zeeve is a kind of zkRollup-as-a-service solution that allows anyone to easily launch their own zk-rollup without having to be an expert in blockchain or web3 technology. Whether you are looking to build a custom zkEVM-powered rollup from scratch or you want to migrate to a Zk-rollup ecosystem, Zeeve’s Sandbox is an optimal solution for all requirements. Zeeve offers a no-code deployment platform powered by Polygon CDK with all the configurations options such as general configurations, blockchain-level, zkEVM, RPC, cloud infrastructure (Zeeve-managed cloud), Layer-1 and Layer-2 smart contracts, and wallet configurations– all from a single portal.

Anyone can deploy their Zk-rollup with the platform’s one-click deployment setup with some basic details like Chain name, Chain ID, and inputs for economic models. By default, Zeeve provides ready-to-use components of Zk-rollup like DAC nodes, RPC nodes, prover, aggregator, synchronizer, and sequencer. Further, if you want to configure any of these components, Zeeve allows you to do so in a couple of clicks.

Note that Polygon CDK is yet to become a production-grade solution. Hence, as of now, Zeeve is offering ‘Sandbox’ deployment which is an absolutely free ‘try and test’ environment for everyone to test out their Zk-rollup and deploy the same seamlessly across a test environment. Once, Polygon CDK begins supporting production-level deployment, these projects can move to mainnet.

Besides one-click deployment, Zeeve’s ZK-Raas also offer 24*7 monitoring of your ZkEVM validium networks on critical parameters such as instance metrics, validium metrics, RPC metrics, logs, and real-time alerts, keeping your Zk-Rollup network up and running with no performance-related issues (as you can see in the below image).

If you want to build your custom Zk-Rollup or Op Stack Rollups or are already working on a complex Rollup project— Zeeve is happy to assist you. For more information on how Zeeve simplifies the launch of Rolllupchains, Appchains, and other web3 projects– drop us an email. Also, you can discuss your project requirements with our web3 consultants via one-to-one call.