Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) are a type of cryptographic proof that allow one party to prove to another that a statement is true, without revealing any information beyond the statement's validity. This means that the prover can demonstrate the truth of a statement to the verifier, without revealing any underlying information.
In other words, ZKPs allow the prover to prove the validity of a statement, without revealing any information about the statement itself. This makes ZKPs particularly useful for privacy-sensitive applications, where it is important to keep certain information confidential.
ZKPs are built on the mathematical foundations of abstract algebra and number theory, and they use complex algorithms to generate proof certificates that can be verified by a third party. Some common types of ZKPs include zk-SNARKs, zk-STARKs, and Bulletproofs.
ZKPs are used in various applications, such as privacy-preserving authentication, privacy-preserving voting systems, and privacy-preserving cryptocurrency transactions. In blockchain technology, they are used to provide privacy and scalability in decentralized applications, such as in the case of ZK Roll-ups in Ethereum