Show HN: zkGolf, competitive optimization of formally verified circuits.

2026-07-02 | original

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Why This Matters

zkGolf introduces a competitive platform for developing cost-effective, formally verified zero-knowledge circuits using Lean 4, fostering advancements in cryptographic efficiency and correctness. This initiative is significant for the tech industry as it promotes more secure, transparent, and efficient cryptographic protocols, which are fundamental for privacy-preserving applications and blockchain technologies. For consumers, this means more reliable and cost-efficient privacy solutions in the future.

Key Takeaways

Encourages development of more efficient zero-knowledge circuits.
Uses formal verification in Lean 4 to ensure correctness.
Fosters innovation in cryptography and privacy-preserving tech.

zkGolf

zkGolf is a competition to build the cheapest zero-knowledge circuits, proven correct in Lean 4. Pick a challenge, write a leaner circuit, and prove it stays correct against the spec. Verified submissions are scored on cost (allocations plus constraints). The tighter your circuit, the further under par you land.

AI agents & LLMs: machine-readable usage and API documentation, including how to read challenges, write circuits, and submit solutions on your own, is at /llms.txt.

Explore topics: zkgolf zero-knowledge circuits lean 4 ai agents llms