Agent skill
zk-circuits
Zero-knowledge circuit development using Circom and Noir languages. Supports constraint optimization, ZK-friendly cryptographic primitives, proof generation (Groth16, PLONK), and Merkle tree implementations.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter/tree/main/library/specializations/cryptography-blockchain/skills/zk-circuits
SKILL.md
ZK Circuit Development Skill
Zero-knowledge circuit development using Circom and Noir for privacy-preserving applications and zkRollups.
Capabilities
- Circom Circuits: Write Circom templates and components
- Noir Programs: Develop Noir ZK applications
- Constraint Optimization: Minimize circuit constraints
- ZK Primitives: Use Poseidon, MiMC, and Pedersen hashes
- Proof Systems: Generate Groth16 and PLONK proofs
- Signal Design: Design efficient circuit inputs/outputs
- Merkle Trees: Implement membership and non-membership proofs
- Witness Generation: Create efficient witness calculators
Circom Development
Installation
# Install Circom
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh
git clone https://github.com/iden3/circom.git
cd circom
cargo build --release
cargo install --path circom
# Install snarkjs
npm install -g snarkjs
# Verify
circom --version
snarkjs --version
Basic Circuit
pragma circom 2.1.6;
// Simple addition circuit
template Addition() {
// Public inputs
signal input a;
signal input b;
// Output (public by default)
signal output c;
// Constraint
c <== a + b;
}
component main = Addition();
Multiplier Circuit
pragma circom 2.1.6;
template Multiplier(n) {
signal input in[n];
signal output out;
signal intermediate[n];
intermediate[0] <== in[0];
for (var i = 1; i < n; i++) {
intermediate[i] <== intermediate[i-1] * in[i];
}
out <== intermediate[n-1];
}
component main {public [in]} = Multiplier(3);
Hash Circuit (Poseidon)
pragma circom 2.1.6;
include "circomlib/circuits/poseidon.circom";
template HashPreimage() {
signal input preimage;
signal input hash;
component hasher = Poseidon(1);
hasher.inputs[0] <== preimage;
// Verify hash
hash === hasher.out;
}
component main {public [hash]} = HashPreimage();
Merkle Tree Membership
pragma circom 2.1.6;
include "circomlib/circuits/poseidon.circom";
include "circomlib/circuits/mux1.circom";
template MerkleProof(levels) {
signal input leaf;
signal input root;
signal input pathElements[levels];
signal input pathIndices[levels];
component hashers[levels];
component mux[levels];
signal levelHashes[levels + 1];
levelHashes[0] <== leaf;
for (var i = 0; i < levels; i++) {
hashers[i] = Poseidon(2);
mux[i] = Mux1();
mux[i].c[0] <== levelHashes[i];
mux[i].c[1] <== pathElements[i];
mux[i].s <== pathIndices[i];
hashers[i].inputs[0] <== mux[i].out;
hashers[i].inputs[1] <== levelHashes[i] + pathElements[i] - mux[i].out;
levelHashes[i + 1] <== hashers[i].out;
}
root === levelHashes[levels];
}
component main {public [root]} = MerkleProof(20);
Circom Build Process
# Compile circuit
circom circuit.circom --r1cs --wasm --sym -o build
# Generate witness
node build/circuit_js/generate_witness.js build/circuit_js/circuit.wasm input.json witness.wtns
# Powers of Tau ceremony (one-time)
snarkjs powersoftau new bn128 14 pot14_0000.ptau
snarkjs powersoftau contribute pot14_0000.ptau pot14_0001.ptau
snarkjs powersoftau prepare phase2 pot14_0001.ptau pot14_final.ptau
# Generate proving key (Groth16)
snarkjs groth16 setup build/circuit.r1cs pot14_final.ptau circuit_0000.zkey
snarkjs zkey contribute circuit_0000.zkey circuit_final.zkey
# Export verification key
snarkjs zkey export verificationkey circuit_final.zkey verification_key.json
# Generate proof
snarkjs groth16 prove circuit_final.zkey witness.wtns proof.json public.json
# Verify proof
snarkjs groth16 verify verification_key.json public.json proof.json
# Generate Solidity verifier
snarkjs zkey export solidityverifier circuit_final.zkey Verifier.sol
Noir Development
Installation
# Install Noir (Nargo)
curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/noir-lang/noirup/main/install | bash
noirup
# Verify
nargo --version
Basic Noir Program
// src/main.nr
fn main(x: Field, y: pub Field) {
assert(x != y);
}
Hash Verification
use dep::std::hash::pedersen_hash;
fn main(preimage: Field, hash: pub Field) {
let computed_hash = pedersen_hash([preimage]);
assert(computed_hash == hash);
}
Merkle Proof in Noir
use dep::std::hash::poseidon;
use dep::std::merkle::compute_merkle_root;
fn main(
leaf: Field,
index: Field,
hash_path: [Field; 20],
root: pub Field
) {
let computed_root = compute_merkle_root(leaf, index, hash_path);
assert(computed_root == root);
}
Noir Build Process
# Create project
nargo new my_circuit
cd my_circuit
# Edit src/main.nr
# Edit Prover.toml with inputs
# Compile
nargo compile
# Generate witness
nargo execute
# Generate proof
nargo prove
# Verify proof
nargo verify
Optimization Techniques
Constraint Reduction
// BAD: Creates extra constraints
template Bad() {
signal input a;
signal output b;
b <== a * a * a * a; // Multiple intermediate constraints
}
// GOOD: Single constraint
template Good() {
signal input a;
signal output b;
signal a2;
a2 <== a * a;
b <== a2 * a2; // Fewer constraints
}
Field Arithmetic
// Use field arithmetic efficiently
template FieldOps() {
signal input a;
signal input b;
signal output c;
// Addition is free (no constraint)
signal sum;
sum <== a + b;
// Multiplication adds constraint
c <== a * b;
}
Lookup Tables
// Use lookup tables for range checks
template RangeCheck(n) {
signal input in;
component bits = Num2Bits(n);
bits.in <== in;
// Implicitly constrains in < 2^n
}
ZK-Friendly Primitives
| Primitive | Constraints | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Poseidon | ~300/hash | General hashing |
| MiMC | ~700/hash | Merkle trees |
| Pedersen | ~1000/hash | Commitments |
| ECDSA | ~10000/sig | Signatures |
| EdDSA | ~3000/sig | Signatures |
Process Integration
| Process | Purpose |
|---|---|
zk-circuit-development.js |
Circuit development |
zk-snark-application.js |
ZK application building |
zk-rollup-development.js |
Rollup circuits |
privacy-token-implementation.js |
Privacy protocols |
Best Practices
- Minimize constraints for efficient proofs
- Use ZK-friendly hash functions
- Audit circuits for completeness
- Test with edge cases
- Use formal verification when possible
- Document signal flows clearly
See Also
skills/crypto-primitives/SKILL.md- Cryptographic primitivesagents/zk-cryptographer/AGENT.md- ZK expert agent- Circom Documentation
- Noir Documentation
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