What is ZK-Proof of Work?

Nockchain uses Zero-Knowledge Proof of Work (ZK-Proof of Work) as its consensus mechanism to provide trustless settlement and ordering guarantees. Zero-Knowledge Proof of Work is similar to hash-based Proof of Work, where miners compete to repeatedly run calculations for the same puzzle with different nonces until the output hash is below the target value (commonly known as difficulty). In our initial ZK-Proof of Work implementation, miners compute a Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) for a fixed puzzle and then hash that ZKP.

Nockchain’s parameters are similar to the Satoshi consensus, with a target block time of 10 minutes, difficulty adjustment every 2 weeks, and an initial block size of 1MB.

Where can I download the Nockchain open-source mining code?

https://github.com/zorp-corp/nockchain

What is Dumbnet?

Dumbnet is the first version of the Nockchain mainnet. It is fairly minimal, including only simple UTXO spending, multisig, and timelock functionality.

How do you define a fair launch?

We define a fair launch as a Proof of Work competition with no pre-mining, where everyone can verify that mining started at a known time.

What are the recommended mining specifications?

We recommend using a machine with at least 64GB of RAM, 200GB of available disk space, and a high-speed CPU. A Mac Mini might be a good choice, as they have unified memory, and STARK computations typically require significant memory usage.

Does Nockchain mining primarily use CPU or GPU?

At the Dumbnet release, we will provide a CPU mining reference client. We make no guarantees about its performance. We expect developers will need some time to port it to GPUs, but there’s no guarantee, as STARK optimization is quite challenging. Researchers debate whether GPUs or FPGAs are better suited for long-term STARK verification.

What is the relationship between Zorp and Nockchain?

Zorp is a for-profit lab company focused on engineering and R&D for the Nock ecosystem. Zorp developed the Nockchain protocol.

For installation issues, please contact: https://t.me/blockvar