A zero-knowledge proof, also known as ZKP protocol, attempts to establish a fact between parties with a minimum amount of information exchange. In cryptography, it is intended to limit the transfer of information during authentication activities. ZKP’s originators explicitly studied the movement of information, or knowledge, in computer proofs. The zero-knowledge proof was a significant advancement in introducing a new area of study at the time. Its implications are being explored again today in the context of web3 and blockchains.
Knowledge complexity in proof systems
A more accurate name for zero-knowledge proofs might be knowledge-aware proofs. The first paper to propose the idea appeared in a few variations in the late 1980s. The paper, which referred to knowledge complexity in relation to proof systems, asked the question: When one party attempts to prove a statement to another, what is the minimum of information that must be transmitted?
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