List of Common Acronyms

Our jargon is full of acronyms. While they are useful to keep communications short and snappy, they can be quite opaque. Especially when they are hard to look up! Below is a list of common acronyms, ordered alphabetically.

A

• AHP - algebraic holographic proof.
• AIR - algebraic intermediate representation.

B

• BARG - batch argument.
• BCS transform- Ben-Sasson–Chiesa–Spooner.
• BLS curves - Barreto–Lynn–Scott.
• BLS signatures - Boneh–Lynn–Sacham.
• BN curves - Barreto–Naehrig.

C

• CCS - customizable constraint system.
• coSNARK - collaborative SNARK.
• CRS - common reference string.

D

• DA - data availability.
• DAS scheme - data availability sampling scheme.
• DEEP - domain extension for the elimination of pretenders.
• DKG - distributed key generation.
• DLOG - discrete logarithm.

E

• ECC -
  • elliptic curve cryptography.
  • error-correcting codes.
• ECDSA - elliptic curve digital signature algorithm.
• EdDSA - Edwards-curve digital signature algorithm.

F

• FFT - fast Fourier transform.
• FHE - fully homomorphic encryption.
• FRI - fast Reed-Solomon IOPP of proximity.
• FS transform - Fiat–SHamir transform.

G

• GC - garbled circuit.
• GKR protocol - Goldwasser–Kalai–Rothblum.

H

• HE - homomorphic encryption.
• HSM - hardware security module.

I

• iO - indistinguishability obfuscation.
• IOP - interactive oracle proof.
• IOPP - interactive oracle proof of proximity.
• IP - interactive proof.
• IPA - inner-product argument.
• IVC - incrementally verifiable computation.

J

K

• KDF - key-derivation function.
• KEM - key encapsulation mechanism
• KZG commitment - Kate–Zaverucha–Goldberg polynomial commitment scheme.

L

• LPC - list polynomial commitment (scheme).
• LWE - learning with error.

M

• M31 - the Mersenne prime $2^{31}-1$.
• MLE - multilinear extension.
• MNT curves - Miyaji–Nakabayashi–Takano.
• MPC - multi-party computation.
• MSIS - module short integer solution.

N

• NARG - non-interactive argument.
• NARK - non-interactive argument of knowledge.
• NIZK - non-interactive zero-knowledge proof.
• NTT - number-theoretic transform.

O

• oPRF - oblivious pseudo-random function.

P

• PAIR - pre-processed AIR.
• PCD - proof-carrying data.
• PCP - probabilistically checkable proof.
• PCS - polynomial commitment scheme.
• PIOP - polynomial interactive oracle proof.
• PPOT - perpetual powers of tau (trusted setup ceremony).
• PQC - post-quantum cryptography.
• PRF - pseudo-random function.
• PRG - pseudo-random generator.
• PVSS - publicly verifiable secret sharing.

Q

• QAP - quadratic arithmetic program.

R

• R1CS - rank-1 constraint system.
• RAP - randomized AIR with pre-processing (equivalent to PLONKish arithmetization).
• ROM - random oracle model.
• RS code - Reed-Solomon code.
• RSA - Rivest–Shamir–Adleman.
• RTP - real-time proving.

S

• SIS - short integer solution.
• SNARG - succinct non-interactive argument.
• SNARK - succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge.
• SRS - structured reference string.
• SS - secret sharing.
• SSS - Shamir secret sharing.
• STARK - scalable transparent argument of knowledge.

T

• TEE - trusted execution environment.
• TFHE - torus fully homomorphic encryption (not to be confused with threshold FHE).

U

• UC - universal composability.

V

• VDF - verifiable delay function.
• VSS - verifiable secret sharing.

W

• WE - witness encryption.

X

• X3DH - extended triple Diffie Hellman (key agreement protocol).

Y

Z

• ZK - zero-knowledge.
• zkVM - zero-knowledge virtual machine.
• zkEVM - zero-knowledge Ethereum virtual machine.

Numbers

• 2-PC - two-party computation.