ethrex
ethrex is a minimalist, stable, modular, fast, and ZK native Ethereum client built from the ground up with zero-knowledge proving in mind. Whether you’re running an L1 node or building an L2, ethrex provides the foundation for verifiable Ethereum execution.
Why ethrex?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Minimalist | ~100k lines of Rust vs 500k+ in mature clients. Less code means fewer bugs and faster iteration. |
| Multi-prover | Support for SP1, RISC Zero, ZisK, OpenVM, and TEEs. Choose the proving backend that fits your needs. |
| Unified L1/L2 | Same execution client for mainnet nodes and L2 rollups. Consistent behavior across layers. |
| ZK-Optimized | Data structures and algorithms designed to minimize proving overhead from day one. |
zkVM Integrations
ethrex integrates with multiple zero-knowledge virtual machines, giving you flexibility in how you prove Ethereum execution.
| zkVM | Organization | L1 Support | L2 Support | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP1 | Succinct | ✓ | ✓ | Production |
| RISC Zero | RISC Zero | ✓ | ✓ | Production |
| ZisK | Polygon | ✓ | Planned | Experimental |
| OpenVM | Axiom | ✓ | Planned | Experimental |
| TEE (TDX) | Intel | — | ✓ | Production |
Tip
For L2 deployments, you can run multiple provers simultaneously for redundancy. See multi-prover deployment.
Quick Start
Run an L1 node:
# Install ethrex
cargo install ethrex
# Start syncing mainnet
ethrex --network mainnet
Deploy an L2:
# See the full deployment guide
# https://docs.ethrex.xyz/l2/deployment/overview.html
Architecture Highlights
ethrex’s architecture is optimized for both traditional execution and ZK proving:
- Stateless execution - Block execution can run with only the necessary witness data, enabling efficient proving
- Modular VM (LEVM) - Our EVM implementation is designed for clarity and easy auditing
- Optimized tries - Merkle Patricia Trie operations are tuned to reduce zkVM cycle counts
- Precompile patches - Cryptographic operations use zkVM-accelerated implementations when available
Learn More
- zkVM Integrations - Detailed guide to supported proving backends
- Benchmark Comparisons - Performance data vs other implementations
- Case Studies - How teams are using ethrex
- Architecture Overview - Deep dive into ethrex internals