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Prerequisites

To begin working with the LayerEdge verification system—either as a Light Node operator or proof submitter—you'll need a basic technical setup involving cryptographic understanding, hardware compatibility, and language-specific tools. This guide outlines everything you need before moving to setup and execution.

Cryptographic & Blockchain Knowledge​

Before operating a Light Node or submitting proofs to LayerEdge, ensure you are comfortable with:

  • Zero-Knowledge Proofs
    • Familiarity with zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs (e.g., Groth16, Halo2, STARKy).
  • Hashing Algorithms
    • Understanding of cryptographic hash functions like SHA-256, Poseidon (ZK-friendly), and Merkle Trees.
  • Digital Signatures
    • Working knowledge of schemes like ECDSA and Schnorr (used in Bitcoin), and optionally Lamport signatures (for post-quantum resilience).
  • Bitcoin Anchoring Concepts
    • Understanding how transactions are constructed and how commitments (e.g., OP_RETURN outputs) are embedded into Bitcoin blocks.
    • Familiarity with Bitcoin block headers and Merkle roots.

Hardware & System Requirements​

You don't need enterprise-grade hardware to run a Light Node or interact with LayerEdge—basic specs are enough:

Light Node Operator Requirements​

  • CPU: Modern laptop processor or cloud-based virtual machine (e.g., AWS t3.medium, DigitalOcean Standard Droplet).
  • Memory: 4–8 GB of RAM for Merkle proof processing and recursive verification tasks.
  • Storage: Minimal disk space required (most data fetched over network).
  • Connectivity: Stable internet connection is essential to fetch trees, communicate with LayerEdge, and submit proofs.

Verification Layer Tester (Proof Submission)​

  • Dependencies:
    • A machine capable of running Go programs and handling network operations over ZeroMQ.
    • Internet access is essential for submitting test data/proofs to remote aggregators or Light Nodes.

Language & Library Dependencies​

Different components of the LayerEdge system require specific tooling. Make sure these are installed on your machine:

Programming Languages​

  • Go (Golang)
    • Version 1.16+ (recommended: 1.18+)
    • Used for both the Light Node and verification tester
  • Rust
    • Version 1.81.0+ required
    • Used to run the risc0-merkle-service for proof integrity checking and Merkle tree generation

Messaging Middleware​

  • ZeroMQ Stack (required for the verification-layer-tester)
    • libzmq
    • libczmq
    • pkg-config
    • These libraries are essential for submitting proof payloads over the ZeroMQ interface.

To install on Ubuntu/Debian-based systems:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y libzmq3-dev libczmq-dev pkg-config

Then install Go's ZMQ binding:

go get gopkg.in/zeromq/goczmq.v4

Additional Notes​

  • Ensure your system PATH includes Rust and Go binaries.
  • On Windows, consider using WSL2 or Git Bash for script compatibility.
  • It's recommended to clone both LayerEdge repositories ahead of time:

Light Node: https://github.com/Layer-Edge/light-node.git

Verification Tester: https://github.com/Layer-Edge/verification-layer-tester.git