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RISC Zero

RISC Zero is an open-source zero-knowledge verifiable computing framework built around zk-STARKs and a virtual machine that emulates the RISC-V architecture. It lets a prover execute compiled code in the zkVM and produce a receipt containing a journal of declared outputs and cryptographic proof data. A verifier can check that receipt against the method’s image ID, establishing that the output came from a valid execut

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Independent OpenViST project profile, based on linked sources.

RISC Zero — OpenViST project profile in ZK & Privacy.
OpenViST project illustration. See the linked sources for product details.
Understand the project

Practical overview

When it fits

Use it when another party needs to verify that code ran correctly, while the proof should expose the journal output rather than the computation’s inputs or intermediate state.

Who it is for

  • Developers building applications that produce proofs of general computations.
  • Teams creating verifiable-computation services with zk-STARKs.
  • Zero-knowledge application developers targeting RISC-V.
  • Engineers integrating cryptographic verification of computational results.

Documented uses

  • Compile supported Rust, C or C++ code into a RISC-V method.
  • Run and prove a method inside the RISC Zero zkVM.
  • Publish or pass a receipt containing the computation journal and cryptographic seal.
  • Verify a receipt and inspect the declared computation output.
Before you choose

Requirements & limits

The repository is public and lists an Apache-2.0 licence. The documented developer workflow uses Rust, the rzup installer and cargo risczero. The repository recommends using the latest release for applications and examples rather than the main development branch.

  • The execution model is a RISC-V-emulating zkVM, so application code needs a compiler toolchain targeting RISC-V.
  • Rust, C and C++ SDK support is identified in the repository documentation.
  • Verification depends on the receipt, its journal and the method’s image ID.
  • The framework’s privacy property applies to inputs and execution state not revealed through the journal; journal contents remain visible to the verifier.
  • The repository describes a three-layer recursive proof system based on zk-STARK and Groth16 protocols and gives default parameters of perfect zero-knowledgeness and 98 bits of conjectured security.

Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.

Source-based practical guide

Set up a RISC Zero project scaffold

Install the RISC Zero toolchain and create the initial project structure.

Before you start

  • Rust installed.
  • A supported Linux, macOS or Windows development environment.
  • Network access for the documented installer and toolchain commands.

Steps

  1. Install the RISC Zero toolchain installer, rzup, with the documented installer command.

  2. Run rzup install to install the RISC Zero toolchain.

  3. Run cargo risczero --version to verify the tool installation.

  4. Run cargo risczero new my_project to create a new project.

Expected outcome

A new RISC Zero project is created with the standard initial structure.

Guide limitations

  • This recipe covers toolchain setup and project creation; it does not document building, proving or verifying a specific application.
  • The repository recommends using the latest release for applications and examples rather than the main development branch.
Documentation 1 ↗
COMPARE OPTIONS

Compare options for Zero-knowledge verification

These projects document a common task and share a project role. This is a source-based comparison, not an execution benchmark or a guarantee of interchangeability.

ProjectDocumented purposePlatformAccess and requirements
RISC ZeroCompile supported Rust, C or C++ code into a RISC-V method.CLI, Desktop, Linux, macOSThe repository is public and lists an Apache-2.0 licence. The documented developer workflow uses Rust, the rzup installer and cargo risczero. The repository recommends using the latest release for applications and examples rather than the main development branch.
ProvenZKRepresent circuit gates and vectors in LeanCLI, Linux, macOS, WindowsThe repository is publicly accessible, open source and licensed under Apache-2.0. It is presented as a Lean 4 library for projects using the lake tool.
PicusDetect under-constrained signals in a zero-knowledge circuitCLIThe repository is public and released under the MIT license. Installation and local builds are documented through Cargo, with Docker also provided as a build and run path. The default native solver does not require an external solver.
Evidence and transparency

Sources & review

Official repository ↗
Source record details
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Active
Sources checked
3 October 2026
Original website title
risc0/risc0 · Official homepage title · retained in its source language
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