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Cairo VM

Cairo VM is an open-source Rust implementation of the virtual machine for Cairo, a language for writing programs whose computations can be proven correct without the verifier re-executing them. Developers can integrate it into Rust applications as a Cargo dependency or build its CLI to run compiled Cairo programs.

Explore the practical guide ↓

Independent OpenViST project profile, based on linked sources.

Cairo VM — OpenViST project profile in Developer Tools.
OpenViST project illustration. See the linked sources for product details.
Understand the project

Practical overview

When it fits

Use Cairo VM when a Rust project or developer workflow needs to execute Cairo programs, including programs designed for provable computation. Choose the library route for integration in a Rust application, or the CLI route for compiling and running programs as separate steps.

Who it is for

  • Rust developers integrating Cairo execution into an application or tool.
  • Cairo developers who want to compile programs and run the compiled output locally through a command-line interface.
  • Teams building tools around provable computation that need a Cairo VM execution component.

Documented uses

  • Execute compiled Cairo programs through a Rust library or command-line tool.
  • Compile Cairo source into JSON and pass that output to the VM.
  • Select a VM layout to determine which builtins a CLI run can use.
  • Request proof-mode execution or save relocated trace and memory output from CLI runs.
Before you choose

Requirements & limits

  • The project is a Rust library and CLI, not a hosted service; building and using it requires Rust 1.85.0 or newer and Cargo.
  • Cairo source compilation is a distinct step and requires cairo-lang; the README documents make deps for creating the associated environment.
  • The CLI's --layout setting controls which builtins can be used.
  • The README describes --proof_mode separately from the default secure checks, which are enabled when not in proof mode.
  • The repository specifies an Apache-2.0 license.

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

Compile and run a Cairo program with the CLI

Build the command-line tool, compile a Cairo source file to JSON, and invoke the VM on that compiled program.

Before you start

  • Rust 1.85.0 or newer and Cargo.
  • The cairo-vm repository and its CLI source.
  • The cairo-lang package and the environment used for Cairo compilation; the README describes setting it up with make deps, with make and uv listed for optional setup.

Steps

  1. Build the CLI from the repository's cairo-vm-cli directory with cargo build --release.

  2. Activate the Cairo environment created during dependency setup.

  3. Compile a .cairo file with cairo-compile, specifying an output JSON path.

  4. Run the compiled JSON file with target/release/cairo-vm-cli and choose a --layout, which determines the available builtins.

Expected outcome

The selected compiled Cairo program is passed to the Cairo VM for execution; optional CLI arguments include proof mode and output files for relocated trace or memory.

Guide limitations

  • This recipe follows the README's documented CLI flow; it does not establish compatibility for arbitrary programs or layouts.
  • The documented command-line run consumes compiled JSON, so compilation is a separate prerequisite.
  • The README states that secure checks are enabled by default when not in proof_mode.
Documentation 1 ↗
Evidence and transparency

Sources & review

Official repository ↗
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10 October 2026
Original website title
starkware-libs/cairo-vm · Official homepage title · retained in its source language
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