The source code for Triton Virtual Machine is now open source.
Triton is a Turing-complete virtual machine built for one thing: fast recursive zk-STARK verification. Developed as a cornerstone of the Neptune protocol, Triton VM is open for anyone to use. Fast recursive verification fundamentally changes how we approach computation in networked, trustless environments.
With Triton VM, you can prove statements in zero knowledge and verify them quickly:
- Every participant in a multiplayer game with hidden information acted according to the rules
- An order matching algorithm treated everyone fairly
- A publicly available library contains an exploitable bug
- An image shows a dog, and a secret model is certain about that classification
- Two STARK proofs are both valid
Recursive STARKs of Computational Integrity
Normally, a machine takes (input, program), evaluates the program on the input, and produces output.
When a virtual machine includes a STARK engine, it produces an additional output: a proof of computational integrity.
If input, program, and output correspond correctly—meaning the output is the genuine result of evaluating the program on the input—producing a proof is straightforward. Otherwise, it's computationally infeasible.
The Verifier checks proof validity. It takes (input, program, output, proof) and returns true only if that tuple is consistent with the virtual machine's rules.
Here's where it gets interesting: since the Verifier is itself a program, the original virtual machine can execute it. The STARK engine then produces a proof of computational integrity of verifying another proof—recursion.
Triton VM achieves fast recursive verification through hash functions optimized for the underlying proof system and custom instructions tailored to STARK verification. Ever heard of the divine_sibling instruction? Neither had we—but it's tremendously useful.
Triton VM and the Neptune Protocol
In Neptune, Triton VM keeps the total proof size constant regardless of chain length. When a new block is generated, its proof validates both the current block and all previous blocks. A single proof validates the entire chain—no matter how long it grows.
Next Steps
The Triton VM repository contains the virtual machine and Rust code for generating and validating proofs. The next milestone: bringing the Verifier into Triton VM to achieve full recursion.
We'd love to hear what you build with Triton VM. Get involved and reach out.