“34,469 lines of code are not going to be bug-free for a long time.” — Vitalik Buterin about the ZK-EVM circuit codes

A pivotal consideration guiding our adoption of the Contestable Rollup and multi-proof structure is a healthy skepticism regarding the infallibility of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). Given that software intricacy frequently increases the probability of bugs — as illustrated by significant oversights like the Heartbleed flaw in OpenSSL (2014) and the critical Linux Kernel Bug (2003), which went undetected for extended periods — our approach is one of caution.

ZKPs, as a swiftly advancing technology, are prone to errors. Centralized rollups may tolerate certain risks, but Taiko cannot. Aiming for full decentralization and permissionlessness, we envision a future where we relinquish administrative control over the Taiko network. Consequently, we design Taiko with the premise that no validity proof is beyond doubt or wholly secure without years of proven implementation. That’s why we need contestation.