The Zcash Arboretum

Non-normative documentation of the deployed Zcash protocol and designs being built on top of it. The protocol specification, applicable ZIPs, and consensus rules remain authoritative.

Foundations

1. vol. I stable
   Math Guide

   Mathematical foundations for Halo 2 and Zcash Orchard

   Web PDF
2. vol. II stable
   Crypto Guide

   Cryptographic primitives from scratch

   Web PDF
3. vol. III stable
   Halo 2 Guide

   The Halo 2 proof system, from arithmetisation to recursion

   Web PDF

Deployed protocol

1. vol. IV deployed
   Consensus Guide

   Nakamoto consensus: the double-spend race, the arithmetic of confirmations, and the deployed most-work rule

   Web PDF
2. vol. V deployed
   Ironwood Guide

   The Zcash Orchard protocol and its Ironwood pool

   Web PDF
3. vol. VI deployed
   Wallet Guide

   The Zcash wallet layer: keys, transactions, and light-client synchronisation

   Web PDF

Frontier

1. vol. VII design-stage
   FlyClient Guide

   Succinct chain verification: the sampling protocol, the deployed ZIP-221 commitment, and the unbuilt bridge

   Web PDF
2. vol. VIII frontier
   ZSA Guide

   Zcash Shielded Assets: issuance, transfer, and the counterfeiting boundary

   Web PDF
3. vol. IX frontier
   FROST Guide

   Threshold RedPallas: FROST and its Zcash integration surfaces

   Web PDF

Complete edition

1. all volumes complete
   The Complete Arboretum

   Foundations, deployed protocol, and frontier designs

   Web PDF