ethrex
Minimalist, stable, modular, fast, and ZK native implementation of the Ethereum protocol in Rust.
Getting started
For instructions on how to get started using ethrex L1 and/or L2, please refer to the "Getting started" section of the docs.
L1 and L2 support
This client supports running in two different modes:
- ethrex L1 - As a regular Ethereum execution client
- ethrex L2 - As a multi-prover ZK-Rollup (supporting SP1, RISC Zero and TEEs), where block execution is proven and the proof sent to an L1 network for verification, thus inheriting the L1's security. Support for based sequencing is currently in the works.
Why ZK-Native?
ethrex was built from the ground up with zero-knowledge proving in mind. This isn't a feature bolted onto an existing client—it's a core design principle that shapes how we structure execution, state management, and our entire architecture.
For L1 node operators:
- Integrations with multiple zkVMs (SP1, RISC Zero, ZisK, OpenVM) allow you to prove Ethereum block execution
- ZK-optimized data structures reduce proving overhead
- Lightweight codebase means less complexity when running alongside provers
For L2 builders:
- Multi-prover ZK-Rollup architecture supports SP1, RISC Zero, and TEEs out of the box
- Proof aggregation through Aligned Layer integration
- Same execution client for L1 and L2 means consistent behavior and easier debugging
See our zkVM integrations documentation for details on supported proving backends.
Philosophy
Many long-established clients accumulate bloat over time. This often occurs due to the need to support legacy features for existing users or through attempts to implement overly ambitious software. The result is often complex, difficult-to-maintain, and error-prone systems.
In contrast, our philosophy is rooted in simplicity. We strive to write minimal code, prioritize clarity, and embrace simplicity in design. We believe this approach is the best way to build a client that is both fast and resilient. By adhering to these principles, we will be able to iterate fast and explore next-generation features early, either from the Ethereum roadmap or from innovations from the L2s.
Read more about our engineering philosophy in this post of our blog.
Design Principles
- Ensure effortless setup and execution across all target environments.
- Be vertically integrated. Have the minimal amount of dependencies.
- Be structured in a way that makes it easy to build on top of it, i.e rollups, vms, etc.
- Have a simple type system. Avoid having generics leaking all over the codebase.
- Have few abstractions. Do not generalize until you absolutely need it. Repeating code two or three times can be fine.
- Prioritize code readability and maintainability over premature optimizations.
- Avoid concurrency split all over the codebase. Concurrency adds complexity. Only use where strictly necessary.
(Data from main branch of each project at 2025/10/08)
🗺️ Roadmap
You can find our current and planned features in our roadmap page.
View the roadmap →
📖 Documentation
Full documentation is available in the docs/ directory. Please refer to it for setup, usage, and development details.
For better viewing, we have it hosted in docs.ethrex.xyz.
This includes both L1 and L2 documentation.
📚 References and acknowledgements
The following links, repos, companies and projects have been important in the development of this repo, we have learned a lot from them and want to thank and acknowledge them.
If we forgot to include anyone, please file an issue so we can add you. We always strive to reference the inspirations and code we use, but as an organization with multiple people, mistakes can happen, and someone might forget to include a reference.
Security
We take security seriously. If you discover a vulnerability in this project, please report it responsibly.
For more details, please refer to our Security Policy.
Contributing
We welcome contributions!
Check out CONTRIBUTING.md for setup instructions and PR guidelines.
