What two ZK proof system architectures is Kaspa evaluating for integration?

Kaspa's integration evaluation centers on two primary ZK proof system architectures: zkVMs that compile arbitrary programs to arithmetic circuits, and domain-specific languages that provide controlled environments for provable computation. A zkVM based on the RISC-V instruction set lets developers write standard programs in conventional programming languages, which then generate proofs of correct execution — proving that program X, run with inputs Y, produced output Z. Domain-specific languages take a more constrained approach, trading flexibility for a more predictable proof environment. Each architecture carries distinct trade-offs in proof size, generation time, verification cost, and maturity. For a beginner, this matters because the proof system Kaspa selects will determine what tools developers use to build on top of it — familiar languages or a specialized toolkit.