ZKFS (Zero-Knowledge Filesystem) is a foundational infrastructure project that enables privacy-preserving file operations with cryptographic proofs. Prove file properties, audit compliance, and verify system integrity without revealing sensitive data.
Core Innovation
ZKFS combines **Sparse Merkle Trees** with **zero-knowledge cryptography** to create a filesystem where you can prove properties about your files without exposing the actual content. It's the foundation for truly private computing.
Key Features
- >Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Prove file existence, size constraints, or content hashes without revealing actual data
- >Sparse Merkle Trees: Efficient cryptographic proofs for large datasets with constant-time verification
- >Group-Based Access Control: Share encrypted directories with granular permissions (read, write, admin)
- >Advanced Cryptography: Poseidon hashing, XChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption, X25519 key exchange, EdDSA signatures
- >Hierarchical Structure: Nested encrypted directories with inheritance models
- >Privacy by Design: Sensitive data never exposed during verification processes
Proof Types
**Strict Proofs** (Merkle-based): - File existence/absence verification - Content hash validation - Directory structure proofs
**Fuzzy Proofs** (Zero-Knowledge): - All files under size limit (without revealing sizes) - File count in range (without revealing exact count) - Pattern matching across filesystem (without exposing content)
Use Cases
- >Regulatory Compliance: Prove adherence to data policies without disclosure
- >Secure Collaboration: Share folders with revocable access controls
- >Audit Systems: Demonstrate file integrity and properties for compliance
- >Privacy-Preserving Analytics: Aggregate insights without exposing individual files
Architecture
**Core Filesystem Operations**: `mkdir`, `write`, `read`, `delete`, `exists`, `stat`, `list`
**Access Control**: `share`, `unshare`, `rekey`, `unlock`, `lock`
**Storage Backends**: Memory, filesystem, with planned support for IPFS and S3
Tech Stack
TypeScript with comprehensive type safety. Cryptographic primitives via @noble/curves and @noble/ciphers. Noir integration for zero-knowledge circuits. 91% test coverage with Vitest.
Roadmap
**v0.1.0** (Current): Core filesystem + cryptographic proofs ✓ **v0.2.0**: Full Noir circuit integration, performance optimization **v1.0.0**: Distributed P2P filesystem, mobile SDKs, blockchain integration