Using BLS12-381 Curve Operations on Ethereum: A Beginner’s Guide
As an experienced developer and smart contract enthusiast, you’re probably familiar with the importance of efficient cryptographic operations in the blockchain ecosystem. In this article, we’ll dive into using BLS12-381 curve operations on Ethereum, with a particular focus on EIP-2537, and explore how to implement them on both public and private chains.
What is BLS12-381?
BLS (Brief Linear Cryptographic Hash) is a cryptographic hash function designed for efficient and secure data storage. It’s based on the Blake2s algorithm and uses a 12-byte output, making it suitable for a variety of use cases, including smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps).
EIP-2537: BLS12-381 Curve Operations
In 2018, Ethereum released EIP-2537, which introduced a new set of cryptographic primitives to improve the security and performance of the network. One of these primitives is the BLS12-381 curve operations, which allow for faster and more secure data transmission.
Using EIP-2537 on public chains
On a public chain, you can use the ethereum package to enable BLS12-381 curve operations. Here’s an example:
const { Ethereum } = require('ethereumjs');
const bls12_381 = new Ethereum.BLS12_381();
// Define the input
const data = 'Hello, World!';
// Execute the BLS12-381 operation
const result = bls12_381.sign(data);
// Display the result
console.log(Result: ${result});
Using EIP-2537 in private chains
In a private chain or test network, you need to use a different approach. In this case, we will focus on using the web3 package from Web3.js to enable BLS12-381 curve operations. Here is an example:
const web3 = require('web3');
const provider = new web3.providers.HttpProvider(' // Replace with your Infura project ID
// Define input data (replace with your own)
const data = 'Hello, World!';
// Perform operation BLS12-381
web3.eth.accounts.signTransaction({ from: '0xYourAccountAddress', data }, {
key: web3.eth.accounts.keyFromBuffer(web3.utils.fromHex('YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY')) // Replace with your private key,
})
.then((signedTransaction) => {
provider.sendTransaction(signedTransaction.rawTransaction), (error, result) => {
if (error) {
console.error(error);
} else {
console.log(Result: ${result});
}
});
});
Implementation in EIP-2537
Here is a simple implementation of BLS12-381 curve operations in EIP-2537 using the web3 package:
const web3 = require('web3');
const provider = new web3.providers.HttpProvider('
// Define input data
const data = 'Hello, World!';
// Define BLS12-381 curve operation parameters
const curveParams = {
type: 'Bls12_381',
key: web3.eth.accounts.keyFromBuffer(web3.utils.fromHex('YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY')), // Replace with your private key,
};
// Execute BLS12-381 operation
web3.eth.accounts.signTransaction({ from: '0xYourAccountAddress', data, curveParams }, {
provider,
})
.then((signedTransaction) => {
provider.sendTransaction(signedTransaction.rawTransaction), (error, result) => {
if (error) {
console.error(error);
} else {
console.log(Result: ${result});
}
});
});
Conclusion
In this article, we explored the use of BLS12-381 curve operations in Ethereum, specifically with EIP-2537. We have covered both public and private chain examples, showing how to implement these primitives using popular packages such as web3 and ethereumjs. With this knowledge, you will be able to build more efficient and secure smart contracts and decentralized applications.
