Blockchain Interview Question: How Do zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs Compare in Practice?
Recently, I had an interview for a blockchain developer job and fumbled. What's the real difference between zk-SNARKs and zk-STARKs? I understand that both are types of zero-knowledge proofs, but I’m struggling to explain the comparison in terms of actual use cases and trade-offs.
I know Zcash uses SNARKs and projects like StarkWare are all about STARKs, but what actually drives that choice? Is it mainly about scalability, trust assumptions, security, or something else I’m missing?
If anyone can break down where each one really excels (or falls short) in real-world blockchain projects, that would help a ton. I’m trying to move past the buzzwords and get a practical sense of how these zero-knowledge proofs play out in blockchain development. Thanks!