Developers

On May 29th, 2025, the Aztec Labs team observed a sharp slowdown in block production starting around 1:30 PM UTC. An emergency update was shipped and adopted by node operators, which resolved the issue and restored the network to full capacity. In this blog, we break down what went wrong and how we fixed it. 

Comparative to Glassdoor, StealthNote is an app that allows users to post messages privately while proving they belong to a specific organization. Built with Noir, an open-source programming language for writing ZK programs, StealthNote utilizes ZKPs to prove ownership of a company email address, without revealing the particular email or other personal information.

Within the first 24 hours, over 20k users visited the Aztec Playground and started to send transactions on testnet. Additionally, 10 apps launched live on the testnet, including wallets, block explorers, and private DeFi and NFT marketplaces.

In this post, we’ll explore what full decentralization means, how the Aztec Foundation is testing each aspect in the Public Testnet, and the challenges and limitations of testing a decentralized network in a testnet environment.

Earlier this month, we announced the successful testing of the first decentralized upgrade process for an L2, with over 100 sequencers participating. Now, with the mission to bring programmable privacy to the masses, the Aztec Public Testnet is here and, for the first time ever, open to developers to build fully private applications on Ethereum. 

In this article, we will briefly review several suggested privacy-related abbreviations, their strong points, and their constraints. And after that, we’ll think about whether someone will benefit from combining them or not. We’ll look at different configurations and combinations.

We’re showing up to Denver in a big way to celebrate the epic builders of Ethereum and a new dawn of applications with the second NoirCon and an immersive night at Meow Wolf. Join us at ETHDenver to build the next gen of applications.

In this article, we’ll talk about one of the core components unlocking privacy on Ethereum: state management. We’ll shed some light on programmable and composable privacy which allows dApp developers to choose what they want to make private and what to leave public. That allows for an ecosystem of privacy-preserving dApps that can communicate with each other as well as Ethereum.

It’s been a big year for Noir, the universal language for zero-knowledge. We made things official with GitHub and became an official coding language, cozied up with Vitalik at the inaugural NoirCon0 in Thailand, and now we’re making zero-knowledge proofs more accessible and powerful for developers worldwide with the Noir 1.0 pre-release. 

After 7 years of building in the open, last month we announced that Devnet is now live. To celebrate we launched Alpha Build, a series of three developer sprints with up to US$100,000 in prizes and the opportunity to deploy on the Aztec for the first time. Starting October 8th - October 29th, 2024, the second sprint, Alpha Build 2 (AB2), will focus on identity and social.

Over the last month, to celebrate a live DevNet, we championed builders to help shape the future of payments through Alpha Build One (AB1). From wallets using Ethereum signatures to cloud-based wallet features and beyond, we had 50 participants, 6 teams, and a total of 13 projects submitted.

Devnet is now live! This milestone enables private, client-side smart contract execution with robust public verifiability, a massive milestone for Aztec and the Ethereum community.To celebrate this milestone, we’re launching Alpha Build, a series of three developer sprints with a USD $100,000 prize pool and the opportunity to deploy on the Aztec Network for the first time.

Aztec Labs is committed to enabling developers to build with ZK and unlock the full potential of this transformative technology. To that end, we built Noir, an open source Domain Specific Language for safe and seamless construction of privacy-preserving ZK proofs. We fund tooling, libraries, and applications that make Noir more accessible and enjoyable for developers.

In this article, we revisit the topic of Account Abstraction (AA): its meaning, history, and current landscape. We explore the possibilities that AA opens for developers and figure out which Account Abstraction is the most abstract one.

In this article, we explore the client-side proof generation used for proving private functions’ correct execution and explain how it differs from proof generation in general-purpose rollups.

Meet Noir Beta: a stable, fast, browser-compatible language for zero-knowledge (ZK) applications, advancing blockchain privacy and usability.

Aztec now includes its core cryptographic protocols in Noir, enhancing blockchain circuit development with improved security and efficiency. This integration facilitates a more streamlined process for developers.

Discover the Sandbox Alpha Program, inviting developers to build privacy-centric blockchain applications with support, stipends, and co-marketing opportunities.

Based on developer feedback, the Aztec Sandbox has been updated for improved usability and functionality in blockchain application development.

Introducing NoirJS, a tool for creating privacy-centric zero-knowledge applications in web browsers, enhancing the accessibility of blockchain technologies.

A comprehensive review and learning process from Aztec Connect, coupled with a substantial bug bounty initiative to fortify the platform.

This update discusses the integration of unconstrained functions in Noir, enhancing its flexibility and utility in blockchain programming.

Aztec Labs introduces Sandbox, a testnet for building private blockchain applications, marking a major step in blockchain privacy solutions.

Aztec.nr is a breakthrough in private smart contract frameworks, focusing on elevating privacy and functionality in blockchain.

Aztec Labs is glad to kick-off the Aztec Grants Wave 3, a new initiative supporting projects that enhance blockchain privacy and contribute to the Aztec ecosystem.

This article explores how Aztec achieves privacy abstraction in its technology, a critical aspect for secure and private blockchain transactions.

Noir's new support for Visual Studio Code enhances the developer experience in building blockchain applications with improved tools and integration.

Announcing the second round of Aztec's grants program, aimed at supporting innovative projects that enhance Aztec's ecosystem.

Meet Noir, an universal programming language for zero-knowledge proofs, offering a new dimension of privacy in blockchain technology.

An in-depth look at the intricate network structure within the Aztec ecosystem, detailing its components and functionalities.

Introducing Aztec Grants, a program funding community-led projects to build a privacy-focused ecosystem in blockchain technology.

Welcome Polaris, representing innovation and progress, unveiling new possibilities in blockchain.

Aztec has built zkReddit, a privacy-focused 'Reddit' on the blockchain. We are here to tell you all about it.

Delve into the release of Aztec's zk-zk rollup code, a significant step forward in enhancing blockchain privacy and scalability.

Introducing a roadmap for a faster and more efficient solution for private blockchain transactions on Ethereum.

Learn about PLONK's impressive speed advantage in cryptographic computations, significantly outpacing Groth16 in Pedersen hashes.