Cryptography Innovations Drive Sui Blockchain Design

Recently, we had an in-depth conversation with Kostas Chalkias, co-founder and chief cryptographer of Mysten Labs, discussing how cryptographic innovation is at the core of Sui design and why the upcoming features are something to look forward to.

The Role of Cryptographers in Blockchain Construction

Chalkias stated that cryptographers play three key roles in blockchain infrastructure companies.

1. Research: Conduct innovations in Cryptography, seek new algorithms, and study how to break algorithms.

2. Implementation: Apply cryptography concepts to design and implement new features based on product requirements.

3. Innovation: Propose new ideas based on existing Cryptography primitives.

Chalkias emphasized that these three roles typically require teamwork to accomplish. The research team at Sui consists of about 10 people, working together on innovation and implementation. Cryptography is a crucial part of the blockchain infrastructure, requiring diverse expertise and innovation.

External Research Progress and Internal Innovation of Sui

Chalkias mentioned that the development of technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs has had a significant impact on Sui. Mysten Labs excels at combining new theories with existing technologies to drive the birth of innovative products. For example, the zero-knowledge login feature of Sui was created in this way.

Internal innovation is often triggered by demands put forth by the product team. For example, the question of how to achieve discoverable but private Blockchain addresses requires internal brainstorming to solve. Chalkias stated that they are usually able to successfully address various challenges posed by the product team.

Support for Cryptographic Innovation by the Move Language

Chalkias pointed out that the Move language addresses some security issues present in traditional smart contract languages such as Solidity. From its design inception, Move has avoided issues like reentrancy attacks and has improved code reusability through its object-oriented features.

The object-centered design of Move enhances the readability and security of transactions. Users can clearly see the types and characteristics of the objects involved in the transaction, which helps to identify potential issues.

In addition, the parallelization implemented by Move also provides the possibility to design more interesting algorithms. For example, the lottery system implemented on Sui utilizes this feature and can be flexibly called by other products.

How Sui's Data Structure Enhances the Usability of NFTs

Chalkias explained how Sui supports dynamic NFTs. Sui's data structure allows NFTs to update fields with each transaction, which is very useful in scenarios like gaming. Due to Sui's low storage costs, NFTs can be stored on-chain, making it easy for different smart contracts to read and write, achieving composability.

In contrast, NFTs on other chains may face issues such as difficulties in updates and the need for off-chain parsers. Additionally, off-chain storage may also bring risks such as centralization and latency.

The Future Development of Sui

Chalkias is looking forward to the future development of Sui. He specifically mentioned the following points:

1. Diversified authentication methods: Sui supports multiple signature algorithms, enhancing compatibility with existing wallets.

2. Built-in privacy protection technology: Sui introduced privacy protection technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs from the very beginning, providing developers with a wealth of tools.

3. Strong developer support: The Sui team actively collaborates with developers to help them realize innovative ideas and quickly resolve issues.

Chalkias stated that these features will bring a new authentication experience and more innovative applications to the Sui ecosystem.