Computational Trace

Definition ∞ A computational trace represents the complete, ordered record of all operations executed by a digital process or program. This sequence documents every step, input, output, and state change that occurred during a computation. It serves as an immutable log, verifying the correctness and integrity of complex digital operations.
Context ∞ Within blockchain and digital asset systems, computational traces are central to zero-knowledge proofs and verifiable computation, allowing participants to confirm calculations without revealing underlying data. The situation involves leveraging these traces to enhance privacy and scalability for decentralized applications. A critical future development includes optimizing the generation and verification of these traces to support more sophisticated and efficient on-chain computations.