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Verifier Time Complexity

Definition

Verifier time complexity measures the computational resources, specifically time, required for a verifier to confirm the validity of a cryptographic proof. In many advanced proof systems, particularly zero-knowledge proofs, a primary design goal is to achieve very low verifier time complexity, ideally polylogarithmic or constant. This efficiency allows network participants to quickly and economically confirm the correctness of computations without needing to re-execute them. It is a critical metric for the practicality and scalability of decentralized systems.