Reference
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ritual?
What is Ritual?
Ritual is an expressive EVM compatible L1 blockchain with native support for
heterogeneous compute. Learn more here.
Is Ritual live today?
Is Ritual live today?
Yes! Ritual Chain, our sovereign L1 blockchain designed for native AI
computation and heterogeneous workloads, is currently running in a private
testnet - reach out to the team if you’re interested in building with us during
this early phase.Our first product,
Infernet, is already
live and being used by developers to bring AI computation on-chain across any
EVM-compatible blockchain. Infernet also serves as a core component of Ritual
Chain’s architecture, enabling specialized compute delegation across our
network.
What's the relationship between Ritual Chain and Infernet?
What's the relationship between Ritual Chain and Infernet?
Ritual Chain is our sovereign Layer 1 blockchain, purpose-built for AI and
specialized computation with novel primitives for developers.Infernet serves as both a standalone oracle network enabling any existing
blockchain to access verified AI computation, and a core component of Ritual
Chain’s architecture for delegating specialized compute tasks. This dual role
creates a comprehensive ecosystem for on-chain compute.
Is Ritual a blockchain or an oracle network?
Is Ritual a blockchain or an oracle network?
Ritual consists of two complementary components: Ritual Chain, our sovereign
Layer 1 blockchain designed for heterogeneous compute, and Infernet, our
decentralized oracle network that brings AI computation to any blockchain. While
Infernet serves as a standalone solution for existing chains, it’s also
enshrined into Ritual Chain’s architecture, enabling specialized compute
delegation across our network for scaling.
What teams are building on the Ritual chain right now?
What teams are building on the Ritual chain right now?
Ritual Chain is currently running in a private testnet. For your chance to be
among the first to build on our network, apply here.
How can I build on Ritual Chain?
How can I build on Ritual Chain?
Our L1 blockchain is currently in private testnet. If you’re interested in
building applications with native AI computation, scheduled transactions, or
heterogeneous compute capabilities, reach out to the team for early access. The
chain is fully EVM-compatible, so Ethereum developers can port their
applications seamlessly while accessing Ritual’s advanced features. For
documentation and code samples, check out our
tutorials section.
Is Ritual "doing" ZKML? Is Ritual "doing" OPML?
Is Ritual "doing" ZKML? Is Ritual "doing" OPML?
Rather than committing to a single verification approach, Ritual is proof system
agnostic. We recognize that different applications have different requirements
for security, cost, and performance. Our modular computational integrity system
lets developers choose and combine:
- ZKML for maximum security and privacy
- OPML for efficient verification of larger models where interaction is acceptable
- PPML for cheap, non-interactive statistical verification through backdoors
- TEE for hardware-based security
What do I need to know to participate in Ritual? Do I need a GPU?
What do I need to know to participate in Ritual? Do I need a GPU?
It depends on how you want to participate:For Building Applications:
- No special hardware needed - if you can write Solidity, you can build on Ritual
- Standard development environment for EVM-compatible chains
- Familiar tools like Hardhat, Foundry work out of the box
Is Ritual "doing" proof of provenance?
Is Ritual "doing" proof of provenance?
Yes, through both infrastructure and research. Our storage layer integration
enables immutable object history, while our research work (like
vTune) provides novel techniques for
verifying model fine-tuning through watermarking and backdoors. This creates a
foundation for verifiable AI model provenance and trustworthy model
marketplaces. We also natively support the ability for integrating in other
provenance gadgets, in line with our proof system answer above around staying
neutral as different use cases require different gadgets.
Is Ritual only for web3 people?
Is Ritual only for web3 people?
No, many of our users only care about certain properties (remote compute access,
minimal verifiability, micropayments, and more) that Ritual provides without
having to interface with smart contracts or blockchains.
How can I use Ritual as someone who doesn't know anything about web3?
How can I use Ritual as someone who doesn't know anything about web3?
In the ideal state, the same way you would hit OpenAI endpoints. We want to make
life as simple as possible for web2 users. Reach out to us if life isn’t simple
enough for your use case. We’ll make it happen.
What does Ritual think about TEEs?
What does Ritual think about TEEs?
Ritual fully supports the use of Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) as part
of its comprehensive approach to enabling heterogeneous compute on the
blockchain. Ritual allows developers to leverage TEE-based computation through a
dedicated precompile contract, enabling smart contracts to offload sensitive or
computationally intensive tasks to a secure enclave while maintaining the
overall security and decentralization guarantees of the blockchain. Ritual sees
TEEs as an important component complementing other verification methods, and is
committed to supporting secure hardware-based execution environments.
How do I participate in Ritual?
How do I participate in Ritual?
Today, you can participate by running an Infernet node, or as a user of any app
or protocol that leverages Infernet. Other ways to participate will be announced
as we continue to open-source more.
Is Ritual doing inference only?
Is Ritual doing inference only?
No, we support a host of other AI operations, such as fine-tuning via our
vTune work.
Will Ritual architect its own cryptographic schemes or enable others to plug in theirs?
Will Ritual architect its own cryptographic schemes or enable others to plug in theirs?
What makes EVM++ different from the standard EVM?
What makes EVM++ different from the standard EVM?
EVM++ extends the standard EVM with expressive compute precompiles, native scheduling capabilities, built-in account abstraction, and support for the most requested EIPs. This enables developers to build more sophisticated applications while using familiar tools and maintaining backwards compatibility.
What are Ritual's sidecars and how do they work?
What are Ritual's sidecars and how do they work?
Sidecars are modular extensions to the EVM that enable specialized computation (like AI inference or ZK proving) while maintaining EVM compatibility. They handle complex operations asynchronously and provide verified results back to the main chain.
How does Ritual's modular storage work?
How does Ritual's modular storage work?
Our modular storage system allows for flexible data storage solutions optimized for different types of data (like AI model weights or transaction history). It supports various storage backends while maintaining data availability and verification guarantees.
What types of node specialization does Ritual support?
What types of node specialization does Ritual support?
Ritual enables nodes to specialize in specific types of computation (AI inference, ZK proving, TEE execution) while maintaining network decentralization through Symphony’s distributed verification. Node operators can choose their specialization based on their hardware capabilities and expertise.
How does Ritual achieve scalability for AI operations?
How does Ritual achieve scalability for AI operations?
Ritual uses a combination of techniques including Symphony’s EOVMT paradigm, specialized compute nodes, and efficient proof systems. This allows for parallel processing of AI workloads while maintaining security and decentralization.
How does Ritual handle scheduled transactions without external keepers?
How does Ritual handle scheduled transactions without external keepers?
Ritual’s native scheduling mechanism allows transactions to be executed based on time or conditions without relying on external keepers. This is built into the protocol level, ensuring reliability and reducing gas costs compared to traditional keeper networks.
How does Ritual ensure efficient pricing for heterogeneous workloads?
How does Ritual ensure efficient pricing for heterogeneous workloads?
Resonance, our transaction fee mechanism, uses a market-driven approach to match compute supply with demand. It enables dynamic pricing based on workload characteristics and resource requirements, ensuring efficient pricing for specialized computation.
How does Ritual's agent framework ensure true autonomy and verifiability?
How does Ritual's agent framework ensure true autonomy and verifiability?
Ritual provides built-in mechanisms for proving autonomous operation through a combination of on-chain verification, scheduled transactions, and transparent decision-making rails.
How does Ritual support cross-chain AI operations?
How does Ritual support cross-chain AI operations?
Through Infernet and our chain abstraction sidecar, Ritual enables verified AI computations across different blockchains. This allows developers to build cross-chain applications that leverage AI capabilities while maintaining security and verifiability.
What development tools and frameworks does Ritual provide?
What development tools and frameworks does Ritual provide?
Ritual offers a comprehensive suite of tools including the Agent Launchpad, specialized sidecars, EVM++ development kit, and integration with popular Ethereum tools like Foundry, Hardhat, and ethers.js. We also provide SDKs for AI model integration and cross-chain development.
How does Ritual handle model updates and versioning?
How does Ritual handle model updates and versioning?
Ritual provides native support for model versioning and updates through our enshrined AI models feature. This includes mechanisms for model governance, seamless updates, and backward compatibility, ensuring consistent behavior across the network.
What security measures does Ritual implement for AI model execution?
What security measures does Ritual implement for AI model execution?
Ritual employs multiple layers of security including TEE attestations, ZK proofs, and distributed verification. Models are executed in secure environments with verifiable computation trails and tamper-proof execution guarantees.
What are Ritual's guardians and how do they enhance network security?
What are Ritual's guardians and how do they enhance network security?
Guardians are specialized nodes that monitor network health, verify complex computations, and ensure protocol compliance. They form an additional security layer beyond traditional validators, particularly for heterogeneous workloads.
What privacy solutions does Ritual offer for sensitive computations?
What privacy solutions does Ritual offer for sensitive computations?
Ritual provides multiple privacy options including TEE-based confidential computing, homomorphic encryption for data-in-use privacy, and multi-party computation. Developers can choose the appropriate privacy mechanism based on their needs.
How can I connect with the Ritual team?
How can I connect with the Ritual team?
You can reach the Ritual Foundation via Twitter DM (@ritualfnd) or on Discord at https://discord.com/invite/ritual-net. You can also email us at hello@ritualfoundation.com. Finally, the team will also be around in-person at ETHDenver and other conferences this year. Follow us on Twitter for details and updates.