I’m old enough to remember when the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) was the go-to choice for building websites.
Things have changed since then. While PHP is still going strong (think WordPress and similar), many developers now prefer Node.js or other such JavaScript engines when building from scratch, thanks to their flexibility and vibrant ecosystem. TypeScript, and perhaps Postgres or even SQLite then follow. Linux is still a given, so much so we don’t even need to mention it in any acronym.
With the emergence of blockchains and tokens, things are changing again. Solidity is now the obvious choice for any onchain logic, and TypeScript for any frontend apps. What’s the R in RST then? The R is Rust, which is the natural choice for anything that needs verified computation, providing a tamper-proof seal for digital processes and ensuring transparency and trust without intermediaries.
zkEVMs (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines) allow for verified smart contract execution, while zkVMs (Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machines) extend this capability to general-purpose computation.
While Solidity running on a zkEVM plays a role, verified computation increasingly focuses on zkVMs using the Open Source RISC-V CPU instruction set. Producing Zero-Knowledge proofs is a costly operation (usually involving GPUs, similar to those used for LLMs). While the cost might trend down, you’d like it to be as close to the metal as possible, hence why Rust is a natural choice. Solidity is perhaps also too specialized to ever be considered general purpose enough to move beyond onchain logic.
Verified Computation Matters
We are moving away from centralization and towards decentralization. We see this in the energy markets, with renewable energy, local production and reduced reliance on energy imports.
We’re also seeing this on financial infrastructure, with DeFi, removal of intermediaries, and value moving to the edge of the value chains.
Identity is another such movement, while still in its infancy. While we now rely on trusted authorities to provide proof of identity, the future will allow for trust through social graphs and related connections.
All of the above and other such movements put more emphasis on trusting the systems that we interact with. While previous centralized actors could be largely relied on to operate as expected through the use of regulations and law, decentralization turns this into a technical challenge.
As decentralization reshapes industries, the need for trustless systems becomes paramount. This is where verified computation comes in as a scalable approach to ensuring that even in a decentralized world, we can trust the outputs of our systems without relying on central authorities.
And that technical challenge will be addressed using the RST stack.
The RST stack is more than just a new set of tools, it’s a foundation for the next era of the Internet and everything connected to it. Whether you’re a developer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about the future of decentralized systems, now is the time to explore how these technologies can empower your work. As decentralization continues to disrupt industries, embracing RST will be key to building systems that are not only powerful but also trustworthy.