📌 Verifiable Delay Functions Summary

Verifiable Delay Functions, or VDFs, are special mathematical puzzles that require a certain amount of time to solve, no matter how much computing power is used, but their solutions can be checked quickly by anyone. They are designed so that even with many computers working together, the minimum time to solve the function cannot be reduced. This makes them useful for applications that need to prove that a specific amount of time has passed or that a task was done in a fair way.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Explain Verifiable Delay Functions Simply

Imagine a safe that always takes exactly one hour to open, even if you have lots of keys or friends to help. Once it is open, anyone can quickly look inside to check what was in there. This is similar to how a Verifiable Delay Function works, forcing everyone to wait the same amount of time and letting anyone confirm the result quickly.

📅 How Can it be used?

A VDF can help ensure fair random draws in online games by making the process transparent and resistant to cheating.

🗺️ Real World Examples

In blockchain lotteries, VDFs are used to make sure that the process of picking a random winner cannot be rushed or manipulated. The lottery organiser runs the VDF, which takes a guaranteed amount of time, and publishes the result so everyone can check it was done properly.

VDFs are used in digital timestamping to prove that a document existed at a certain time. By applying a VDF to the document’s data, anyone can verify when the process started and that it was not altered afterwards.

✅ FAQ

A Verifiable Delay Function, or VDF, is a kind of mathematical challenge that takes a set amount of time to solve, no matter how many computers you use. Its solution, however, can be checked very quickly. This is important because it makes sure that no one can cheat by solving the puzzle faster than intended, which helps keep certain systems fair and secure.

Verifiable Delay Functions are used in places where proving that a certain amount of time has passed is valuable. For example, they can help pick random winners in digital lotteries, make sure blockchain systems stay fair, or prevent people from getting an unfair advantage by acting too quickly. Their special timing feature keeps things honest.

No, using more computers does not help solve a Verifiable Delay Function more quickly. These functions are designed so that everyone, no matter how much computing power they have, must spend the same minimum amount of time to find the answer. This way, no one can get ahead by simply throwing more machines at the problem.

📚 Categories

• Blockchain
• Cryptographic Primitives
• Decentralised Systems

🔗 External Reference Links

Verifiable Delay Functions link

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