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Version: 3.7.0

Architecture Overview

ICICLE is designed with flexibility and extensibility in mind, offering a robust framework that supports multiple compute backends and accommodates various cryptographic needs. This section provides an overview of ICICLE's architecture, highlighting its open and closed components, multi-device support, and extensibility.

Frontend and CPU Backend​

  • Frontend (FE): The ICICLE frontend is open-source and provides a unified API across multiple programming languages, including C++, Rust, and Go. It abstracts away the complexity of different backends, enabling developers to write backend-agnostic code that runs seamlessly across various platforms.
  • CPU Backend: ICICLE includes an open-source CPU backend, enabling development and testing on standard hardware. It’s ideal for prototyping or for use in environments where specialized hardware is unavailable.

CUDA Backend​

  • CUDA Backend: ICICLE also features a high-performance, closed-source CUDA backend optimized for NVIDIA GPUs. It delivers significant acceleration for cryptographic operations.
  • Installation and Licensing: The CUDA backend must be downloaded and installed separately. For detailed instructions, refer to the installation guide.

Multi-Device Support​

  • Scalability: ICICLE supports multi-device configurations, allowing workloads to be distributed across multiple GPUs or other hardware accelerators. This enables scalable ZK proof generation and other cryptographic operations in data centers and high-performance computing environments.

Build Your Own Backend​

ICICLE is designed with a modular architecture that allows developers to integrate new backends or customize existing ones to meet their specific requirements. The architecture supports:

  • Custom Backends: Developers can build their own backends to target specific hardware or optimize for particular use cases. The integration process is outlined in the Build Your Own Backend section.
  • Pluggable Components: ICICLE’s architecture supports the seamless integration of additional cryptographic primitives and enhancements, enabling the framework to evolve alongside advances in cryptography and hardware acceleration.