From 8b005194c2b74fc06101340d9e0885f1a5986a86 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ivo Kubjas <ivo.kubjas@consensys.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2024 00:45:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] chore: explicit IO methods in interfaces (#1266)

---
 backend/groth16/groth16.go | 42 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------
 backend/plonk/plonk.go     | 12 +++++++++++
 2 files changed, 43 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/backend/groth16/groth16.go b/backend/groth16/groth16.go
index 9cdf99eba..a56b5730a 100644
--- a/backend/groth16/groth16.go
+++ b/backend/groth16/groth16.go
@@ -55,26 +55,37 @@ import (
 	groth16_bw6761 "github.com/consensys/gnark/backend/groth16/bw6-761"
 )
 
-type groth16Object interface {
-	gnarkio.WriterRawTo
-	io.WriterTo
-	io.ReaderFrom
-	CurveID() ecc.ID
-}
-
 // Proof represents a Groth16 proof generated by groth16.Prove
 //
 // it's underlying implementation is curve specific (see gnark/internal/backend)
 type Proof interface {
-	groth16Object
+	CurveID() ecc.ID
+
+	io.WriterTo
+	io.ReaderFrom
+
+	// Raw methods for faster serialization-deserialization. Does not perform checks on the data.
+	// Only use if you are sure of the data you are reading comes from trusted source.
+	gnarkio.WriterRawTo
 }
 
 // ProvingKey represents a Groth16 ProvingKey
 //
 // it's underlying implementation is strongly typed with the curve (see gnark/internal/backend)
 type ProvingKey interface {
-	groth16Object
+	CurveID() ecc.ID
+
+	io.WriterTo
+	io.ReaderFrom
+
+	// Raw methods for faster serialization-deserialization. Does not perform checks on the data.
+	// Only use if you are sure of the data you are reading comes from trusted source.
+	gnarkio.WriterRawTo
 	gnarkio.UnsafeReaderFrom
+
+	// BinaryDumper is the interface that wraps the WriteDump and ReadDump
+	// methods. It performs a very fast and very unsafe memory dump writing and
+	// reading.
 	gnarkio.BinaryDumper
 
 	// NbG1 returns the number of G1 elements in the ProvingKey
@@ -83,7 +94,8 @@ type ProvingKey interface {
 	// NbG2 returns the number of G2 elements in the ProvingKey
 	NbG2() int
 
-	IsDifferent(interface{}) bool
+	// IsDifferent compares against another proving key and returns true if they are different.
+	IsDifferent(any) bool
 }
 
 // VerifyingKey represents a Groth16 VerifyingKey
@@ -92,8 +104,16 @@ type ProvingKey interface {
 //
 // ExportSolidity is implemented for BN254 and will return an error with other curves
 type VerifyingKey interface {
-	groth16Object
+	CurveID() ecc.ID
+
+	io.WriterTo
+	io.ReaderFrom
+
+	// Raw methods for faster serialization-deserialization. Does not perform checks on the data.
+	// Only use if you are sure of the data you are reading comes from trusted source.
+	gnarkio.WriterRawTo
 	gnarkio.UnsafeReaderFrom
+
 	// VerifyingKey are the methods required for generating the Solidity
 	// verifier contract from the VerifyingKey. This will return an error if not
 	// supported on the CurveID().
diff --git a/backend/plonk/plonk.go b/backend/plonk/plonk.go
index 60de0b8b3..6b19ef154 100644
--- a/backend/plonk/plonk.go
+++ b/backend/plonk/plonk.go
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ import (
 type Proof interface {
 	io.WriterTo
 	io.ReaderFrom
+
+	// Raw methods for faster serialization-deserialization. Does not perform checks on the data.
+	// Only use if you are sure of the data you are reading comes from trusted source.
 	gnarkio.WriterRawTo
 }
 
@@ -79,8 +82,13 @@ type Proof interface {
 type ProvingKey interface {
 	io.WriterTo
 	io.ReaderFrom
+
+	// Raw methods for faster serialization-deserialization. Does not perform checks on the data.
+	// Only use if you are sure of the data you are reading comes from trusted source.
 	gnarkio.WriterRawTo
 	gnarkio.UnsafeReaderFrom
+
+	// VerifyingKey returns the corresponding VerifyingKey.
 	VerifyingKey() interface{}
 }
 
@@ -90,8 +98,12 @@ type ProvingKey interface {
 type VerifyingKey interface {
 	io.WriterTo
 	io.ReaderFrom
+
+	// Raw methods for faster serialization-deserialization. Does not perform checks on the data.
+	// Only use if you are sure of the data you are reading comes from trusted source.
 	gnarkio.WriterRawTo
 	gnarkio.UnsafeReaderFrom
+
 	// VerifyingKey are the methods required for generating the Solidity
 	// verifier contract from the VerifyingKey. This will return an error if not
 	// supported on the CurveID().