BLS12-381 curve and aggregation libraries

[djrtwo]

I'm gathering info about the state of BLS12-381 implementations and associated signature/aggregation libraries. Please let me know any corrections or missing data.

BLS12-381 Curve implementations

Repo	Language	License	Audit	Notes
ZCash pairing library in Rust	Rust	MIT or Apache 2.0 (option)	Kudelsk	Audit to be published "soon"
Chia BLS12-381 in cpp	cpp	Apache 2.0	"when done"
Chia BLS12-381 in python	Python	Apache 2.0	"when done"
Chia python bindings	python	Apache 2.0	"when done"	python bindings for cpp implementation
Nim wrapper for Chia cpp	Nim	MIT	None	wraps Chia cpp so those components are Apache 2.0
Herumi MCL	cpp	modified BSD	not sure
Milagro Crypto	C, cpp, Go, Java, JS, Python, Rust, Swift, WASM	Apache 2.0	not sure	potential issues or unknowns with licensing
py_ecc	Python	MIT	None

BLS signature libraries

Repo	Language	License	Audit	Notes
Herumi BLS	cpp, go	modified BSD		uses Herumi MCL

NOTE: About to take off on a flight. I think the "BLS12-381 Curve implementations" is done to the best of my knowledge, but I haven't had a chance to add all of the "BLS signature libraries". Coming soon.

[ralexstokes]

https://github.com/dis2/bls12 -- Go impl that wraps the C RELIC lib.

https://github.com/dis2/blsig/blob/master/blsig.go -- example applications for signatures.

There is no license here and there is an open issue waiting for one...

[Mikerah]

Can you elaborate more on what the potential licensing issues for using milagro-crypto are? Most of the other projects are licensed under the Apache 2.0 license as well.

[djrtwo]

I think someone from nimbus was concerned that a portion of another library had been copied in without porting the license.

Maybe @mratsim or @arnetheduck can speak to that

[mratsim]

You can add the Nim wrapper for Milagro which is maintained by us, Relic (only for the curve, not for the aggregation) and Dfinity.

Relic BLS12-381 test vectors were used by Zcash and Relic the backend of Chia Network's and Dfinity's libraries.

Regarding licensing, any library that rely on GMP will be considered derivative work of LGPLv3 or GPLv2 library.

Combining GPLv2 + Apache v2 makes a library unredistributable in binary form.

Chia has optional linking on GMP, Herumi's MCL has required linking on GMP, Relic seems to have optional GMP dependency.

I've also noted the curve creators implementations in the Athenaeum

• https://github.com/leishman/bls_lib, implementation by a Stanford research advised by Dan Boneh (BLS = Boneh–Lynn–Shacham)
• https://github.com/blynn/pbc/blob/master/example/bls.c, implementation by Ben Lynn

[Mikerah]

I brought up the licensing issue in the milagro-crypto-js repository and the person who replied said that it doesn't make use of any GMP-licensed code. Here's the issue: https://github.com/milagro-crypto/milagro-crypto-js/issues/46

[mratsim]

Libraries using MCL will have this licensing issue. I didn't find any potential issue with Milagro, it's a project sponsored by the Apache Foundation.

[vbuterin]

Feel free to add https://github.com/ethereum/py_ecc, now with BLS-12-381 support.

[rauljordan]

MCL can build without GMP btw @mratsim - see more here: herumi/bls#19

[paulmillr]

I have very simple and auditable JS / typescript implementation here: https://github.com/paulmillr/noble-bls12-381