02 — Framework · Failure mode

Choosing the framework before the backend

A framework is chosen because someone on the team already knows it, and months later it cannot produce the proof size, verifier cost or setup story the product requires. By then the circuits exist and the cost of changing is measured in quarters.

By MarketComp Updated 2026-09-12 v1.3 About the authors Changelog

Mitigation

Settle the proof system and its hard constraints first, then treat frameworks that cannot target it as non-candidates regardless of familiarity.

Cite this page

MarketComp (2026). Choosing the framework before the backend. The ZK Field Manual (Version 1.3). MarketComp. https://zkpick.com/frameworks/failure-modes/choosing-the-framework-before-the-backend/

@misc{zkfieldmanual-choosing-the-framework-before-the-backen,
  title        = {Choosing the framework before the backend — The ZK Field Manual},
  author       = {MarketComp},
  year         = {2026},
  version      = {1.3},
  howpublished = {\url{https://zkpick.com/frameworks/failure-modes/choosing-the-framework-before-the-backend/}},
  note         = {Accessed: YYYY-MM-DD}
}