Learn Center

How Ethereum works, how to connect, and core protocol and ecosystem concepts.

The foundational building blocks of Ethereum—programs that execute on-chain.

Smart Contracts

Smart contracts are programs deployed on Ethereum that execute automatically when conditions are met—no manual approval or centralized gatekeeper.

Common use cases: token issuance (ERC-20), NFTs (ERC-721), DEXs (Uniswap-style AMMs), lending (Aave, Compound), and DAO governance.

Contract code is public and auditable, but 'code is law' also means bugs can be exploited directly—major hacks often stem from contract flaws.

The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) executes smart contracts. All nodes run the same code under the same rules, ensuring state consistency. Solidity is the most common language.

Account abstraction (EIP-7702, etc.) is bringing smart-contract features to ordinary wallets—batch txs, gas sponsorship, recovery— greatly improving end-user UX.