Overview of Smart Contracts Language

Smart contracts are automated execution protocols on blockchain platforms that enable trustless transactions without intermediaries. They contain code functions that can interact with other contracts and execute automatically when predefined conditions are met.

The concept of smart contracts was proposed by Nick Szabo in the 1990s, but it wasn't until the emergence of Ethereum that it became widely applied. Ethereum supports the deployment and execution of smart contracts and is referred to as the second generation of blockchain.

Smart contract languages are used to write smart contracts, which run on blockchain virtual machines after compilation. They need to express contract rules securely and efficiently, and provide tools for handling blockchain transactions and states.

Most developers develop on Ethereum and EVM-compatible blockchains. Solana is the platform with the most developers among non-EVM compatible chains. Move is designed specifically for securely developing smart contracts.

EVM-based smart contracts language

The EVM is the core of Ethereum, responsible for running smart contracts and processing transactions. Ethereum adopts a multi-layer architecture that includes bytecode, intermediate language, and high-level language.

The main EVM smart contracts languages are:

• Solidity: The most popular language, object-oriented, similar to C++/Python/JavaScript
• Vyper: a Python-like language that focuses on safety and readability
• Yul: an assembly language that can be used for Gas optimization
• Fe: a Rust-like language, based on a modular system
• Huff: low-level assembly language, allows manual control of the stack

Solidity accounts for about 90% of the market share, which is ten times that of Vyper. Yul and Huff are mainly used for gas optimization.

Solana Smart Contracts Language

Solana is known for its high performance and is one of the fastest-growing public chains by market capitalization. It uses its own SVM virtual machine and SBF bytecode, mainly supporting:

• Rust: a high-performance safe systems programming language
• Solang: Solidity compiler, supports Solidity syntax

Rust is the officially promoted language by Solana, while Solang makes it easier for Ethereum developers to migrate.

Move smart contracts language

Move was originally developed for Meta's Diem project, with the following features:

• First-class resource type protection
• Flexibility: Multiple programs can be called
• Security: Static bytecode verification

Aptos and Sui have developed their own smart contracts language based on Move. Move is friendly to formal verification and has a dedicated verification tool called Move Prover.

smart contracts development tools

The Solidity ecosystem is the most mature, with main tools including:

• Hardhat: compilation, deployment, testing environment
• OpenZeppelin: secure contract library
• Foundry: A Solidity-centric framework

The Solana Anchor framework is similar to Hardhat, simplifying the development process.

Move language has high security, but the ecosystem is still in its early stages.

Summary

When evaluating smart contract languages, one must consider usability, security, and ecological resources.

Solidity has the greatest influence and a rich toolchain. Rust complements security, and the Solana ecosystem is developing rapidly. Move has innovations in security mechanisms, but its ecosystem is still to be developed.