Solidity
Solidity is a statically typed programming language designed for writing smart contracts on Ethereum and other blockchain platforms compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
Definition
Solidity is a statically typed programming language designed for writing smart contracts on Ethereum and other blockchain platforms compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
Overview
Solidity was proposed in 2014 and developed by the Ethereum project to give developers a language purpose-built for writing smart contracts — self-executing code that runs deterministically on a blockchain network. Its syntax is influenced by JavaScript, Python, and C++, which was a deliberate choice to make it approachable for developers coming from mainstream languages. Solidity contracts compile to bytecode that runs on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), the runtime environment replicated across every node in the Ethereum network, which is what allows smart contracts to execute identically and verifiably for every participant. Because contract code often manages real financial value and, once deployed, is difficult or impossible to change, Solidity places heavy emphasis on explicit access control, careful handling of external calls, and defensive coding patterns to avoid costly vulnerabilities like reentrancy attacks. Solidity remains the dominant language for Ethereum and EVM-compatible chains (including many Layer 2 networks), powering decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, non-fungible token (NFT) contracts, and decentralized applications broadly. Writing secure Solidity code requires specialized knowledge beyond general programming skill, since bugs in deployed contracts have historically led to high-profile, unrecoverable losses of funds, making security auditing a standard part of the Solidity development lifecycle.
Key Features
- Purpose-built for writing smart contracts on Ethereum and EVM chains
- Statically typed with syntax influenced by JavaScript and C++
- Compiles to bytecode executed by the Ethereum Virtual Machine
- Explicit access-control and visibility modifiers for contract security
- Immutable deployment model requiring careful pre-launch auditing
- Dominant language across the Ethereum and EVM-compatible ecosystem