What is a Smart Contract? A Beginner’s Guide to Blockchain Code
In the world of blockchain, smart contracts are the backbone of automation. They're not smart like humans, and they’re not legal contracts either — but they do something powerful: automate transactions without needing a middleman.
A smart contract is a self-executing program that runs on the blockchain. Once deployed, it can’t be changed. It follows a set of rules written in code and runs exactly as programmed. Think of it like a vending machine — you put in money and select a snack, the machine automatically gives you what you paid for. No one needs to supervise it.
Programming Languages: Solidity & Vyper
To write smart contracts, developers use special blockchain programming languages. The two most popular ones for Ethereum and EVM-compatible chains are:
1. Solidity: The most widely used language. It’s similar to JavaScript and is the standard for Ethereum smart contract development.
2. Vyper: A Python-like language. It's more restrictive but focuses on simplicity and security, making it ideal for critical applications like DeFi protocols.
If you're just starting out, Solidity is your best bet due to its active community and wide support.
Tools: Hardhat, Truffle, Brownie & Remix
Smart contracts don’t live in isolation — developers use frameworks and tools to write, test, and deploy them. Here are some top choices:
1. Hardhat: A fast and flexible development environment for Solidity. Great for testing, debugging, and deploying contracts locally and to testnets.
2. Truffle: One of the oldest frameworks, with powerful tools for contract management and frontend integration.
3. Brownie: A Python-based framework that works beautifully with Vyper or Solidity contracts. It's developer-friendly for Python enthusiasts.
4. Remix: An in-browser IDE that requires no setup. Perfect for quick contract testing or learning the basics.
Methods for Deploying Smart Contracts
Want to start deploying your own smart contracts? Here are detailed guides for each major tool:
🔹 Using Hardhat
How to Deploy and Verify Smart Contracts on XDC Network Using Hardhat
🔹 Using Truffle
Deploy an XRC721 Contract on XDC Apothem Network Using Truffle
🔹 Using Brownie
A Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying Vyper Contracts on the XDC Network with Brownie
🔹 Using Remix
Setup Remix & Learn to Execute Solidity Smart Contracts on XDC
What Does a Contract Address Look Like?
Every smart contract deployed on a blockchain gets a unique address — just like your wallet. This address is where users can interact with the contract.
It typically looks like this:
0xAbC123...789DeF
A contract address is a 42-character string that starts with 0x, followed by 40 hexadecimal characters (numbers 0–9 and letters a–f).
This hexadecimal string identifies the contract on the blockchain. Anyone can send tokens, call functions, or read data from it — if they have permission.
Why Verify Your Contract (And How)
Once you deploy a smart contract, verification is crucial. It means uploading your contract's source code to a public blockchain explorer (like XDCScan, Etherscan, etc), allowing anyone to inspect and confirm that the contract's bytecode matches its source.
Why verify?
1. Transparency: Users can audit your contract’s behavior.
2. Trust: Developers, investors, and partners gain confidence in your code.
3. Interoperability: Verified contracts can be accessed and called by other projects more easily.
How to verify?
Tools like Hardhat, Truffle, and Brownie offer built-in plugins to verify contracts on explorers.
You usually provide:
- Source code
- Compiler version
- Constructor arguments
Once verified, the contract’s UI will be fully interactive on explorers — a major plus for user experience.
OpenScan Supports Multiple Networks
If you're looking to explore verified smart contracts across different blockchains, OpenScan provides support for multiple EVM-compatible networks. Here are a few you can check out:
XDC Network
Checkout verified contracts here: https://xdcscan.io/contracts
Verify contract on XDC Network: https://xdcscan.io/contracts/verify
- Refer guide: https://www.xdc.dev/openscan/how-to-verify-your-smart-contract-built-on-the-xdc-network-via-standard-input-json-on-xdcscan-powered-by-blocksscanopenscan-2j93
- https://docs.xdc.network/smartcontract/deployment-verification/
Velas Network
Checkout verified contracts here: https://velasblocks.com/contracts
Verify contract on Velas: https://velasblocks.com/contracts/verify
- Refer guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93KrjbXPvc8&list=PLjYCiPsAxZS4GAWW_wjWIXOMrQsWe2nzH&index=3
Wanchain Network
Checkout verified contracts here: https://wanexplorer.io/contracts
How to verify a contract on Wanchain: https://wanexplorer.io/contracts/verify
- Refer guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQb72aLPha0&list=PLjYCiPsAxZS4GAWW_wjWIXOMrQsWe2nzH&index=2
These explorers show verified contract code, transaction history, and real-time interactions — making it easier for developers and users to trust and engage with smart contracts.
Smart contracts are reshaping how we think about code, money, and trust. With the right tools and knowledge, anyone can start building decentralized applications that live on-chain and run forever.
Whether you're tinkering with Remix, deploying with Hardhat, or coding in Vyper — you're stepping into a world where code is law, and your creativity has no middlemen.
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