Glossary: Solidity

What is Solidity?

Solidity is a statically typed, high-level programming language designed specifically for writing smart contracts that run on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and other EVM-compatible blockchains.

Solidity Explained

Every app you use is built with code. Instagram has code that decides what your feed looks like. Spotify has code that plays the right song when you hit play.

Smart contracts are apps that live on a blockchain, and Solidity is the language used to write them. Just like a chef follows a recipe, Solidity tells the blockchain exactly what to do when certain conditions are met.

Send this token when that condition is true. Lock these funds until this date. Pay out this reward when this action happens.

Once the code is deployed, it runs automatically. No company, no employee, no middleman required.

What Solidity Means For

Examples

1. A developer writes a Solidity contract that automatically releases escrowed funds to a freelancer once a client confirms delivery, with no intermediary needed to process the payment.

2. An NFT project deploys a Solidity contract that enforces royalty payments every time a token is resold on a secondary marketplace.

3. A DeFi protocol uses Solidity to write lending logic that automatically liquidates undercollateralized positions when a price threshold is crossed.

4. A security auditor reviews a Solidity contract before launch and identifies a reentrancy vulnerability that could have allowed an attacker to drain the protocol's funds.

Related reading

Explore Smart Contract, EVM, Application Binary Interface (ABI), and ERC.

FAQs

Do I need to know Solidity to work in crypto apps?

Not necessarily. Solidity is essential for smart contract developers but most blockchain roles in product, marketing, and growth do not require coding in Solidity.

Is Solidity only used on Ethereum?

No. Solidity compiles to EVM bytecode and is used on Ethereum and other EVM-compatible networks. Support, compiler versions, and available tooling can vary by chain.

How difficult is Solidity to learn?

Solidity is considered moderately difficult. Developers with a background in JavaScript or Python can pick up the syntax relatively quickly, but writing secure contracts requires deep understanding of EVM behavior.

What is the difference between Solidity and Rust in blockchain development?

Solidity is commonly used for contracts on EVM-compatible chains. Rust is used in several blockchain ecosystems and can target different virtual machines. The right language depends on the chain’s execution environment and tooling, not a simple EVM versus non-EVM split.

What are the most common security risks in Solidity?

Reentrancy attacks, integer overflow and underflow, improper access control, and front-running are among the most frequently exploited vulnerabilities in Solidity smart contracts.