What Is the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)?
The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) is a computation engine that functions as a decentralized computer capable of executing millions of projects.
As the foundational component of Ethereum, the EVM serves as the virtual machine responsible for executing code and deploying smart contracts.
Enhancing Ethereum’s Potential
Its primary role is to introduce additional functionalities to the Ethereum blockchain, ensuring a seamless user experience on the decentralized ledger.
Every Ethereum node operates on the EVM to maintain consensus across the blockchain.
Ethereum facilitates the use of smart contracts, which are pieces of code that run on the Ethereum platform.
The EVM operates in complete isolation, meaning the code within the EVM has no access to the network, file system, or other external processes.
Ethereum employs two types of accounts:
Account abstraction aims to unify these account types, allowing both EOAs and Smart Contract to function similarly.
- EOAs are controlled by private keys, while contract accounts are stored within smart contracts, also known as smart wallets.
- A smart contract, written in smart-contract programming languages like Solidity, is converted into bytecode.
The majority of smart contract development is done using Solidity as the programming language.
The EVM then interprets the bytecode through operation codes (opcodes) to execute specific tasks.
In essence, the EVM acts as a decentralized or master computer, handling various tasks on the blockchain.
The EVM represents one of the most significant projects in the realm of cryptocurrencies.