Smart contracts on æternity are powered by Sophia, a functional programming language designed specifically for blockchain applications with security and efficiency in mind. These contracts are executed on FATE (Fast Aeternity Transaction Engine), a custom-built virtual machine that provides enhanced security features and improved performance compared to traditional blockchain VMs. For backward compatibility, æternity also supports the AEVM (æternity Ethereum Virtual Machine), allowing developers familiar with Solidity to deploy their contracts.
* The [smart contracts documentation](broken://spaces/yxhRUAwn7tH8JUboTur7/pages/K4u1kq7ns0wdhctPDnwH) covers all aspects of smart contract development on æternity, including detailed specifications of both virtual machines (FATE and AEVM), contract state management, transaction types, and event handling. You'll find comprehensive guides for both Sophia and Solidity development, along with standard library documentation and contract examples. A particular focus is placed on the FATE VM and Sophia language, as these represent æternity's native and most efficient smart contract implementation path.
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