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What is a smart contract? — Understand contracts on the blockchain

Smart-contract in blockchain

Blockchain is widely considered to be a speculative good thing, made famous by Bitcoin. But the underlying technology is more interesting in many ways. A smart contract is a smart contract that does not require a third party such as a lawyer, notary, or public official to verify, facilitate or enforce the contract.

This literally means you can have fast, reliable, and trustworthy transactions with any third party without the constraints of ordinary contracts — and yes, it even saves attorney fees.

One of the most popular networks for smart contracts is Ethereum, but solutions on classic blockhttps://metana.io/blog/smart-contract-abi/chains (or derivatives called sidechains, especially contracts), or other projects can also be used. There are many different networks that can be used, Bridge Smart Contract Development Services and each protocol has its own advantages/disadvantages, as there will always be tradeoffs between security (data security and integrity), scalability (speed, capacity, throughput, and latency) and going Tradeoffs between centralization (accessibility, usability, and transparency).

If you’ve ever wondered what such a smart contract looks like, here’s an example of an Ethereum-based vending machine code.

Advantages of Smart Contracts

In the introduction, I have mentionhttps://metana.io/blog/how-does-the-blockchain-work-blockchain-technology-explained-in-simple-words/ed some key aspects of digital contracts based on blockchain technology. But the list of advantages is longer, and I’ve given some insights so it’s easier to understand why smart contracts have so much potential.

1. Trust

With every transaction, it is important that both parties have trust that the transaction will actually succeed. Due to the unique way information is stored in blockchain, where many computers share information and independently verify it, so-called “distributed ledgers” can be used, Cross-chain bridge development and this information is valid and cannot be lost. So the contract will exist in the future, and it will not be modified.

2. Backup

Due to the mechanism of storing information in a distributed ledger, it must also be mentioned that there are many replicas in the network. This ensures that all created files and all executed contracts have redundant backups.

3. Autonomy

It is completely autonomous as the network handles handovers and contract terms. In order to trade successfully, you do not need banks, brokers, lawyers, regulators or other intermediaries. In this way, you can build your own contracts and not be subject to local restrictions or the fees involved in transaction verification.

4. Speed

Traditional contracts can take a significant amount of time to process, validate, and even communicate with third parties. A blockchain-based network could speed up the process to hours or near real-time transactions. This is especially important when you have small transactions that need to be verified quickly (such as car rentals, travel insurance, etc.).

5. Fees

As you can imagine, contracts that do not require notarization or witnessing are cheaper. This also applies to smart contracts. When contracts are executed and verified by the network rather than a third party, the cost per transaction becomes lower. This is especially important if you want to “tokenize” your assets. There, you break large items into smaller pieces. (for example, the share of buying a house)

6. Automation

One of the great advantages of smart contracts is that they are “smart”. This means that you can also ensure that complex structures of contracts are met, and you have traceability not only of documents but of goods. An example involves international shipping, where goods flow through different legislation, cross different borders, and insure by different insurance companies, all of which need to be managed in contracts, so it’s legal. This often involves long contracts and a lot of paperwork — all of which can be automated and tracked through smart contracts.

7. Encryption and Security

Another important role is of course secure transactions. Not only does this mean that files and contracts are restored to storage, but it also means that information can only be accessed if someone is allowed. Use very secure network protocols and cryptography and other layers of security to ensure that only relevant parties can access the information.

8. Accuracy of the contract

Last but not least, when dealing with intermediaries or dealing with manual paperwork, many mistakes can occur. This might be a small factor, but it’s also worth mentioning because there’s a better overview, and therefore better accuracy, of enforced contracts.

If you’re intrested becoming a smart contract developer, check out Metana

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This will give you real experience and something great to put on your Github page. We have more than 26 direct hiring partners who’re ready to hire graduates who make it through the course. And we will also mentor you till you get a job. 

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You’re guaranteed a new job in web3—or you’ll get a full tuition refund. We also offer a hassle-free two-week refund policy. If you’re not satisfied with your purchase for any reason, you can request a refund, no questions asked.

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