From developers at the Ethereum Blockchain Platform, Solidity was created. This is a contract-oriented programming language that’s also high-level. It’s typically used for writing smart contracts and incorporating them into Ethereum’s Virtual Machine. One of the Solidity’s features is the ability to add self-enforcing business logic into the smart contracts it can write. Additionally, Solidity is based on the JavaScript syntax.
Features of Solidity
- State objects, data types, variables, and more are supported
- One contract can hold many type-safe functions thanks to its Application Binary Interface
- Contracts holding hierarchy maps and structs have many member variables
- Has C3 linearization, which supports many inheritances
Developing with Solidity
Data types such as string literals, Booleans, integers, and modifiers are all supported when developing projects with Solidity. For integers, Solidity can process signed and unsigned domains, as well as runtime exceptions. Prior to executing code, modifiers analyze the consistency of the code’s conditions to ensure it runs smoothly. Solidity also allows for string literals that are represented using single or double-quotes. Lastly, Booleans apply a false and true label to the numbers 0 and 1 respectfully. This typically occurs when using logical operators.
All of these functions can be done with Solidity. More than that, Solidity can create ‘mappings’—the combination of arrays, operators, enums, and hash values organized into a data structure that presents values corresponding to locations. The JavaScript syntax Solidity is based on also allows it to support arrays of the multi- or single-dimensional variety.
Other Solidity Tools
- EVM Disassembler (Evmdis)
- Solidity REPL
- Solgraph
- EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) Lab
Examples of Incorporating Solidity
- Auctioning
Specifically in blind auctions, Solidity helps keep anonymity between bidders. Without using Solidity, issues with fraud arise where bidders can see what their competitors bid. Solidity protects that information until the end of the auction.
- Crowdfunding
Prior issues of crowdfunding when not incorporating Solidity include paying commissions to third parties and having someone else manage the data. Adding in Solidity decreases costs by eliminating that third party, among other things.
- Voting
Fraud and data manipulation are big in voting circumstances. The most common example is the US presidential election. Implementing Solidity’s smart contracts, however, significantly cuts down on that—in most cases, removing it completely. It also streamlines the voting process while clearly outlining it at the same time.
Summary
The protection of data, even when it isn’t sensitive data, is extremely useful. It helps build trustworthy relationships as well, whether it’s between the situation and Solidity itself or two parties that Solidity mediates between, so to speak. When data needs to be concealed for the sake of keeping circumstances fair, as mentioned, Solidity does an excellent job of that. Of course, developers who know how to use this language can alter it to fit their development needs. Solidity also has the ability to protect important data for the entire duration of, say, a crowdfunding project or until the end of a voting or auction event, for example.