How to create a “Hello World” smart contract using Solidity?

Maciej Zieliński

29 Sep 2022
How to create a “Hello World” smart contract using Solidity?

To become a smart contract specialist and blockchain technology developer, you must take the first step. This tutorial shows how to build a "Hello World" contract using the Solidity programming language. It is worth noting that it is not necessary to have specialized knowledge to perform this activity. A person who is not a professional programmer following our steps will create his smart contract using the Solidity language. 

What are smart contracts?

Smart contract is a computer program published and executed on blockchain technology. Because it runs on the blockchain, it can be run without a server or central site. Once we create a smart contract, it is impossible to update it or make changes. This is due to the immutability of the blockchain. There is an option that the smart contract can be programmed with functions to change the data. This means that information can be saved in one block but deleted in another. Such behavior does not preclude tracing the history of changes.

What is the Solidity programming language?

Solidity is the first language that creates smart contracts. One of the most important things to remember when learning Solidity is that it is a language designed specifically for the Ethereum Virtual Machine, or EVM. Solidity is similar to JavaScript. It is worth pointing out at this point that Solidity will be easier to learn if you can program in Java. True, there are differences in syntax, but looking at the commands and concepts - the two languages are similar. Ethereum's native language has built-in commands. This is made for Solidity to access the blockchain, for example, a timestamp or a block address. Such features help to program Solidity's smart contracts easily. Moreover, a contract-oriented language will definitely differ from object-oriented ones, e.g

  • Java,
  • C++, 

however, the emphasis here is mainly on contracts and functions. Solidity is statically typed. It also supports libraries and other user-defined functions, which tend to be complex. The language compiles all instructions to bytecode, which makes it possible to read and interpret information on the network of Ethereum.

Smart contracts in Solidity

The goal of Ethereum is to solve and execute human-level transactions, much like the ambition of a full Turing machine. This requires, on the one hand, the adoption of human-level logic with programmer-friendly simplicity, and on the other, the implementation of Solidity's smart contracts in a complete system called a Turing Virtual Machine, allowing for unprecedented complexity and determinism. The computational power of this "virtual" machine is built into the node implementation, a remarkable achievement of decentralization and a product of the innovation of the blockchain movement. Solidity's smart contracts programmatically set the rules for business transactions and do so in a simplified machine-readable language. This unprecedented decentralized concept is automated and can operate 24/7 worldwide without human supervision or trusted parties. Why is it worth knowing the Solidity language? Because it is more advanced and effective in creating Smart Contracts, it tries something that no language has ever attempted before - namely, it uses a combination of human and machine reasoning. In addition, Solidity makes it easier to express ourselves in code and to turn our human-readable code into business functionality. 

Remix - an implementation for Solidity 

A remix is a web-based tool used to write, compile, deploy, and debug Solidity code. The remix includes a JavaScript VM environment that acts as a blockchain simulator running in the browser. Below is a practical tutorial on how smart contracts are created using Solidity. You are welcome! 

How to create a smart contract? 

For now, we will use the aforementioned remix to compile and deploy our code. So we fire up the remix and create a new file. I'll call it Hello World, but you can call it whatever you want. Let's start by defining the version of Solidity we will use. I will use version 0.8.0 upwards in this tutorial, so at the top of the file, write : pragma solidity ^0.8.0;

Solidity

After defining the version, we can start writing our first smart contract. 

We define a contract called HelloWorld Contract; it is where our smart contract's functionality will be located.

In the middle of our smart contract, we create a function, say Hello World; it will be public, meaning that anyone can call it pure, meaning that the process will not read or modify any data from the blockchain and will return a string. 

Solidity

We want the function to return the string "Hello World!" so we need to type inside the process: return "Hello World."

To deply our smart contract to the local blockchain, we need to compile it first. 

We click on the solidity compiler section and click on the compile HelloWorld.sol button.

Once we have compiled our file, we can deploy our smart contract.

We click on the Deploy & Run Transactions section.

Solidity
Solidity

When we select our smart contract, we click deploy and are done! Our smart contract has been deployed! The Deployed Contracts section should show you your smart contract with the ability to call the sayHello World function, which will return "Hello World."

Advantages of Solidity programming

Leaving aside the basic functionality of Solidity programming, several additional elements give it an advantage over other Ethereum languages. It can be pointed out that the advantages are as follows:

  • The programming accepts complex member variables and complex data.
  • The program has an application binary interface to ensure adequate security - If the compiler discovers a mismatched data type for any variable, the ABI generates an error. 
  • The program compares to natural language construction, which is used to convert user-oriented specifications into a language that is easy for machines to understand.

Summary 

Solidity is a tool that facilitates the creation of smart contracts. It makes blockchain programming simple, transparent, and helpful. In addition, the programming accepts complex variable data, has a binary interface, and is close to natural language. 

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Nextrope as Sponsor at ETH Warsaw 2024: Highlights

Miłosz

04 Oct 2024
Nextrope as Sponsor at ETH Warsaw 2024: Highlights

ETH Warsaw has established itself as a significant event in the Web3 space, gathering developers, entrepreneurs, and investors in the heart of Poland’s capital each year. The 2024 edition was filled with builders and leaders united in advancing decentralized technologies.

Leading Event of Warsaw Blockchain Week

As a blend of conference and hackathon, ETH Warsaw aims to push the boundaries of innovation. For companies and individuals eager to shape the future of tech, the premier summit during Warsaw Blockchain Week offers a unique platform to connect and collaborate.

Major Milestones in Previous Editions

  • Over 1,000 participants attended the forum
  • 222 hackers competed, showcasing groundbreaking technical skills
  • $119,920 in bounties was awarded to boost promising solution development

Key Themes at ETH Warsaw 2024

This year’s discussions were centered around shaping the adoption of blockchain. To emphasize that future implementation requires a wide range of voices, perspectives, and understanding, ETH Warsaw 2024 encouraged participation from individuals of all backgrounds. As the industry stands on the cusp of a potential bull market, building resilient products brings substantial impact. Participants mutually raised an inhibitor posed by poor architecture or suspicious practices.

Infrastructure and Scalability

  • Layer 2 (L2) solutions
  • Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs)
  • Future of Account Abstraction in Decentralized Applications (DApps)
  • Advancements in Blockchain Interoperability
  • Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Models (MLMs) with on-chain data

Responsibility

With the premise of robust blockchain systems, we delved into topics such as privacy, advanced security protocols, and white-hacking as essential tools for maintaining trust. Discussions also included consensus mechanisms and their role in the entire infrastructure, beginning with transparent Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs).

Legal Policies

The track on financial freedom led to the transformative potential of decentralized finance (DeFi). We tackled the challenges and opportunities of blockchain products within a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

Mass Adoption

Conversations surrounding accessible platforms underscored the need to simplify onboarding for new users, ultimately crafting solutions that appeal to mainstream audiences. Contributors explored ways to improve user experience (UX), enhance community management, and support Web3 startups.

ETH Legal, co-organized with PKO BP and several leading law firms, studied the implementation of the MiCA guidelines starting next year and affecting the market. It aimed to dissect the complex policies that govern digital assets.

Currently, founders navigate a patchwork of regulations that vary by jurisdiction. There is a clear need for structured protocols that ensure consumer protection and market integrity while attracting more users. Legal experts broke down the implications of existing and anticipated changes on decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), business logic, and other emerging technologies.

The importance of ETH Legal extended beyond theoretical discussions. It served as a vital forum for stakeholders to connect and share insights. Thanks to input from renowned experts in the field, attendees left with a deeper understanding of the challenges ahead.

Warsaw Blockchain Week: Nextrope’s Engagement

The Warsaw Blockchain Week 2024 ensured a wide range of activities, with a packed schedule of conferences, hackathons, and networking opportunities. Nextrope actively engaged in several side events throughout the week and recognized the immense potential to foster connections.

Side Events Attended by Nextrope

  • Elympics on TON
  • Aleph Zero Opening Party
  • Cookie3 x NOKS x TON Syndicate
  • Solana House

Nextrope’s Contribution to ETH Warsaw 2024

At ETH Warsaw 2024, Nextrope proudly positioned itself as a Pond Sponsor of the conference and hackathon, reflecting the event's mission. Following a strong track record of partnerships with large financial institutions and startups, we seized the opportunity to share our reflections with the community.

Together, we continue to innovate toward a more decentralized and inclusive future. By actively participating in open conversations about regulatory and technological advancements, Nextrope solidifies its role as an exemplar of dedication, forward-thinking, and technological resources.

Nextrope on Economic Forum 2024: Insights from the Event

Kajetan Olas

14 Sep 2024
Nextrope on Economic Forum 2024: Insights from the Event

The 33rd Economic Forum 2024, held in Karpacz, Poland, gathered leaders from across the globe to discuss the pressing economic and technological challenges. This year, the forum had a special focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI and Cybersecurity, bringing together leading experts and policymakers.

Nextrope was proud to participate in the Forum where we showcased our expertise and networked with leading minds in the AI and blockchain fields.

Economic Forum 2024: A Hub for Innovation and Collaboration

The Economic Forum in Karpacz is an annual event often referred to as the "Polish Davos," attracting over 6,000 participants, including heads of state, business leaders, academics, and experts. This year’s edition was held from September 3rd to 5th, 2024.

Key Highlights of the AI Forum and Cybersecurity Forum

The AI Forum and the VI Cybersecurity Forum were integral parts of the event, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and leading Polish universities, including:

  • Cracow University of Technology
  • University of Warsaw
  • Wrocław University of Technology
  • AGH University of Science and Technology
  • Poznań University of Technology

Objectives of the AI Forum

  • Promoting Education and Innovation: The forum aimed to foster education and spread knowledge about AI and solutions to enhance digital transformation in Poland and CEE..
  • Strengthening Digital Administration: The event supported the Ministry of Digital Affairs' mission to build and strengthen the digital administration of the Polish State, encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue on decentralized architecture.
  • High-Level Meetings: The forum featured closed meetings of digital ministers from across Europe, including a confirmed appearance by Volker Wissing, the German Minister for Digital Affairs.

Nextrope's Active Participation in the AI Forum

Nextrope's presence at the AI Forum was marked by our active engagement in various activities in the Cracow University of Technology and University of Warsaw zone. One of the discussion panels we enjoyed the most was "AI in education - threats and opportunities".

Our Key Activities

Networking with Leading AI and Cryptography Researchers.

Nextrope presented its contributions in the field of behavioral profilling in DeFi and established relationships with Cryptography Researchers from Cracow University of Technology and the brightest minds on Polish AI scene, coming from institutions such as Wroclaw University of Technology, but also from startups.

Panel Discussions and Workshops

Our team participated in several panel discussions, covering a variety of topics. Here are some of them

  • Polish Startup Scene.
  • State in the Blockchain Network
  • Artificial Intelligence - Threat or Opportunity for Healthcare?
  • Silicon Valley in Poland – Is it Possible?
  • Quantum Computing - How Is It Changing Our Lives?

Broadening Horizons

Besides tuning in to topics that strictly overlap with our professional expertise we decided to broaden our horizons and participated in panels about national security and cross-border cooperation.

Meeting with clients:

We had a pleasure to deepen relationships with our institutional clients and discuss plans for the future.

Networking with Experts in AI and Blockchain

A major highlight of the Economic Forum in Karpacz was the opportunity to network with experts from academia, industry, and government.

Collaborations with Academia:

We engaged with scholars from leading universities such as the Cracow University of Technology and the University of Warsaw. These interactions laid the groundwork for potential research collaborations and joint projects.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

Our team connected with industry leaders, exploring opportunities for partnerships in regard to building the future of education. We met many extremely smart, yet humble people interested in joining advisory board of one of our projects - HackZ.

Exchanging Knowledge with VCs and Policymakers:

We had fruitful discussions with policymakers and very knowledgable representatives of Venture Capital. The discussions revolved around blockchain and AI regulation, futuristic education methods and dillemas regarding digital transformation in companies. These exchanges provided us with very interesting insights as well as new friendships.

Looking Ahead: Nextrope's Future in AI and Blockchain

Nextrope's participation in the Economic Forum Karpacz 2024 has solidified our position as one of the leading, deep-tech software houses in CEE. By fostering connections with academia, industry experts, and policymakers, we are well-positioned to consult our clients on trends and regulatory needs as well as implementing cutting edge DeFi software.

What's Next for Nextrope?

Continuing Innovation:

We remain committed to developing cutting-edge software solutions and designing token economies that leverage the power of incentives and advanced cryptography.

Deepening Academic Collaborations:

The partnerships formed at the forum will help us stay at the forefront of technological advancements, particularly in AI and blockchain.

Expanding Our Global Reach:

The international connections made at the forum enable us to expand our influence both in CEE and outside of Europe. This reinforces Nextrope's status as a global leader in technology innovation.

If you're looking to create a robust blockchain system and go through institutional-grade testing please reach out to contact@nextrope.com. Our team is ready to help you with the token engineering process and ensure your project’s resilience in the long term.