SecAppDev 2024 lecture details
A gentle intro to Ethereum and "smart contracts"
Ethereum is a programmable blockchain, a "world computer" powering decentralized applications. Find out how software for this "world computer" - smart contracts - are written using the Solidity language.
Wednesday June 5th, 14:00 - 15:30
Room West Wing
Download handoutsAbstract
Chances are you’ve heard of Ethereum - the world’s second-largest blockchain and sometimes called a "World computer". Ethereum is a "programmable blockchain" and has by far the largest developer community actively developing "decentralized apps" on top of it. Find out how software for this "World computer" is written as I take you on a tour of the origins of "smart contracts", how to write contracts using the Solidity language and review common pitfalls and best practices. We end with a sweeping vista of the emerging "internet of blockchains" and how Web3 development is changing.
Key takeaway
Learn what programmable blockchains like Ethereum are all about, what kinds of applications they enable and what common pitfalls developers face.
Content level
Introductory
Target audience
Software developers, software architects
Prerequisites
Basic familiarity with writing code (e.g. in Java, Python, C). No deep knowledge of blockchain or cryptography is assumed.
Tom Van Cutsem
Associate Professor, KU Leuven
Expertise: Distributed systems, web apps and blockchain (d)apps
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