Considering that contracts control the great majority of our employment and home activities, they are very important in ensuring that the current society in which we live is properly regulated. Each of our activities is either directly or indirectly related to one or more contracts that we have entered into, and these contracts accurately dictate how we work, function, and handle our daily obligations. The blockchain is no exception since contracts also play an important part in that technology.

Smart Contracts are essential in blockchain technology since they assist in making transactions much more reliable, secure and safe while also allowing them to operate in a somewhat more orderly way. It also makes other elements, such as programs operating on different platforms, more approachable and accessible for the general public. But exactly, what is a smart contract? What is it about them that renders them so important? Are there any restrictions or limits linked with them? Continue reading to find out more.

What is a Smart Contract?

A smart contract is a decentralized program that executes a particular operation in response to a situation that happens in the world. In other words, it can be referred to as a program or a transaction protocol that is meant to implement, regulate or record constitutionally important moments proactively and acts as per the conditions of an agreement formally signed.

Implementing smart contracts may result in the economic transaction, the provision of services, the unleashing of material that copyright materials have secured, or other sorts of information, such as the alteration of the name on a property title. As a personal privacy tool, smart contracts may also be used to facilitate the controlled disclosure of privacy-protected content in order to satisfy a particular request, among other things.

There are many different designs for how the programs that underlie smart contracts are built, disseminated, maintained, and updated, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. This kind of data may be saved as part of blockchain technology or other distributed ledger, and this can be linked to a variety of different payment systems and digital transactions, including cryptocurrencies like Ethereum or bitcoin. However, it should be noted that smart contracts, in spite of their name, are not legally enforceable or binding contracts.

One of their primary functions is to systematically implement stored procedures, which includes a wide range of activities, processes, and operations encoded into them to react to a certain set of circumstances. It is necessary to take regulatory actions in order to relate this implementation to valid and enforceable commitments between the parties.

When we look back at the history of this incredible invention, we can see that Nick Szabo initially presented it in 1994. He is a law professor and cryptographer who is credited with establishing the basis for the development of digital currencies. Smart contracts were not popular or widely used at the time, though, since there was little concept of online marketplaces or public ledgers that could enable them.

The bitcoin coinage was created in 2008 on the blockchain system, which is composed of a decentralized system that keeps track of money transactions. The creation of smart contract programming, which is used to insert the conditions of a contract onto the blockchain, was made possible thanks to this technology. Smart contracts may currently be used on a multitude of mediums, namely Ethereum, Corda, Hyperledger, and Tezos, among others. Smart contracts are becoming more popular nowadays, thanks to the wider acceptance of bitcoin as well as the universal support for distributed ledger technology.

Significance of Smart Contracts

Smart contracts enable developers to create a broad range of decentralized applications and tokens. Their application ranges from innovative payment tools to logistical and gaming operations, and they are kept on a database in the same way that other cryptocurrencies are. Once a smart-contract application has been published on the network, it is often impossible to edit or undo it despite a few exceptions.

“Decentralized applications,” which are also referred to as “dapps” are driven by smart contracts and are gaining extreme popularity these days. These are inclusive of applications such as decentralized finance (or DeFi) technology that aspires to overhaul the banking sector. DeFi applications enable cryptocurrencies users to participate in complicated financial activities — such as saving, lending, and insurance policies, alone without the involvement of a bank or credit union and from any location in the globe, without incurring any fees.

A few of the more prominent apps that use smart contracts right now are Uniswap, Compound, and USDC. Uniswap is a decentralized exchange that requires consumers to swap various types of cryptocurrencies via the use of smart contracts without the need for a central mandate to develop the currency fluctuations. Compound allows companies to gain interest while also allowing borrowers to get a quick loan, eliminating the need for a financial institution in the midst of the transaction. Lastly, USDC is a crypto that is tied to the US dollar via the use of a smart contract, rendering one USDC equal to one US dollar. UDDC is a stablecoin, which is a kind of electronic currency that is relatively new to the market.

So, how would you intend to make use of these smart contract-enabled tools? Consider the following scenario: you must have had some Eth that you’d want to swap for USDC. It is possible to deposit your ETC into Uniswap and have it, via the use of a smart contract, dynamically locate the optimal exchange rate, complete the transaction, and give you your USDC. Afterward, you could deposit part of your USDC onto Compound and use it to mortgage to others while earning a programmatically calculated interest rate — again without having to go through a banking company.

In conventional finance, exchanging currencies is a costly and time-consuming process that takes considerable effort. Furthermore, lending out one’s available funds to acquaintances on the opposite side of the earth is neither simple nor safe for the average person. Smart contracts, on the other hand, make every one of those situations and a plethora of others conceivable, easier, and so much safer.

How Do Smart Contracts Function?

While Ethereum is undoubtedly the most widely used smart contract platform, smart contracts may also be implemented on a variety of other cryptocurrencies’ blockchains. Anyone can design and distribute a smart contract on a network without any costs. In addition, their code is open and publicly accessible, which indicates that anybody who is intrigued may check to see precisely what rationale is followed by a smart contract when it gets digital information and how everything is processed inside of its blockchain.

Smart contracts are created in a number of computer languages, including Java and Python. Each smart contract’s code is kept on the blockchain of the Ethereum network, enabling any independent third party to view the contract’s content and current situation in order to validate its operation. In addition to the blockchain and transactions information, each computer on the internet (or “node”) holds a duplicate of all existing smart contracts and any general situation in addition to the blockchain technology and transactional information.

If a smart contract gets cash from a user, the code for that contract is performed by all devices in the system to establish and execute the agreement and allow the secure flow of assets. The greater the number of nodes intertwined the tighter the transaction’s security. That’s exactly what makes it possible for smart contracts to operate safely without the need for a centralized authority, although when customers are engaging in sophisticated money transfers with unidentified organizations.

You will often be required to pay the price known as “gas” in order to execute a smart contract on the Ethereum network. Consider Gas as the fees that keep the whole system running efficiently. Just the way a car needs some sort of fuel to work, Eth needs Gas.

Smart contracts, once they have been implemented into a blockchain, are typically incapable of being amended, even by their creators. (There are a few deviations to this generalization, though.) This helps to assure that they will not be restricted or shut down by the government.

Real-Life Applications of Smart Contracts

Now that we know what smart contacts are and the way they work, let us find out some of the real-life applications of this incredible technology.

• Preserving the Effectiveness of Drugs

As part of their collaborative effort to improve supply chain transparency, Sonoco and IBM are working together in order to decrease difficulties in the transportation of critical pharmaceuticals. Pharma Portal, which IBM Blockchain Transparent Supply supports, is a blockchain-based technology that follows temperature-controlled medications throughout the supply chain, allowing it to give trustworthy, dependable, and precise measurements to various stakeholders in real-time.

• Assistance in Governmental Procedures such as Voting

The use of Blockchain technology in the voting system may alleviate several frequent issues. Keeping track of votes in a centralized voting system is challenging because of issues including fraudulent activity, miscounts, and prejudice on the part of voting authorities. A smart contract is a contract that has predetermined terms & conditions that are pre-set in the agreement before it is signed.

No person can vote using a digital identity different than their own. The counting is completely accurate. Every vote is recorded on the blockchain, and the results are tallied electronically, without intervention from a 3rd person or the need for a manual procedure to be completed. Each ID corresponds to a single vote in the system. The blockchain network participants themselves are in charge of validating the data.

In this case, the voting method is accomplished on a public blockchain, or it could take place in a highly autonomous organization-based ledger configuration. Consequently, every vote is logged in the ledger, as well as the material cannot be changed after it has been entered. That ledger is made accessible to the public for auditing and confirmation purposes.

• Increasing the Level of Trust Between Customers and Manufacturers

Home Depot employs smart contracts on the blockchain to swiftly settle conflicts with suppliers, which helps the company save time and money. They are strengthening their connections with providers as a consequence of proper communication and better insight into the distribution network. As a consequence, they have more time to devote to vital work and innovative thinking.

• Smart Contract Implementation on the Blockchain, as well as Crowdfunding

Smart contracts built on the Ethereum blockchain may be used to produce a digital token that can be used to complete transactions. You have the option of designing and issuing your individual electronic currency, resulting in a marketable electronic token that can be traded.

Moreover, Ethereum allows you to create a smart contract that holds a contributor’s assets until a certain date has passed or a goal has been reached, among other things. The money is either delivered to the contractual owners or returned to the donors based on the evaluation outcome. There are several concerns with the centralized crowdfunding system’s administration mechanisms. In order to overcome this, Decentralized Autonomous Organization or DAO is used for crowdsourcing purposes. Individuals that take part in the crowdfunding campaign are issued tokens, which serve as a reminder of the contractual terms of the campaign. It is recorded and stored that each donation has been made.

Limitations of Smart Contracts

Smart contracts have a number of concerns and obstacles that are common. In order to successfully implement smart contracts, a variety of concerns and obstacles must be taken into consideration before implementation.

• Security

When numerous parties are involved in a business operation, smart contracts are used to protect certain important parts of the process. However, since the technology is available, hackers are constantly exploring different security vulnerabilities that enable them to subvert the intentions of the corporations that established the regulations in the first place. Smart contract hackers were successful in stealing $50 million in cryptocurrencies during the early days of the Ethereum blockchain. According to the IEEE, variations in the techniques used to identify distinct flaws in smart contract cybersecurity have also been reported as a source of worry.

• Integrity

One oracle must be protected from intruders who create bogus events that cause smart contracts to execute even though they should not. It must be designed to create events with pinpoint accuracy, which may be difficult in complicated settings.

• Alignment

Smart contracts have the potential to accelerate the execution of procedures that involve numerous parties, independently of whether the arrangements are in sync with the intentions and comprehension of all parties. Nonetheless, this feature has the potential to amplify the severity of the harm that may be caused when circumstances run out of control, especially because there is no mechanism to halt or unwind unwanted behavior after it has occurred. This problem offers smart contract sustainability and management issues that have not yet been completely resolved.

• Management

Smart contracts are difficult to construct and administer, and they are not yet widely used. They are often set up in such a manner that it is virtually impossible to amend or change. Despite the fact that this might be seen as a security benefit, the parties are unable to make any modifications to the smart contractual obligation or include new features without creating a new contract.

Smart contracts, according to some blockchain enthusiasts, are a technology that will potentially replace and streamline a significant portion of our commercial and administrative processes. While this is a feasible scenario, it is unlikely to become the norm in the near future. Smart contracts are a fascinating piece of technology that deserves to be explored further.

However, the fact that they are dispersed, predictable, straightforward, and relatively unchangeable might make them less acceptable in particular scenarios than other technologies. Fundamentally, the argument against smart contracts is based on the reality that they are not a good answer for many real-world issues. In fact, some firms might be better served by sticking with traditional server-based solutions. Compared to smart contracts, centralized servers are less complicated and less expensive to operate. They tend to be more efficient in terms of performance and cross-network communications than smart contracts.

Conclusion

There is no question that smart contracts have had a significant influence on the cryptocurrency industry, and they have undoubtedly transformed the blockchain sector as a result. Even while some users might not even have direct interaction with smart contracts in the coming years, these contracts are expected to enable a wide variety of operations, ranging from monetary functions to administrative ones. Smart contracts and digital currency combined with the idea of a public ledger have the ability to alter practically every aspect of our civilization. However, only time will tell whether or not these ground-breaking techniques will be capable of overcoming the numerous obstacles that stand in the way of widespread use.