Ethereum Deep Dive
Go beyond the basics and truly understand Ethereum. Learn about smart contracts, the EVM, gas mechanics, and how the entire ecosystem works together.
What You'll Learn
Course Content
Introduction to Ethereum
History, vision, and what makes Ethereum unique
Ether (ETH) Explained
The native cryptocurrency and its uses
Accounts and Addresses
EOAs vs Contract accounts, address formats
Smart Contracts 101
What are smart contracts and how do they work
The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)
Understanding the world computer
Gas and Transaction Fees
Gas limits, gas prices, and EIP-1559
Ethereum Transactions Deep Dive
Transaction types, lifecycle, and receipts
Events and Logs
How contracts communicate with the outside world
Token Standards (ERC-20, ERC-721)
Fungible and non-fungible token standards
Proof of Stake and The Merge
Ethereum's consensus mechanism
Layer 2 Solutions
Rollups, sidechains, and scaling Ethereum
Ethereum Ecosystem Overview
DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and the future
Smart Contracts 101
Smart contracts are self-executing programs stored on the Ethereum blockchain. They automatically enforce and execute the terms of an agreement when predetermined conditions are met.
Think of it Like a Vending Machine
A vending machine is a simple smart contract: you insert money, select an item, and the machine automatically dispenses your selection. No human intervention needed. The rules are predefined and execute automatically.
A Simple Smart Contract
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;
contract SimpleStorage {
uint256 private storedValue;
// Store a value
function store(uint256 value) public {
storedValue = value;
}
// Retrieve the stored value
function retrieve() public view returns (uint256) {
return storedValue;
}
}Key Properties
Immutable
Once deployed, the code cannot be changed. This ensures trust but requires careful testing.
Deterministic
Given the same input, the contract will always produce the same output, regardless of who calls it.
Stateful
Contracts can store data permanently on the blockchain, maintaining state between calls.
💡 Why This Matters
Smart contracts enable trustless interactions. You don't need to trust the other party—you just need to trust the code. This is the foundation of DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and the entire Web3 ecosystem.
Your Progress
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Prerequisites
- Completed "Blockchain Basics" or equivalent knowledge
- Basic understanding of programming (helpful but not required)