Solidity

Solidity is an open-source community project managed by a core team, which is sponsored by the Ethereum Foundation.

Now, if you are new to blockchain and cryptocurrencies, you might be wondering, "What is a smart contract?" A smart contract is a piece of code stored on a decentralized network known as a blockchain. Simply put, a smart contract automatically executes tasks and transactions once predetermined conditions are met.

For example, you can set a condition in a contract that transfers a certain amount of cryptocurrency from person A to person B on a specific date. The beauty of these smart contracts is that they can eliminate the need for intermediaries, providing trust, transparency, and security to transactions.

Solidity, as a prominent smart contract programming language, is not that different from languages like JavaScript and C++. If you have prior scripting or programming experience, especially in JavaScript, you will find Solidity somewhat familiar.

However, it's crucial to note that Solidity is a static language. According to Solidity’s official website, Solidity is a “statically-typed curly-braces programming language designed for developing smart contracts that run on Ethereum”.

This means you have to define the variable types (whether they are integers, booleans, strings, or user-defined types) because it conducts type checking at compile-time. In other words, statically-typed languages are the ones where variables are known at compile time (like Java, C, or C++). Curly-braces refer to the brackets that denote blocks of code (in which variables can be defined).

If you're interested in blockchain development or think about dipping your toes in the DeFi world, learning Solidity can be a great start. However, like all programming languages, Solidity also comes with its unique set of challenges. Developers need to be extremely careful while crafting smart contracts in Solidity to avoid bugs or vulnerabilities, as these may lead to huge financial losses. Still, the continuous growth of blockchain technology and smart contracts make Solidity a valuable and sought-after skill in the tech world.