What is Stylus
Imagine a blockchain programming tool that breaks boundaries, making smart contract development faster, cheaper, and more accessible. That’s what Stylus is all about. It’s a game-changer in the Arbitrum ecosystem, bringing together the power of modern programming languages like Rust, C, and C++ with the world of Ethereum-compatible smart contracts.
At its core, Stylus does something revolutionary: it introduces WebAssembly (WASM) to the blockchain world. Why does this matter? WASM allows us to use programming languages that weren’t traditionally part of blockchain development, letting us tap into their vast libraries, mature ecosystems, and robust tools. Whether you're a seasoned Solidity developer or completely new to smart contracts, Stylus opens the door to a much bigger playground.
But here's the real magic: Stylus doesn’t replace Solidity—it works with it. On Arbitrum chains, Stylus enables Solidity contracts and WASM contracts to interact seamlessly. That means you can supercharge your dApps by combining Solidity’s flexibility with the speed, efficiency, and memory performance of WASM.
- Blazing Fast: Stylus contracts execute faster and use less gas, which means cost savings for developers and users.
- Language Freedom: Write smart contracts in languages like Rust, C, and C++—no need to stick to Solidity.
- Seamless Interoperability: Stylus and Solidity contracts can call and interact with each other effortlessly.
- Infinite Possibilities: From on-chain games and DeFi protocols to AI models and generative art, Stylus unlocks use cases that were once out of reach.
Useful links
- Stylus GitHub – Browse the core code and contribute to the Stylus project.
- Rust SDK – Develop Stylus smart contracts using Rust.
- Stylus Docs – Learn everything about Stylus from the official documentation.
- Cargo Stylus CLI – Easily compile and deploy Stylus contracts.
- Stylus Telegram Group – Chat with other developers working on Stylus.
- Arbitrum Discord – Visit the #stylus channel for developer discussions and updates.
- Offchain Labs Updates – Follow for announcements and insights about Arbitrum and Stylus.