Scripting smart contracts for distributed ledger technology

Pablo Lamela Seijas; Simon Thompson; Darryl McAdams

Paper 2016/1156

Scripting smart contracts for distributed ledger technology

Pablo Lamela Seijas, Simon Thompson, and Darryl McAdams

Abstract

We give an overview of the scripting languages used in existing cryptocurrencies, and in particular we review in some detail the scripting languages of Bitcoin, Nxt and Ethereum, in the context of a high-level overview of Distributed Ledger Technology and cryptocurrencies. We survey different approaches, and give an overview of critiques of existing languages. We also cover technologies that might be used to underpin extensions and innovations in scripting and contracts, including technologies for verification, such as zero knowledge proofs, proof-carrying code and static analysis, as well as approaches to making systems more efficient, e.g. Merkelized Abstract Syntax Trees.

Note: Clarification of discussion of Nxt in section 4.

Metadata

Available format(s): PDF
Category: Applications
Publication info: Preprint. MINOR revision.
Keywords: electronic commerce and payment blockchain scripting language cryptocurrency smart contract
Contact author(s): s j thompson @ kent ac uk
History: 2017-02-10: revised; 2016-12-21: received; See all versions
Short URL: https://ia.cr/2016/1156
License: CC BY

BibTeX

@misc{cryptoeprint:2016/1156,
      author = {Pablo Lamela Seijas and Simon Thompson and Darryl McAdams},
      title = {Scripting smart contracts for distributed ledger technology},
      howpublished = {Cryptology {ePrint} Archive, Paper 2016/1156},
      year = {2016},
      url = {https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/1156}
}