Vyper is a contract-oriented, pythonic programming language designed specifically for writing smart contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). It was created by Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, and introduced in 2017 as an alternative to Solidity, aiming to address security issues present in Solidity. Vyper is strongly influenced by Python, making it familiar and easy to learn for developers with Python experience. It is designed to be simple, secure, high-performing, and auditable, which makes it a popular choice for developers looking to write smart contracts that are easy to understand, deploy, and audit.
Vyper has a limited feature set compared to other programming languages, which helps to simplify the language and reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities. It does not support features like function overloading, recursive functions, inheritance, operator overloading, and floating-point numbers, which are often found in other languages. This design choice is intended to make Vyper contracts more secure and less error-prone.
The bytecode for Vyper contracts is created during compilation and can be run on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), enabling the creation and implementation of Ethereum blockchain-based smart contracts. This provides a safe and decentralized method of storing and transferring data and assets on the Ethereum platform.
Vyper’s syntax is similar to Python, making it easy for developers to learn and use. It is optimized for performance and includes features and limitations that help prevent common security vulnerabilities and exploits. Vyper’s code is easier to audit than other smart contract programming languages, making it a good choice for developers who want to create secure and transparent contracts for development.
In comparison to Solidity, Vyper is designed with a focus on simplicity, security, and minimalism, offering a faster and more efficient performance. It has a smaller and less active community, but its limited feature set and focus on security make it an attractive option for developers looking to build decentralized applications and write smart contracts on the Ethereum platform.