Smart Contracts
This chapter introduces smart contracts. This concept is not new; however, with the advent of blockchain technology, interest in this idea has revived. Smart contracts are now an ongoing and intense area of research in the blockchain space. Many blockchains have emerged that support smart contracts.
Due to benefits such as the increased security, cost-saving, and transparency that smart contracts can bring to many industries (especially the finance industry), rigorous research is in progress at various commercial and academic institutions to make the implementation of smart contracts easier, more practical, business-friendly, and more secure as soon as possible.
In this chapter, we will explore the ideas that led to the development of smart contracts, including its relevant history and key definitions. We will also cover concepts like the deployment of smart contracts, notable security aspects of smart contracts, and, finally, oracles. First, we will look...