Smart contracts are blockchain applications that can execute code and do a diverse variety of tasks. These are programs that the miners execute when mining blocks. They are secure and unstoppable agreements that are automatically executed and enforced. You are probably familiar with them, since this book is aimed at Ethereum developers; however, if you don't know how to use them or if you want to learn more about them, you can rest assured that you'll understand everything because of detailed explanations that you'll be given at the appropriate times.
Unlike traditional paper contracts, smart contracts don't have real-world legal consequences on Ethereum, and they can't be enforced by a legal entity when they break. Instead, they rely on the principle that code is law, which means that the code is the one governing the behaviors...
