EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine)
The runtime that executes smart contracts on Ethereum and many other chains, defining how their code runs.
The Ethereum Virtual Machine is the engine that runs smart contracts. Every node runs an identical copy, processing the same code and reaching the same result. That shared computation is what makes Ethereum a single world computer.
Its reach goes beyond Ethereum. Because the EVM became a de facto standard, dozens of chains, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Polygon, and most Layer 2s, are "EVM-compatible." The same Solidity code deploys across all of them.
That compatibility is a moat. A team can launch on one EVM chain and port to others with little rework.
Related terms
Self-executing code on a blockchain that runs exactly as written when its conditions are met, with no party able to intervene.
GasA unit measuring the computational work an Ethereum operation requires, from a simple transfer to a complex contract call.
Layer 2A separate network built on top of a base chain to process transactions faster and far more cheaply.
DApp (Decentralized Application)An application whose backend logic runs on a blockchain through smart contracts rather than a company's private servers.