Elementary

EVM Architecture

Elementary Track 02
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The World Computer — Ethereum

If Bitcoin is a machine for sending money, Ethereum is a machine for running programs. At its core is the EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine).

The EVM is a distributed computer where thousands of nodes worldwide simultaneously execute the same code. Whoever runs it gets the same result — that is the basis of trust.

What you'll learn in this module

  • How the EVM works as a stack-based virtual machine, including PUSH/POP instructions
  • The role of 140+ opcodes and their individual gas costs
  • The differences between Stack, Memory, Storage, and Calldata — four data areas
Because the EVM is Turing-complete, it charges a cost called Gasfor every operation to prevent infinite loops.