Compact vs Solidity: Limitations and Advantages

The emergence of privacy focused blockchain systems has introduced a new way of writing smart contracts. Compact is one such language designed for Midnight, a network that prioritizes confidential computation using zero knowledge proofs. Developers who are familiar with Solidity will notice that Compact is not just a new syntax but a fundamentally different model of building applications.

This article explains the core limitations of Compact when compared to Solidity, and more importantly, the advantages that make it a powerful choice for a new class of applications.

Understanding the Core Difference

Solidity operates in a fully transparent environment where every transaction, state change, and computation is visible on chain. This transparency enables composability and interoperability across decentralized applications.

Compact is built around a different principle.…