Ethereum Virtual Machine EVM

The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) is a runtime that executes smart contracts. Contracts compile from Solidity to EVM bytecode—sequences of opcodes (PUSH, ADD, CALL, SSTORE, etc.) that the EVM interprets. Understanding the EVM means understanding contract behavior at bytecode level. A Solidity loop might compile to 50 opcodes. Knowing how each opcode costs gas, you can optimize the loop to use 40 opcodes, saving users money. Deep EVM understanding = profound performance and security improvements.