# Understanding EVM Bytecode

**Published by:** [Bytecode Tuesday](https://paragraph.com/@bytecodetuesday/)
**Published on:** 2025-04-29
**URL:** https://paragraph.com/@bytecodetuesday/1-introduction-to-evm-bytecode

## Content

We reject abstraction We believe in bytecode Bytecode is the only true form Let’s code with bytes nowWhat is Bytecode?Bytecode is a low-level version of your smart contract. It’s what your Solidity code turns into before it gets deployed on the Ethereum blockchain (or any Ethereum compatible blockchain , a.k.a EVM compatible blockchain). Think of it like this: You write your contract in Solidity (a human-friendly language). Then the computer translates it into bytecode (a machine-friendly language). This bytecode is what the Ethereum blockchain actually understands and runs.What is the EVM?EVM stands for Ethereum Virtual Machine. It’s like a global computer that runs on every Ethereum node. Whenever someone deploys or interacts with a smart contract, the EVM is responsible for running that code. The EVM doesn't understand Solidity (or any other smart contract language) directly. It understands bytecode, a set of very simple instructions, kind of like a recipe with tiny steps.The EVM StackThe EVM uses something called a stack to do its work. Think of a stack like a pile of plates. You can only:Push a new plate onto the top, orPop the top plate off.You can't reach into the middle. You always work with the top of the pile. How Instructions WorkIn bytecode, everything is done by combining simple instructions. You push values onto the stack, then use an operation like ADD to do something with them. Here’s a small example: Add: 2 + 5 To add two numbers together, the EVM needs to: Push the number 2 onto the stackPush another 5 onto the stackRun ADD to add the top two numbers 👀 What’s happening on the stack:StepStack New ValueDescriptionStart[]Stack is emptyPUSH1 0x01[2]2 is pushedPUSH1 0x01[2, 5]5 is pushedADD[7]Top two numbers of the stack are added and replaced by the result: 2 + 5 This is the foundation of how smart contracts work under the hood. Bytecode may seem basic, but when you combine lots of small instructions like this, you can build powerful and complex contracts, all without touching Solidity. Click that Subscribe button for weekly bytecode learnings. Let’s reject abstraction together.

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