Smart Contracts

Evolution SDK provides full support for Cardano smart contracts — Plutus V1, V2, and V3. Lock funds to script addresses with datums, spend from scripts with redeemers, mint tokens with minting policies, and reference on-chain scripts to reduce transaction size.

The transaction builder handles script evaluation, redeemer indexing, and collateral selection automatically. You focus on your contract logic.

How It Works

Smart contract interaction in Cardano involves three concepts:

Concept	Purpose	When Used
Datum	Data attached to a UTxO at a script address	When locking funds to a script
Redeemer	Data provided to unlock a script UTxO	When spending from a script
Script	The validator logic (Plutus or Native)	Attached to transactions or referenced on-chain

Typical Workflow

Locking (sending funds to a script):

import { , , , ,  } from "@evolution-sdk/evolution"

const  = ({
  : "preprod",
  : { : "blockfrost", : "https://cardano-preprod.blockfrost.io/api/v0", : ..! },
  : { : "seed", : ..!, : 0 }
})

// Lock 10 ADA to a script address with an inline datum
const  = await 
  .()
  .({
    : .("addr_test1wrm9x2dgvdau8vckj4duc89m638t8djmluqw5pdrFollw8qnmqsyu"),
    : .(10_000_000n),
    : new .({ : .(0n, []) })
  })
  .()

const  = await .()
const  = await .()

Spending (unlocking funds from a script):

import { , , , , type  } from "@evolution-sdk/evolution"

const  = ({
  : "preprod",
  : { : "blockfrost", : "https://cardano-preprod.blockfrost.io/api/v0", : ..! },
  : { : "seed", : ..!, : 0 }
})

declare const : .[]
declare const : any

// Spend from script with a redeemer
const  = await 
  .()
  .({
    : ,
    : .(0n, []) // "Claim" action
  })
  .({ :  })
  .()

const  = await .()
const  = await .()

Supported Script Types

Type	Description	Use Case
PlutusV1	First-generation Plutus scripts	Legacy contracts
PlutusV2	Reference scripts, inline datums	Most current contracts
PlutusV3	Conway-era features, governance	Latest contracts
NativeScript	Time-locks, multi-sig	Simple policies without Plutus

What the Builder Handles

When you build a transaction with scripts, Evolution SDK automatically:

Evaluates scripts — Computes execution units (memory + CPU) for each script
Indexes redeemers — Assigns correct indices after coin selection changes input order
Selects collateral — Sets aside collateral UTxOs required for script transactions
Calculates fees — Includes script execution costs in fee computation
Attaches cost models — Includes protocol cost models in the script data hash