Comparison of SVM vs EVM

Bittime - Blockchain technology has developed rapidly since its early days when it only processed transactions. Currently, virtual machines (VMs) enable blockchain to support smart contracts—programs that run automatically when certain conditions are met.

The two most famous virtual machines in the blockchain world are the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM). Understanding how these two machines work and the differences can help us appreciate their unique contributions to the blockchain ecosystem.

This article will discuss the comparison of SVM and EVM from various aspects of account structure, smart contracts, clients and nodes.

What is a Virtual Machine in Blockchain?

Before getting into the specifications of EVM and SVM, let's first understand what a virtual machine (VM) is in the context of blockchain. A VM is basically software that executes instructions to process transactions.

When you send a transaction to the blockchain, the VM processes it. This means that any programming language used to write smart contracts, such as Solidity for Ethereum or Rust for Solana, will be converted into a format that the VM can run.

Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)

EVM is the engine that powers the Ethereum blockchain. This engine is designed to run smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps) securely and reliably.

Think of an EVM as a universal computer that runs the exact code it wants, wherever it is.

How EVMs Work

EVM operates using a gas system. Gas is a measure of the computational effort required to run operations such as transactions and smart contracts. Each operation has a gas fee, and users pay for gas using Ethereum's cryptocurrency, Ether.

This system ensures that the network remains efficient and secure by preventing abuse from too many resource-intensive operations.

EVM Unique Features

• State Transition Function: This function allows EVM to take an existing state and a new set of transactions to create a new state. This ensures that all nodes in the network can agree on the state of the blockchain after each transaction.
• Merkle Patricia Trie: A complex data structure that helps manage the state of the blockchain, ensuring data integrity and verifiability.

Solana Virtual Machine (SVM)

SVM powers the Solana blockchain and is known for its ability to process transactions very quickly and efficiently.

How SVM Works

A key component of SVM is Sealevel, an engine that allows multiple smart contracts to run simultaneously without interfering with each other. This is known as parallel processing. In contrast to Ethereum, where transactions are processed one by one, Solana can handle thousands of transactions simultaneously, making it much faster.

Unique Features of SVM

• Parallel Processing: By allowing many transactions to run at once, SVM can achieve high throughput and handle more transactions per second.
• Proof of History (PoH): It is a cryptographic clock that helps the network agree on the time sequence of events, making consensus faster and more efficient.

Key Differences between EVM and SVM

Account Structure

• EVM: There are two types of accounts—Externally Owned Accounts (EOA) that are controlled by private keys and Contract Accounts (CA) that store smart contract code. EOAs can initiate transactions, but CAs cannot do it themselves.
• SVM: Solana accounts are more versatile. They are divided into program accounts (which store the smart contract code) and data accounts (which store the data). Programs on Solana can immediately initiate transactions, unlike Ethereum.

Smart Contracts

• EVM: Smart contracts are usually written in Solidity. Developers need to optimize gas efficiency to minimize costs.
• SVM: Solana smart contracts are written in Rust or C. However, development on Solana can be very complex.

Clients and Nodes

• Ethereum (EVM): Ethereum has several clients, which are software implementations of the Ethereum protocol.
• Solana (SVM): Solana also has several validator clients.

Analogies to Facilitate Understanding

Traditional vs. Traditional Kitchens Modern Kitchen: EVM can be compared to a traditional kitchen. Orders (transactions) come one by one. The chef (validator) prepares each dish (smart contract) meticulously, following a set recipe before moving on to the next. This ensures clarity and avoids conflict, but can be slow during busy times.

In contrast, SVM is like a modern kitchen where multiple chefs can work on different dishes simultaneously, as long as they don't need the same ingredients at the same time. This setup allows the kitchen to handle a much higher volume of orders (transactions) efficiently.

One Lane Toll Road vs. Multi-Lane Toll Road: EVM can be compared to a one-lane toll road, where cars (transactions) must follow one after the other. This can cause traffic jams (network congestion) during busy times. On the other hand, SVM is like a multi-lane toll road, allowing many cars to travel side by side, reducing congestion and improving overall traffic flow.

Conclusion

Both the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) have revolutionized the way we use blockchain. EVM, with its sequential processing and powerful ecosystem, has become the basis for blockchain development.

SVM, with its parallel processing and innovative consensus mechanism, offers a high-performance alternative. Understanding their differences and advantages helps us appreciate the diverse capabilities they bring to the world of blockchain.

Whether you prefer the powerful and mature ecosystem of Ethereum or the fast and scalable nature of Solana, these two virtual machines represent significant advances in the field of decentralized applications and smart contracts.

How to Buy Crypto on Bittime

You can buy and sell crypto assets in an easy and safe way through Bittime. Bittime is one of the best crypto applications in Indonesia which is officially registered with Bappebti.

To be able to buy crypto assets on Bittime, make sure you have registered and completed identity verification. Apart from that, also make sure that you have sufficient balance by depositing some funds into your wallet. For your information, the minimum purchase of assets on Bittime is IDR 10,000. After that, you can purchase crypto assets in the application.

Monitor price chart movements of Bitcoin (BTC) , Ethereum (ETH) , Solana (SOL) and other cryptos to find out today's crypto market trends in real-time on Bittime.