Motoko (Programming Language)

Motoko is a programming language developed by the DFINITY Foundation for building applications on the Internet Computer, the blockchain network DFINITY launched in 2021. Programs on the Internet Computer run as "canisters", smart contracts that bundle code and stored data and can serve web pages directly to users. Motoko was designed to fit that model: it compiles to WebAssembly, the format canisters execute, supports asynchronous messages between canisters, and keeps a program's state across upgrades without developers having to manage separate databases. Its syntax borrows from languages such as JavaScript, and it adds strong typing to catch errors before deployment. Motoko is one option among several; canisters can also be written in Rust and other languages that compile to WebAssembly. It is unrelated to Solidity and the Ethereum Virtual Machine, so code does not transfer directly between the two ecosystems.