---
title: Get Started with Smart Contracts
description: Practical examples for building and deploying smart contracts on Polkadot Hub, from connecting and tooling to deployment, integrations, and precompiles.
categories:
- Basics
- Smart Contracts
url: https://docs.polkadot.com/smart-contracts/get-started/
word_count: 515
token_estimate: 1168
version_hash: sha256:6073c66c449fe1d6b8271e429308b0ed5ad5412e8de3dfc0a91818a1b5258eb9
last_updated: '2026-06-04T16:08:37+00:00'
---

# Get Started with Smart Contracts

This resource provides quick-starts for building smart contracts on Polkadot Hub. Use the tables below to jump directly to the tools and workflows you need.

## Quick Starts

Use these curated links to get connected, get funded, and deploy your first contract.

|                     Quick Start                     |         Tools         |                           Description                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|  [Connect to Polkadot](/smart-contracts/connect/)   | Polkadot.js, MetaMask | Add the network, configure RPC, verify activity in the explorer |
|     [Get Test Tokens](/smart-contracts/faucet/)     |           -           |    Request test funds to deploy and interact with contracts     |
| [Explore Transactions](/smart-contracts/explorers/) | BlockScout, Routescan, Subscan | Inspect transactions, logs, token transfers, and contract state |

## Build and Test Locally

Set up local environments and CI-friendly workflows to iterate quickly and validate changes before deploying.




## Ethereum Tool Differences on Polkadot EVM

Tools like **Foundry** and **Hardhat** are built for standard Ethereum nodes. Polkadot EVM networks (such as Polkadot Hub) use the same [Ethereum JSON-RPC](https://ethereum.org/developers/docs/apis/json-rpc/) interface, but run on a different execution environment (Substrate with REVM or PVM). As a result:

- **Local tests** (e.g., `forge test`, Hardhat's default network) run in the tool's own EVM, not Polkadot's—so behavior can differ from the real chain.
- **Time and snapshot helpers** (e.g., `evm_increaseTime`, `loadFixture`) are often not supported on Polkadot nodes.
- **Gas reports** from these tools may not match what you see on-chain.

**Recommendation:** To check chain-specific behavior, run your contracts against a [local dev node](/smart-contracts/dev-environments/local-dev-node/) or a TestNet. For more details, see [EVM vs PVM](/smart-contracts/for-eth-devs/evm-vs-pvm/) and [Contract Deployment](/smart-contracts/for-eth-devs/contract-deployment/).

## Ethereum Developer Resources

Bridge your Ethereum knowledge with Polkadot Hub specifics: account mapping, fees, JSON-RPC, and deployment.




## Cookbook: Hands-on Tutorials

Follow step-by-step guides that walk through common tasks and complete dApp examples.

|                                            Tutorial                                            |        Tools        |                Description                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| [Deploy a Basic Contract](/smart-contracts/cookbook/smart-contracts/deploy-basic/basic-remix/) |        Remix        |      Minimal deployment walkthrough       |
|    [Deploy an ERC-20](/smart-contracts/cookbook/smart-contracts/deploy-erc20/erc20-remix/)     | Remix, OpenZeppelin | Create, deploy, and mint a fungible token |
|   [Deploy an NFT (ERC-721)](/smart-contracts/cookbook/smart-contracts/deploy-nft/nft-remix/)   | Remix, OpenZeppelin |    Build and deploy an NFT collection     |
|                 [Uniswap V2](/smart-contracts/cookbook/eth-dapps/uniswap-v2/)                  |       Hardhat       | Full dApp project: compile, test, deploy  |
|               [Zero‑to‑Hero dApp](/smart-contracts/cookbook/dapps/zero-to-hero/)               |      Multiple       |  End‑to‑end dApp patterns and practices   |

## Libraries

Choose the client libraries that fit your stack for connecting wallets and calling contracts.




## Integrations

Integrate essential services like wallets, indexers, and oracles to round out your dApp.




## Precompiles

Discover precompiled system contracts available on the Hub and how to use them.




From here, follow the quick starts to get connected, iterate locally with your preferred tools, and use the guides, libraries, integrations, and precompiles as you grow into production‑ready dApps. If you get stuck, [open an issue](https://github.com/polkadot-developers/polkadot-docs/issues/new?template=docs-issue.yml) or reach out in the community channels.