Do I need to know Haskell to develop on Cardano?

No. Plinth, the original smart contract language, is a subset of Haskell, but you can write validators (the on-chain scripts that approve or reject transactions) in Aiken, Python with OpShin or Scala with Scalus. All of them compile to the same on-chain bytecode. Most DApp code runs off-chain, where TypeScript libraries such as Mesh are common.

What's the easiest way to start building on Cardano?

Start on Preprod, a public test network that follows the same rules as mainnet, so mistakes cost nothing. Get free test ADA from the Cardano Testnet Faucet, install a TypeScript library such as Mesh or the Evolution SDK, and get a free API key from a provider like Blockfrost. The Cardano Developer Portal walks you through sending your first transaction.

Can I build on Cardano without writing smart contracts?

Yes. Cardano tokens and NFTs are native to the ledger, so creating and sending them only needs a minting policy, a simple script that sets who can create a token, not a full smart contract. Wallets, block explorers, data dashboards, APIs and governance tools also need little or no on-chain code. Adastack lists many examples in its development section.

Are there developer grants or funding programs on Cardano?

Yes, though the main program has changed. Project Catalyst, Cardano's grant program, paused its funding rounds in 2026, and the Cardano Foundation took over the program in 2026, starting with a smaller pilot round. Teams can also ask for money straight from the Cardano treasury through a governance proposal, which DReps (delegated representatives) and the Constitutional Committee must approve. The Developer Portal talent pool announces hackathons and grants.

What's the difference between the Preview and Preprod testnets?

Both are public test networks with free test ADA. Preprod runs the same protocol version and parameters as mainnet, so it is the default for day-to-day development and final checks before launch. Preview receives protocol upgrades weeks before mainnet and has one-day epochs instead of five, which makes staking and reward tests faster. The Developer Portal's network guide compares them with local devnets.

Intro to Cardano Development - Adastack Ecosystem Explorer

Cardano is more than a network for sending ADA. Developers use it to build smart contracts, DApps, NFT tools, wallets and the infrastructure other builders rely on.

What Makes Cardano Different?

Cardano's consensus protocol, Ouroboros, is a Proof of Stake protocol whose security proof was peer reviewed and presented at the CRYPTO 2017 cryptography conference.¹ For smart contracts, Cardano uses the eUTxO (Extended Unspent Transaction Output) model instead of the account model used by Ethereum.

Why this matters:

Predictable transactions. Each transaction names the exact outputs it spends, so you know what it will do before you submit it.²
Fewer surprises. A script checks one transaction, not a shared global state that can change between building a transaction and running it.²
Exact fees. Fees come from a fixed formula based on transaction size and script execution, with no gas auctions, so you can work out the exact fee in advance.³
Native tokens. The ledger tracks tokens and NFTs the same way it tracks ADA, so sending one needs no smart contract.⁴

If you're coming from Ethereum or Solana, Cardano will feel different. The Developer Portal's guide to Cardano for Ethereum developers maps the concepts you already know.

Key Languages and Tools for Cardano Developers

On Cardano, a smart contract is usually called a validator: a script that decides whether a transaction may spend certain funds. You write it in a high-level language, and the compiler turns it into Untyped Plutus Core (UPLC), the bytecode every Cardano node runs. Because all languages compile to the same bytecode, your choice changes how easy the work is, not what your contract can do.⁵

1. Aiken

Aiken is a language made for Cardano validators and nothing else. If you know Rust, Elm or Gleam, the syntax will look familiar. The compiler is written in Rust, so builds take seconds, the scripts it produces are small, and a test runner comes with the toolchain.⁵ Aiken covers on-chain code only; you write the rest of your app in any language. The Cardano Developer Portal lists it as the choice for most new projects.⁵

Best for: most new smart contract projects
Tool: the Aiken command-line toolchain, installed with its version manager, aikup

2. Plinth (formerly Plutus Tx)

Plinth is a subset of Haskell for writing on-chain code. It was the original way to write Cardano smart contracts and was called Plutus Tx until it was renamed.⁶ It gives you Haskell's type system and lets you share types between on-chain and off-chain code, but it has a steeper learning curve and produces larger scripts than Aiken.⁵

Best for: teams that already work in Haskell
Tool: the Plinth user guide, which includes a worked auction contract

3. Marlowe

Marlowe is a domain-specific language for financial contracts. It is deliberately limited, which guarantees that every contract ends.⁵ Its Playground lets you design a contract in JavaScript, Haskell or Marlowe, or by dragging and dropping Blockly blocks, then simulate it before deploying.⁷

Best for: escrows, loans, swaps and other agreements with set payment rules
Tool: Marlowe Playground for visual contract design and simulation

4. Other Languages

You can also write validators in languages you may already know:⁵

OpShin: a subset of Python
Scalus: Scala 3, for both on-chain and off-chain code
Pebble (formerly plu-ts): TypeScript-like syntax
Helios: a simple C-like language with a JavaScript and TypeScript SDK⁸

Libraries and APIs for Building Apps

Most of a DApp runs off-chain: the code that builds transactions, connects to wallets and reads the blockchain. For this you need two things: a library (SDK) in your language, and a provider that connects it to the chain.⁹

Libraries. Mesh and the Evolution SDK are TypeScript libraries, and the Developer Portal's code examples use both.⁹ Lucid Evolution is another TypeScript transaction builder.¹⁰ The original Lucid library is deprecated, so older tutorials that use it need updating.¹¹ Libraries also exist in Python, Rust, Go, C#, Java and other languages.⁹ Adastack lists more in transaction builders.
Wallet connections. Browser wallets share a standard called CIP-30. Your app requests the user's addresses and asks the wallet to sign transactions; the wallet holds the keys and prompts the user for each signature.¹²
Providers. Blockfrost and Koios run the nodes and indexers and give you a web API, so you can read data and submit transactions without running a node yourself. Koios's public tier needs no API key.¹³ Demeter instead hosts the components you would otherwise run yourself, such as Ogmios and Kupo.¹⁴

Areas of Focus in Cardano Development

Developers build across a wide range of areas:

1. Smart Contracts

Writing on-chain logic in Aiken, Plinth, Marlowe or another language. Smart contracts power DeFi protocols, identity systems, games and more. For the basics, see what is a DApp.

2. DApps and Frontend Integrations

Building the apps people use, which connect to Cardano wallets and smart contracts through the libraries above.

3. NFT Platforms and Tools

Creating minting platforms, NFT marketplaces or tools for creators. Because tokens are native to the ledger, a minting policy controls who can create a token, and transfers need no contract.⁴ Adastack lists existing minting tools.

4. Infrastructure and APIs

Working on indexers, block explorers, node software or developer APIs. These tools help other builders read and use on-chain data.

5. Wallet Development

Building or contributing to wallets, for example with new features, interface work or hardware wallet support.

6. Governance and DAO Tools

Building interfaces and backends for governance voting, DRep (delegated representative) delegation or DAOs. Cardano's on-chain governance is live, and registering a DRep, delegating a vote or voting is just another transaction, built with the same wallets and libraries as a payment.¹⁵ See what is Cardano governance for how it works.

7. Education and Documentation

Helping others learn through developer guides, video tutorials or interactive playgrounds.

How to Start

Pick your tools. Choose a library for your language and get an API key from a provider. Blockfrost has a free tier.⁹
Use a testnet. Build on Preprod, a public test network that runs the same rules as mainnet. Free test ADA (tAda) comes from the Cardano Testnet Faucet, so development costs no real ADA.¹⁶
Write a first validator. The Developer Portal's smart contract lessons use Aiken, and its templates give you a working starter project.⁹

Where to Learn More?

Cardano Developer Portal: Official hub with a step-by-step curriculum, from your first transaction to production
Choose a Smart Contract Language: Developer Portal comparison of Aiken, Plinth, OpShin, Scalus, Pebble, Marlowe and others
Builder Tools: Developer Portal catalog of SDKs, APIs and other tools, searchable by language
Developers Office Hours: Recordings of weekly sessions where tool builders present their work and answer questions
Cardano Forum, Developers category: Longer discussions, announcements and help from other developers
Development guides and dev learning platforms: More tutorials and courses listed on Adastack

Join the Developer Community

Cardano has an active global developer community. The Developer Portal keeps a list of developer community channels, including:

Discord servers for developer chat and Cardano Improvement Proposal (CIP) meetings
The Cardano Forum and the Cardano Developers Telegram group
Weekly Developer Office Hours, a live call with Cardano Foundation engineers and invited builders¹⁷
A talent pool that alerts you to hackathons, jobs and grants¹⁷

Adastack lists more developer chat groups. To follow active Cardano developers, see Adastack's curated X/Twitter list of Cardano builders.

Cardano is more than a network for sending ADA. Developers use it to build smart contracts, DApps, NFT tools, wallets and the infrastructure other builders rely on.

What Makes Cardano Different?

Why this matters:

Predictable transactions. Each transaction names the exact outputs it spends, so you know what it will do before you submit it.²
Fewer surprises. A script checks one transaction, not a shared global state that can change between building a transaction and running it.²
Exact fees. Fees come from a fixed formula based on transaction size and script execution, with no gas auctions, so you can work out the exact fee in advance.³
Native tokens. The ledger tracks tokens and NFTs the same way it tracks ADA, so sending one needs no smart contract.⁴

If you're coming from Ethereum or Solana, Cardano will feel different. The Developer Portal's guide to Cardano for Ethereum developers maps the concepts you already know.