Deploy an EVM contract

Overview

The x/evm Warden module allows executing Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) contracts charged by Evmos and written in Solidity.

This guide explains how to create and deploy a Solidity smart contract on a Warden local chain or on Chiado testnet. You'll deploy a simple counter contract using Foundry's toolset.

tip

Existing Solidity contracts are easy to deploy on Warden, so you can seamlessly port applications from any EVM-compatible chain to Warden and reach new users. You can call Warden precompiles to interact with Warden modules, accessing all core features of Warden Protocol. For advanced usage of EVM contracts with AI Agents, refer to Build an onchain AI Agent.

Prerequisites

Before you start, complete the following prerequisites:

• Install Foundry by running the following command:

  curl -L https://foundry.paradigm.xyz | bash \ 
  foundryup

1. Prepare the chain

Option 1. Run a local chain

To deploy an EVM contract locally, you need to run a local chain and make sure it's configured properly, as shown in the following steps:

1. Run a local chain as explained here: Run a local chain. Note that you'll need to install Go 1.24 or later and just 1.34.0 or later.

2. Check the list of available keys (local accounts) and note down your key name.

   wardend keys list
   tip

   If you used our just script to run the node with default settings, the local account name is shulgin.

3. Check the local account balance to make sure it has funds:

   Local node: default settings

   wardend query bank balances shulgin

   Local node: custom settings

   wardend query bank balances my-key-name

4. The next steps require the private key associated with this account. To get it, run this:

   Default node settings

   wardend keys export shulgin --unarmored-hex --unsafe

   Custom node settings

   wardend keys export my-key-name --unarmored-hex --unsafe

Option 2. Connect to Chiado

To deploy an EVM contract on Chiado testnet, you need to install its binary and fund your key, as shown in the following steps:

1. If you haven't yet, install Go 1.24 or later and just 1.34.0 or later.

2. Clone the repository with Warden source code. Then build the binary and initialize the chain's home directory:

   git clone --depth 1 --branch v0.6.2 https://github.com/warden-protocol/wardenprotocol
   cd wardenprotocol
   just wardend build
   just wardend install
   wardend init my-chain-moniker

3. Create a new key:

   wardend keys add my-key-name

4. Write down the mnemonic phrase and the address of the new account. You'll need this information to interact with the chain and restore the account.

   warning

   The seed phrase is the only way to restore your keys. Losing it can result in the irrecoverable loss of WARD tokens.

   tip

   You can always check your public address by running this command:

   wardend keys show my-key-name --address

5. Fund your key using Chiado faucet and the public address obtained in the previous step.

6. Check your balance:

   wardend query bank balances my-key-name --node https://rpc.chiado.wardenprotocol.org:443

7. The next steps require the private key associated with this account. To get it, run this:

   wardend keys export my-key-name --unarmored-hex --unsafe

2. Create an EVM project

Initialize a new Foundry project and navigate to its directory:

forge init warden-smart-contract --no-commit
cd warden-smart-contract

3. Create a smart contract

After you initialize a Foundry project, the script will automatically create a sample contract named Counter.sol in the src directory:

warden-smart-contract/src/Counter.sol

// SPDX-License-Identifier: UNLICENSED
pragma solidity ^0.8.13;

contract Counter {
    uint256 public number;

    // A function for setting a new number
    function setNumber(uint256 newNumber) public {
        number = newNumber;
    }

    // A function for incrementing the number
    function increment() public {
        number++;
    }
}

This is a counter contract with two functions: for changing the number variable and for incrementing it.

In the following steps, we're going to deploy this contract without modification.

4. Compile and deploy the contract

1. Set your private key from Step 1 as an environment variable:

   export PRIVATE_KEY=my-private-key
   warning

   In production, never store private keys directly in environment variables. Consider using encrypted keystores or secure key management solutions like env.

2. Set the RPC URL as an environment variable. Specify the standard localhost address or Chiado's EVM endpoint:

   Local node

   export RPC_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8545 

   Chiado

   export RPC_URL=https://evm.chiado.wardenprotocol.org
   tip

   If you're running a local chain and deploying the contract on different machines, you need to specify your chain's host address. To get it, just execute wardend status on the machine hosting the chain.

3. To compile and deploy the contract, run this command:

   forge create --rpc-url $RPC_URL --private-key $PRIVATE_KEY src/Counter.sol:Counter

   You'll see an output similar to the following:

   Deployer: 0x6Ea8aC1673402989e7B653aE4e83b54173719C30
   Deployed to: 0x2AAbb1a9b8EdE05f183FfD90A324ce02A349F6e5
   Transaction hash: 0x38c67c5bd92589ec6e31c2204a577e4c8d365099daad1382ff2596893b405249

4. Note down the value returned as Deployed to—that's your contract address. Set it as an environment variable:

   export CONTRACT_ADDRESS=my-contract-address

5. Verify the deployment

To verify that the contract has been deployed on the address from the previous step, run this:

cast code $CONTRACT_ADDRESS --rpc-url $RPC_URL

note

The cast code Foundry command allows you to get the bytecode of a contract.

You'll see an output similar to the following:

0x6080604052348015600f57600080fd5b5060043610603c5760003560e01c80633fb5c1cb1460415780638381f58a146053578063d09de08a14606d575b600080fd5b6051604c3660046083565b600055565b005b605b60005481565b60405190815260200160405180910390f35b6051600080549080607c83609b565b9190505550565b600060208284031215609457600080fd5b5035919050565b60006001820160ba57634e487b7160e01b600052601160045260246000fd5b506001019056fea26469706673582212201c88540d2739bb0e4f6179275ef6ff63cf1c34ed53189691f9dd0033f4382a0264736f6c634300081c0033

6. Interact with the contract

Now you can interact with the contract: adjust and increment the counter number.

1. Get the current number:

   cast call $CONTRACT_ADDRESS "number()" --rpc-url $RPC_URL
   note

   The cast call Foundry command allows you to read data from the chain. In this example, it calls the number() getter function: the Solidity compiler automatically generated it from the number variable in the sample contract.

   This will return a hex value representing 0:

   0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

2. Set a new number:

   cast send $CONTRACT_ADDRESS "setNumber(uint256)" 42 \
     --private-key $PRIVATE_KEY \
     --rpc-url $RPC_URL
   note

   The cast send Foundry command allows you to send transactions. Note that it requires signing a transaction with your private key. In this example, cast send calls the setNumber() function of the sample contract.

   The output will include status: 1 (success) indicating that the transaction was successful. You'll also see the block number and hash, the gas used, the transaction hash, and other details:

   blockHash               0x1e755e7f98361a33b81f98018b75f6aa935b8070a61bf4656991551b657d1c96
   blockNumber             14640
   contractAddress         
   cumulativeGasUsed       43494
   effectiveGasPrice       8
   from                    0x6Ea8aC1673402989e7B653aE4e83b54173719C30
   gasUsed                 43494
   logs                    []
   logsBloom               0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
   root
   status                  1 (success)
   transactionHash         0xaed1d70baf7d277cad64935146ec46fc6c3842c6d965c88371a75c458fff7533
   transactionIndex        0
   type                    2
   blobGasPrice            
   blobGasUsed             
   authorizationList       
   to                      0xb9dE7e835C44D6301A8EEF6658720198a17b0B3A

3. Verify the number change:

   cast call $CONTRACT_ADDRESS "number()" --rpc-url $RPC_URL

   This should return a hex value representing 42:

   0x000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000002a

4. Increment the number:

   cast send $CONTRACT_ADDRESS "increment()" \
     --private-key $PRIVATE_KEY \
     --rpc-url $RPC_URL

   In the output, you'll see the transaction details again, including the status code 1, indicating success.

5. Verify the increment:

   cast call $CONTRACT_ADDRESS "number()" --rpc-url $RPC_URL

   This should return a hex value representing 43

   0x000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000002b

Troubleshooting

If your transaction fails, try the following:

• Verify that your private key is correct. See Step 1.
• Make sure you have enough funds in your account, as shown in Step 1. If funds are insufficient, you may need to run a local chain from scratch or use Chiado faucet.
• Verify your contract address, as shown in Step 5.

If you encounter any other issues, please reach out to us in Discord or Twitter.

Happy coding! 🚀

Next steps

After deploying a basic EVM smart contract, you can start using Warden precompiles to call Warden modules in your contract. This will allow you to access Warden-specific features such as managing Spaces and Keychains, creating Rules, getting data from oracles, and so on. See the following sections:

• Interact with Warden modules
• Precompiles

For advanced usage of EVM contracts with AI Agents, refer to Build an onchain AI Agent.