Yellow Paper
documentation · ethereum
A formal technical specification that defines a protocol's state transition rules, data structures, and execution behavior.
A yellow paper is a rigorous specification aimed at implementers and researchers. The best-known example is Ethereum's Yellow Paper, which formally describes the EVM, accounts, gas, and state transitions.
Compared with a whitepaper, a yellow paper is less about marketing and more about precise rules. It may still need to be read alongside living specifications, improvement proposals, and client tests.
Related terms
Whitepaper
→A project document explaining the problem, proposed solution, design, economics, and goals at a high level.
documentation · basics
Virtual Machine
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Smart Contract
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