The Starknet Book
The Starknet Book is a work in progress, shaped by ongoing community input. Some sections may be incomplete or still under review and are marked under a 🚧 emoji. We welcome your suggestions, feedback, and content contributions to make this book a reliable guide for everyone.
The Starknet Book is a step-by-step guide aimed at teaching you the essentials of Starknet development. It’s a community effort, with each chapter guiding you through the Starknet ecosystem.
Understanding Cairo, the key programming language for Starknet smart contracts, is crucial. That’s why this book works hand-in-hand with the Cairo Book, another community resource. You can access the Cairo Book here.
In short, the Cairo Book helps you master Cairo, while The Starknet Book focuses on Starknet’s specific features. For a well-rounded understanding, we recommend exploring both. This book will introduce you to tools, architecture, account setups, STARKs, and Starknet-specific apps.
Table of Contents
Chapter Titles
| Chapter | Description |
|---|---|
| 1: Starknet Introduction | Delve into the fundamental concepts of Starknet and acquaint yourself with the deployment of smart contracts. |
| 2: Starknet Tooling | Familiarize yourself with vital tools, such as Starkli, Katana, Scarb, Starknet-Foundry and more. Explore how languages like Javascript, Python, and Rust can be leveraged for Starknet interactions. |
| 3: Starknet Architecture | Uncover Starknet’s core structure, gaining insights into the transaction lifecycle and the interplay between the Sequencer, Prover, and Nodes. |
| 4: Account Abstraction | Delve deep into Starknet’s unique approach to user accounts, and master the art of crafting custom accounts. |
| 5: STARKs | Dive into the intricacies of STARKs and their pivotal role in shaping Starknet’s landscape. |
Where to Start?
Depending on your goals and interests, you can choose different paths through the Starknet Book. Here are some recommendations based on various objectives:
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If you’re a complete beginner and want to start learning about Cairo and Starknet from scratch, follow the book in its entirety, starting with Introduction to Starknet.
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If you’re an experienced developer looking to quickly dive into writing scalable and decentralized smart contracts, focus on the Cairo Book, particularly chapter 12: Starknet Smart Contracts (link).
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If you’re a frontend developer wanting to integrate Starknet with a React frontend using Javascript, prioritize the starknet-js and starknet-react subchapters in Starknet Tooling
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If you’re a DevOps engineer or node operator interested in running a Starknet node and indexer, head straight to Starknet Architecture.
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If you’re a security researcher or smart contract auditor wanting to learn about the Account Abstraction feature and its implications, go for Account Abstraction.
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If you’re a blockchain enthusiast curious about the underlying architecture and mechanics of Starknet and Cairo, explore Starknet Architecture.
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If you’re a cryptography expert or researcher eager to understand the fundamentals of STARKs and their connection to the Starknet ecosystem, delve into STARKs.
Feel free to mix and match these paths based on your unique interests and requirements.
Your Contributions Matter
Welcome aboard! By contributing to the Starknet Book, you’re doing more than sharing expertise—you’re shaping the future of decentralized tech. Let’s build a guide that helps developers unlock Starknet’s potential.
For detailed contribution guidelines, visit the Contributors Guide. Every contribution counts. Your skills and passion will help make this book an invaluable tool.
How You Can Help
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Found an empty section? Fill it in!
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Think we need a new section? Suggest one.
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See room for improvement? Go ahead and tweak it.
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Want to add code in a new programming language? Go for it.
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Found a bug? Fix it.
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Exercises unclear? Add explanations.
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Show off your favorite Cairo features through new exercises.
Additional Key Educational Resources
We’ve compiled a list of valuable educational resources that will help deepen your understanding and enhance your skills in coding with Cairo and staying abreast with Starknet developments:
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Starklings: A resource specifically designed to guide you through learning Cairo programming, ensuring that you reach a proficient level. You can access it here.
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Starknet Community Forum: An online platform where you can engage in discussions about the latest developments in Starknet. Join the conversation here.
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Starknet Documentation: You can browse through the documentation here.
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Cairo Documentation: Explore it here.
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Starknet Discord (English): A community for Starknet developers and users around the world. This is a great platform for networking, sharing ideas, learning, and troubleshooting together. Join us on Discord here
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Starknet Developer Telegram (English): A community for English-speaking Starknet developers. This is a great platform for networking, sharing ideas, and troubleshooting together. Join us on Telegram here.