The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) is a runtime environment for executing smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain. It was designed to be a decentralized, secure, and sandboxed environment that can execute arbitrary code while maintaining consensus among all network nodes.
The EVM executes code written in the Solidity programming language, which is specifically designed for creating smart contracts on Ethereum. The EVM also provides a set of standardized instructions called the Ethereum Virtual Machine Instruction Set (EVMIS), which allows for deterministic execution of code across all network nodes.
The EVM is a crucial component of the Ethereum ecosystem, enabling developers to create a wide variety of decentralized applications and use cases, from financial applications to decentralized social networks.
Sources: