Quick Dive into the Move Programming Language

NOTE: This is a quick summary on my thoughts as I read through Libra's Move Technical Paper, learning as I type.

Two Different Types of Programs: Transaction Scripts & Modules

• Transaction scripts are more single-use, and can invoke modules
• Modules are long-term pieces of code stored in Libra's global state

Move Global State

• Libra's global state is a mapping of account addresses => accounts.
• Think 0x0, 0x1, 0x2 in succession, with each of these account addresses able to hold zero or more modules and at least one resource values.
• Say at account address 0x1337 I have module deployed named 'Multisig' and a resource type called 'Wallet.'
• 0x1337 would consist of our 'module/Multisig' module and our '0x1337.Multisig.Wallet' resource type.
• More modules and resource types can still be added to our 0x1337 address.
• "Accounts can contain at most one resource value of a given type and at most one module with a given name" [4.1, 1st sentence]
• Move is designed so that malicious actors outside the module cannot affect the resource types within the module.

Drawing Comparisons

Libra & Ethereum 1 transactions are nearly identical

• Both include gas price & gas supply mechanisms.
• Libra's 'sequence' == Ethereum's 'nonce.'
• Both implement 'all-or-nothing' transactions; out-of-gas, failed require/assert, result in reversion of whole transaction.

Libra 'Modules' & Ethereum 'Smart Contracts'

• Fairly similar, with nuances
• Modules enforce strong data abstraction: "Critical operations on a resource type T may only be performed inside a module that defines T." [Section 3.1, last sentence]
• A struct, or presumably any resource type, within a module can only be changed by that module.

Move VM & Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)

• "Move bytecode instructions are executed by a stack-based interpreter similar to the Common Language Runtime and Java Virtual Machine." [5.1 1st paragraph, 1st sentence]
• "Execution of Move programs is metered in a manner similar to the EVM. Each bytecode instructed has an associated gas unit cost, and any transaction to be executed must include a gas unit budget. The interpreter track sthe gas units remaining during execution and halts with an error if the amount remaining reaches zero." [5.1 4th paragraph, 1st sentence]

A Note on Transaction Scripts

• A rough parallel for a transaction script would be the 'main.rs' in Rust or 'main.py' in Python.
• "[...] scripts can perform either expressive one-off behaviors (such as paying a specific set of recipients) or reusable behaviors (by invoking a single procedure that encapsulates the reusable logic)_" [3.2, 1st paragraph, 5th sentence]

Move VM Nuances

No Dynamic Dispatch

• Dynamic dispatching in Ethereum, or the process of determining which function to call at runtime, was the culprit behind a pivotal event that literally split the chain in two.
• No dynamic dispatch in Move, code execution is decided at compile time.

"Duplicating currency by changing move(coin) to copy(coin)"

• Currency can't be duplicated through use of the 'copy()' function (though unrestricted values like u64 and address can be copied).
• Double-spending is prevented using the account sequence.

"Reusing currency by writing move(coin) twice"

• Calling 'move()' twice on a resource results in a bytecode verification error.

"Losing currency by neglecting to move(coin)"

• You can't use 'move()' twice. Not moving the coin also triggers a bytecode verification error.

We're going to conclude here. This was simply a quick primer on the Move language with some rough comparisons to the current state of Ethereum.

This guide will be updated over time as I gain more experience working with the tech. Additionally, I intend on penning a technical dive into transaction scripts and modules.

---

• Kauri original title: Quick Dive into the Move Programming Language
• Kauri original link: https://kauri.io/quick-dive-into-the-move-programming-language/b5ca6a19711240ac8e3a55076177d9de/a
• Kauri original author: Wil Barnes (@wil)
• Kauri original Publication date: 2019-06-20
• Kauri original tags: move, libra
• Kauri original hash: QmRBjyHtfhr5nXZqZkXEryQG4v2YHYsWuGvnvhwyWzQYjc
• Kauri original checkpoint: QmUP9qZg9vxiTYmDyCRfVzpyYLQbtd6r3GAM7CyqCFhShv