How does ErgoScript work?

ErgoScript is Ergo's smart contract language - a functional, Scala-based DSL that compiles to ErgoTree. Unlike Solidity's imperative style, ErgoScript is declarative: you define conditions that must be true for a transaction to be valid. It has built-in Sigma Protocol support for zero-knowledge proofs and operates on the eUTXO model where scripts guard boxes.

• Functional: declarative conditions, not imperative code
• Scala-based: familiar syntax for JVM developers
• Sigma Protocols: native zero-knowledge proof support
• Box-guarding: scripts protect UTXOs, not accounts
• Deterministic: predictable execution, known costs