Aptos is a Layer 1 blockchain with the Move programming language, designed for safe and scalable smart contracts.
When to Use
Writing Move smart contracts
Understanding Move type system (abilities, generics, resources)
Using Aptos framework modules (coin, fungible_asset, object)
Token standards (Coin, Fungible Asset, Digital Asset/NFT)
Gas optimization and testing
dApp integration with TypeScript SDK
Move Language Fundamentals
Abilities - Move's Core Feature
Every type has abilities that control what you can do with it:
Ability
Meaning
Example
copy
Can be duplicated
Skills relacionados
Primitives, configs
drop
Can be discarded
Temporary data
store
Can be stored in structs
Most data types
key
Can be top-level resource
Account resources
// Resource that can be stored globally
struct Balance has key, store {
coins: u64
}
// Value type that behaves like a primitive
struct Point has copy, drop, store {
x: u64,
y: u64
}
// No abilities = must be explicitly handled (hot potato)
struct Receipt {
amount: u64
}
Generics and Phantom Types
// Type parameter with ability constraint
struct Box<T: store> has key {
value: T
}
// Phantom type - zero runtime cost, type safety only
struct Coin<phantom CoinType> has store {
value: u64
}
// Different types can't be mixed
let btc: Coin<BTC> = Coin { value: 100 };
let eth: Coin<ETH> = Coin { value: 50 };
// btc + eth → compile error!
Global Storage Operations
// Store resource at signer's address
public fun initialize(account: &signer) {
move_to(account, MyResource { value: 0 });
}
// Read resource (requires acquires annotation)
public fun get_value(addr: address): u64 acquires MyResource {
borrow_global<MyResource>(addr).value
}
// Modify resource
public fun set_value(addr: address, val: u64) acquires MyResource {
borrow_global_mut<MyResource>(addr).value = val;
}
// Check existence
public fun exists_at(addr: address): bool {
exists<MyResource>(addr)
}
// Remove and return resource
public fun destroy(addr: address): MyResource acquires MyResource {
move_from<MyResource>(addr)
}
Signer - Authentication
use std::signer;
// Only the account owner can call this
public entry fun transfer(
sender: &signer,
recipient: address,
amount: u64
) acquires Balance {
let sender_addr = signer::address_of(sender);
// sender proves ownership of sender_addr
}
Visibility Modifiers
module example {
// Private (default) - only within module
fun internal() { }
// Public - callable from anywhere
public fun library_fn() { }
// Friend - only from declared friend modules
public(friend) fun restricted() { }
// Entry - transaction entry point
public entry fun user_action(account: &signer) { }
}
Aptos Framework (0x1)
Core Modules
Module
Purpose
account
Account creation, auth key rotation
coin
Original fungible token standard
fungible_asset
New flexible token standard
object
Object model for composable assets
aptos_coin
Native APT token
timestamp
Block timestamp
event
Event emission
Coin Standard (0x1::coin)
use aptos_framework::coin;
// Register to receive a coin type
public entry fun register<CoinType>(account: &signer) {
coin::register<CoinType>(account);
}
// Transfer coins
public entry fun transfer<CoinType>(
from: &signer,
to: address,
amount: u64
) {
coin::transfer<CoinType>(from, to, amount);
}
// Check balance
public fun balance<CoinType>(addr: address): u64 {
coin::balance<CoinType>(addr)
}
Fungible Asset Standard (0x1::fungible_asset)
Modern, flexible token standard:
use aptos_framework::fungible_asset::{Self, FungibleAsset, Metadata};
use aptos_framework::primary_fungible_store;
// Create fungible asset metadata
public fun create_fa(creator: &signer): Object<Metadata> {
let constructor_ref = object::create_named_object(creator, b"MY_FA");
primary_fungible_store::create_primary_store_enabled_fungible_asset(
&constructor_ref,
option::none(), // max supply
utf8(b"My Token"),
utf8(b"MTK"),
8, // decimals
utf8(b"https://example.com/icon.png"),
utf8(b"https://example.com"),
);
object::object_from_constructor_ref(&constructor_ref)
}
// Transfer FA
public entry fun transfer_fa(
sender: &signer,
metadata: Object<Metadata>,
recipient: address,
amount: u64
) {
primary_fungible_store::transfer(sender, metadata, recipient, amount);
}
Object Model (0x1::object)
Composable, transferable objects:
use aptos_framework::object::{Self, Object, ConstructorRef};
struct MyObject has key {
value: u64
}
// Create object
public fun create(creator: &signer): Object<MyObject> {
let constructor_ref = object::create_object(signer::address_of(creator));
let object_signer = object::generate_signer(&constructor_ref);
move_to(&object_signer, MyObject { value: 42 });
object::object_from_constructor_ref(&constructor_ref)
}
// Transfer object
public entry fun transfer_object(
owner: &signer,
obj: Object<MyObject>,
recipient: address
) {
object::transfer(owner, obj, recipient);
}
Token Standards
Digital Asset (NFT) Standard
use aptos_token_objects::collection;
use aptos_token_objects::token;
// Create collection
public entry fun create_collection(creator: &signer) {
collection::create_unlimited_collection(
creator,
utf8(b"My Collection Description"),
utf8(b"My Collection"),
option::none(), // royalty
utf8(b"https://example.com/collection"),
);
}
// Mint token
public entry fun mint_token(creator: &signer, to: address) {
let token_constructor_ref = token::create(
creator,
utf8(b"My Collection"),
utf8(b"Token description"),
utf8(b"Token #1"),
option::none(), // royalty
utf8(b"https://example.com/token/1"),
);
let transfer_ref = object::generate_transfer_ref(&token_constructor_ref);
let linear_transfer_ref = object::generate_linear_transfer_ref(&transfer_ref);
object::transfer_with_ref(linear_transfer_ref, to);
}
Common Patterns
Capability Pattern
struct AdminCap has key, store {}
public fun init_module(deployer: &signer) {
move_to(deployer, AdminCap {});
}
public entry fun admin_only(admin: &signer) acquires AdminCap {
assert!(exists<AdminCap>(signer::address_of(admin)), E_NOT_ADMIN);
// Admin-only logic
}
Resource Account
use aptos_framework::resource_account;
// Create resource account for deterministic addresses
public fun create_resource_account(creator: &signer): signer {
let (resource_signer, _cap) = resource_account::create_resource_account(
creator,
b"seed"
);
resource_signer
}
Events
use aptos_framework::event;
#[event]
struct TransferEvent has drop, store {
from: address,
to: address,
amount: u64,
}
public fun emit_transfer(from: address, to: address, amount: u64) {
event::emit(TransferEvent { from, to, amount });
}
Testing
#[test]
fun test_basic() {
let x = 1 + 1;
assert!(x == 2, 0);
}
#[test(account = @0x123)]
fun test_with_signer(account: &signer) {
let addr = signer::address_of(account);
assert!(addr == @0x123, 0);
}
#[test]
#[expected_failure(abort_code = E_NOT_FOUND)]
fun test_expected_failure() {
abort E_NOT_FOUND
}
CLI Commands
# Initialize project
aptos init
# Compile
aptos move compile
# Test
aptos move test
# Publish
aptos move publish --profile mainnet
# Run function
aptos move run --function-id 'addr::module::function'