Live view of the Cardano network
Cardano executes smart contracts through the Plutus Core virtual machine on the extended UTXO (eUTXO) model. Smart contract transactions consume Execution Units (ExUnits) measured in CPU execution steps and memory units, ensuring deterministic fee calculation without unexpected gas failures.
Cardano smart contracts have evolved across eras from Alonzo (V1) to Vasil reference scripts (V2) and Chang/Voltaire primitives (V3), continually minimizing bytecode footprint and computational ExUnits.
Real-time log of recently observed blocks demonstrating Plutus script share, total consumed CPU execution steps, script memory allocation, and CIP-31/33 reference script utilization. Click any SPO to view complete stake pool telemetry.
| Block / Slot | Slot Leader (SPO) | Script Share | CPU Steps | Script Memory | CIP-31/33 Ref | ExUnit State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecting to Cardano live Plutus execution telemetry... | ||||||
Unlike account-based blockchains where smart contracts alter global state concurrently, Cardano contracts validate transactions locally using three deterministic components:
Contracts lock funds at script addresses. To spend or interact with a script UTXO, the transaction supplies a Redeemer, satisfies the locked Datum, and validates against the complete ScriptContext (inputs, outputs, fees, certificates, and minting policies).
DApps simulate and compute exact execution units off-chain before broadcasting. If a script validates locally, it is guaranteed to succeed on-chain, preventing wasted user fees from failed executions.
Each block on the Cardano network enforces hard limits on computational resources to safeguard network throughput and keep block propagation within the 3-second protocol benchmark:
40,000,000,000 steps).62,000,000 memory units).10,000,000,000 CPU steps / 14,000,000 memory units) to prevent single complex scripts from starving block space.