Immutable Contracts

Definition ∞ Immutable Contracts are smart contracts deployed on a blockchain that cannot be altered, modified, or deleted once they are live. Their code and logic are permanently recorded on the distributed ledger. This characteristic ensures that the terms and conditions of the contract will execute exactly as programmed. Immutable contracts provide a high degree of transparency and trustworthiness, as their behavior is predictable and unchangeable.
Context ∞ News reports frequently reference immutable contracts when discussing the security and reliability of decentralized applications. Key discussions involve the implications of immutability for bug fixes or upgrades, often leading to the development of upgradeable contract patterns. Future trends include more sophisticated auditing tools to verify contract integrity before deployment. This property is fundamental to the trustless nature of blockchain-based agreements.