Playground (Fastest start)

The fastest way to try Covenant is in your browser. Visit playground.covenant-lang.org — no install, no Rust, no PATH setup.

Three minutes from open to deploy

  1. Pick an example — click Examples and choose Hello (the simplest contract).
  2. Compile — click Compile. The browser runs the same compiler that ships in CI; bytecode appears in the panel below.
  3. Deploy on MockChain — click Deploy. MockChain is an in-tab EVM simulator: deterministic, instant, free. Reset on demand.
  4. Interact — call actions and views from the typed UI panel. Events stream as human-readable names, not raw hex topics.

Real testnet via Sepolia

Switch the target to Sepolia and connect MetaMask. The same source compiles to Sepolia-targeted bytecode — helper-bridge addresses (CeremonyHelper, FHE/PQ/ZK helpers) are embedded automatically. Deployments take ~30 seconds.

Tour

The playground includes a 12+ lesson tour covering:

  • Hello / fields & storage / actions, events, errors
  • Guards (only, given, when)
  • ERC-20 token, encrypted token (ERC-8227)
  • FHE basics, post-quantum signatures, zero-knowledge proofs
  • Cryptographic amnesia (full ceremony lifecycle on Sepolia)
  • NFT (ERC-721 in 5 lines), PQ key registry (ERC-8231), external calls

Each lesson has compilable source and a “deploy and interact” step.

State persistence

  • IndexedDB — your contracts persist across page reloads.
  • BroadcastChannel — open multiple tabs, state syncs in real time.
  • Reset on demand — clear the chain or reset everything from the menu.

When to use the CLI instead

The playground is the right answer for:

  • Trying the language
  • Following a tutorial
  • Demos and screencasts
  • Sharing a snippet with someone (deep links work)

For projects with version-controlled source, CI, multiple files, or production deployments, install the CLI:

Installation (CLI)