The StarkNet platform has enhanced the Cairo programming language to make Web3 development accessible to developers.

Cairo 1.0 is said to mimic features of the popular Rust programming language. The enhancements aim to allow developers with general programming experience to start building decentralized applications on StarkNet’s Level 2 Ethereum network.

“The primary drivers were safety and ease of use, and conducting the overhaul presented a terrific opportunity to remove the entry for developers with conventional language backgrounds.”

said StarkWare co-founder and president Eli Ben-Sasson.

The technical specifications include numerous enhancements to the Cairo language, including improved syntax and language constructs, a comprehensive type system, intuitive libraries, optimized code, and strong typing through demanding specification of data types.

But one of the most significant changes in Cairo 1.0 is the syntax. The team says they took inspiration from Rust to create a developer-friendly language that is easier to read and write. The new version of Cairo allows you to write safer code while being more expressive.

Cairo 1.0 also introduces Sierra, a new intermediate representation that ensures every Cairo run can be proven. This makes Cairo 1.0 particularly well-suited for use in a permissionless network like StarkNet, where it can provide robust DoS protection and censorship resistance.