Messages, as defined in the yellow paper, are the data and value that are passed between two accounts.
It can either be sent via a smart contract (autonomous object) or from an external actor (externally owned account) in the form of a transaction that has been digitally signed by the sender.
A Complete Guide to Understanding This Blockchain Concept
Messages only exist in the execution environment and are never stored.
Messages are similar to transactions; however, the main difference is that they are produced by the contracts, whereas transactions are produced by entities external (externally owned accounts) to the Ethereum environment.
A message consists of the components mentioned here: The sender of the message Recipient of the message Amount of Wei to transfer and message to the contract address Optional data field (Input data for the contract) The maximum amount of gas (startgas) that can be consumed Messages are generated when CALL or DELEGATECALL opcodes are executed by the code in execution by the contracts.
In the following diagram, the segregation between two types of transaction (contract creation and Message call) is shown: Types of transactions, required parameters for execution The preceding diagram shows transaction types, which are divided into two types contract creation and message call.
Each of these transactions have fields that are shown with each type.
Why This Matters for Blockchain Technology
Understanding Messages is not just an academic exercise — it has real-world implications for how blockchain systems are designed, deployed, and secured. Whether you are a developer building decentralized applications, a business leader evaluating blockchain adoption, or a curious learner exploring the technology, this knowledge provides a critical foundation.
Key Points to Remember
- Messages Messages, as defined in the yellow paper, are the data and value that are passed between two accounts.
- It can either be sent via a smart contract (autonomous object) or from an external actor (externally owned account) in the form of a transaction that has been digitally signed by the sender.
- Messages only exist in the execution environment and are never stored.
- Messages are similar to transactions; however, the main difference is that they are produced by the contracts, whereas transactions are produced by entities external (externally owned accounts) to the Ethereum environment.
Conclusion
Messages represents one of the many innovative layers that make blockchain technology so powerful and transformative. As distributed systems continue to evolve, a solid understanding of these core concepts becomes increasingly valuable — not just for developers, but for anyone building, investing in, or working alongside blockchain-powered systems.
Whether you are just starting your blockchain journey or deepening existing expertise, mastering these fundamentals gives you the tools to think clearly about decentralized systems and make smarter decisions in this rapidly evolving space.