Overview
Hardhat is an open source development environment for Ethereum smart contracts, maintained by the Nomic Foundation. It runs on Node.js and is configured with JavaScript or TypeScript.
Developers use it to compile Solidity, run tests against a local network, debug failed transactions and script deployments. A large plugin ecosystem connects it to tools such as ethers, viem and contract verification services.
Key features
- Local networkBuilt-in local Ethereum network for fast testing, with mainnet forking.
- DebuggingSolidity stack traces and console.log support for contract debugging.
- TestingWrite tests in TypeScript or Solidity and run them from the CLI.
- DeploymentIgnition module system for declarative, repeatable deployments.
- PluginsExtensible with community and official plugins for common tasks.
Best for
- Solidity developers working in a JavaScript or TypeScript stack
- Teams that need mainnet forking for realistic tests
- Projects scripting repeatable contract deployments
Pricing
Open source. Free and open source under the MIT licence.
| Plan | What you get |
|---|---|
| Open source | Full toolkit free to use, run locally. |
| Plugins | Community and official plugins, also free. |
Prices and plan limits change often. Check the official website for current pricing. Last reviewed Oct 3, 2026.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Mature, widely used and well documented
- Helpful debugging output for Solidity errors
- Fits naturally into JavaScript and TypeScript projects
Cons
- Test runs can be slower than Rust-based alternatives such as Foundry
- Major version upgrades can require configuration changes
Hardhat alternatives
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Try Hardhat
Free and open source under the MIT licence.