# Compact Under the Hood: How Midnight’s Smart Contract Language Encodes Privacy by Default **URL:** \ **Category:** Technical Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2026, 8:56am UTC](https://forum.midnight.network/t/compact-under-the-hood-how-midnight-s-smart-contract-language-encodes-privacy-by-default/1092 "2026-03-20T08:56:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![8pro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/forum.midnight.network/8pro/32/446_2.png) [@8pro](https://forum.midnight.network/u/8pro)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 8:56am UTC](https://forum.midnight.network/t/compact-under-the-hood-how-midnight-s-smart-contract-language-encodes-privacy-by-default/1092/1 "2026-03-20T08:56:20Z")
Hey everyone 👋 I just published a deep dive on Compact, Midnight’s smart contract language, focusing on how it enforces **privacy by default** at the language level. The article explores a key shift in how we think about smart contracts: Instead of executing code on-chain, Compact defines logic that is **proven using zero-knowledge systems** , meaning data can remain private while still being verifiable. Some highlights: • Why Compact is not a general-purpose language • How circuits replace traditional functions • The role of witnesses and private inputs • Why `disclose` is mandatory for transparency • The shift from execution → verification This is especially useful if you’re trying to understand how Midnight differs from traditional chains like Ethereum. 📖 Read here: [https://eightblock.dev/articles/compact-under-the-hood-how-midnight-s-smart-contract-language-encodes-privacy-by-default](https://eightblock.dev/articles/compact-under-the-hood-how-midnight-s-smart-contract-language-encodes-privacy-by-default) Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from builders already experimenting with Compact. ![main image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/uploads/midnightnetwork/original/1X/2230d56afc33fdd6ffacdb3db5ccfc5a18b51db8.jpeg)