# Vyper Compiler

***

The Vyper compiler we provide as part of our toolchain is called [zkvyper](https://github.com/matter-labs/zkvyper-bin). It operates on Vyper’s LLL IR, and metadata received from the underlying [vyper](https://docs.vyperlang.org/en/latest/index.html) compiler, which must be available in `$PATH`, or its path must be explicitly passed via the CLI (command-line interface).

To safeguard the security and efficiency of your application, always use the latest compiler version.

### Usage <a href="#usage" id="usage"></a>

Make sure your machine satisfies the [system requirements](https://github.com/matter-labs/era-compiler-vyper/tree/main#system-requirements).

Using our compiler via the Hardhat plugin usually suffices. However, knowledge of its interface and I/O (input/output) methods are crucial for integration, debugging, or contribution purposes.

**Combined JSON**

The `zkvyper` standard JSON I/O workflow closely follows that of the official `vyper` compiler. However, `zkvyper` does not support some configuration settings which are only relevant to the EVM architecture.

Combined JSON is only an output format; there is no combined JSON input format. Instead, CLI arguments are used for configuration.

Additional zkEVM data is inserted into the output combined JSON by `zksolc`:

* `zk_version`: the `zksolc` version.
* `contract/factory_deps`: bytecode hashes of contracts created in the current contract with `CREATE`. Since Vyper does not support `CREATE` directly, only the forwarder can be present in this mapping.\
  [More details here](https://docs.zksync.io/build/developer-reference/ethereum-differences/contract-deployment#note-on-factory-deps).

Regardless of the requested output, only the `combined_json`, `abi`, `method_identifiers`, `bytecode`, `bytecode_runtime` flags are supported, while the rest are ignored.

Other output formats are available via the `-f` option. Check out `vyper --help` for more details.

### Limitations <a href="#limitations" id="limitations"></a>

Versions from 0.3.4 to 0.3.8 are not supported. The only supported versions are 0.3.3, 0.3.9, 0.3.10.

Also, since there is no separation of deploy and runtime code on EraVM, the following Vyper built-ins are not supported:

* `create_copy_of`
* `create_from_blueprint`

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