Simplicity vs. Complexity

Tip

For comprehensive insights into secure development practices, consider visiting the Development Recommendations section of the Smart Contract Security Field Guide. This resource provides in-depth articles to guide you in developing robust and secure smart contracts.

There are multiple fundamental tradeoffs to consider when assessing the structure and security of a smart contract system. The general recommendation for any smart contract system is to identify the proper balance for these fundamental tradeoffs.

An ideal smart contract system from a software engineering bias is modular, reuses code instead of duplicating it, and supports upgradeable components. An ideal smart contract system from a secure architecture bias may share this mindset, especially in the case of more complex smart contract systems.

However, there are important exceptions where security and software engineering best practices may not be aligned. In each case, the proper balance is obtained by identifying the optimal mix of properties along contract system dimensions such as:

• Rigid versus Upgradeable
• Monolithic versus Modular
• Duplication versus Reuse

Rigid versus Upgradeable

While multiple resources, including this one, emphasize malleability characteristics such as Killable, Upgradeable or Modifiable patterns there is a fundamental tradeoff between malleability and security.

Malleability patterns by definition add complexity and potential attack surfaces. Simplicity is particularly effective over complexity in cases where the smart contract system performs a very limited set of functionality for a pre-defined limited period of time, for example, a governance-free finite-time-frame token-sale contract system.

Monolithic versus Modular

A monolithic self-contained contract keeps all knowledge locally identifiable and readable. While there are few smart contract systems held in high regard that exist as monoliths, there is an argument to be made for extreme locality of data and flow - for example, in the case of optimizing code review efficiency.

As with the other tradeoffs considered here, security best practices trend away from software engineering best practices in simple short-lived contracts and trend toward software engineering best practices in the case of more complex perpetual contract systems.

Duplication versus Reuse

A smart contract system from a software engineering perspective wishes to maximize reuse where reasonable. There are many ways to reuse contract code in Solidity. Using proven previously-deployed contracts which you own is generally the safest manner to achieve code reuse.

Duplication is frequently relied upon in cases where self-owned previously-deployed contracts are not available. Efforts such as OpenZeppelin's Solidity Library seek to provide patterns such that secure code can be re-used without duplication. Any contract security analysis must include any re-used code that has not previously established a level of trust commensurate with the funds at risk in the target smart contract system.