Practical overview
When it fits
Use Flint to explore or prototype Ethereum smart-contract code and language patterns, with its alpha status in mind.
Who it is for
- Developers exploring language-based approaches to Ethereum smart-contract development.
- Educators and learners studying contract permissions, state transitions and asset-handling patterns.
Documented uses
- Author Ethereum smart-contract code using Flint's contract-oriented language.
- Express and check rules about which callers and contract states permit function calls.
- Make state changes explicit through function mutation annotations.
Requirements & limits
The repository is public and lists the MIT license. Its documented installation instructions cover Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, and it also describes a build-from-source path.
- Flint is explicitly described as alpha development and not ready for production use.
- Caller protections and type states are checked statically for internal calls and at runtime for calls originating from external contracts.
- Asset handling is described as a feature still in development.
- The repository is implemented in Swift and provides a language guide and example contracts.
Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.
Install Flint on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Install the Flint toolchain into the documented ~/.flint location on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.
Before you start
- Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
- The repository lists apt, wget, curl, gnupg, ca-certificates and git among the standard build prerequisites.
Steps
Run the repository's installation script: bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/flintlang/flint/master/utils/install_ubuntu_18_04.sh).
The script installs Flint into ~/.flint.
Expected outcome
The documented installation process places Flint under ~/.flint.
Guide limitations
- The instructions are specifically for Ubuntu 18.04 LTS; the repository notes Ubuntu 16.04 requires different manual procedures.
- Flint is alpha-stage and the repository says it is not ready for production use.
Build Flint from source
Clone the Flint repository and build its release target using the documented commands.
Before you start
- The repository's stated prerequisites for its Ubuntu 18.04 instructions include apt, wget, curl, gnupg, ca-certificates and git.
- Repository instructions refer readers to the language guide for full build prerequisites.
Steps
Clone the repository and its submodules: git clone --recurse-submodules https://www.github.com/flintlang/flint.git $HOME/.flint.
Change into the cloned directory with cd $HOME/.flint.
Run make release.
Add $HOME/.flint/.build/release/ to PATH using the repository's documented shell configuration commands.
Expected outcome
The documented process builds the release target and adds its output directory to PATH.
Guide limitations
- The README assumes the required prerequisites are already available.
- Flint is alpha-stage and the repository says it is not ready for production use.
Sources & review
Source record details
- Source availability
- Active
- Sources checked
- 15 October 2026
- Original website title
- flintlang/flint · Official homepage title · retained in its source language