If you are building applications that need to scale beyond experimentation and into regulated, real-world environments, Dusk offers a clear and flexible development path.
A Modular Architecture Built for Builders
Dusk separates concerns cleanly, allowing developers to focus on application logic while the protocol handles settlement, privacy, and finality under the hood.
At a high level, Dusk is composed of two main layers:
DuskDS, The Settlement & Data Layer
DuskDS is the foundation of the network. It handles:
Consensus and finality
Data availability
Native transaction models
Protocol-level contracts
The Dusk virtual machine (DuskVM)
This layer is where privacy guarantees, compliance logic, and settlement security are enforced. As a builder, you usually don’t interact with DuskDS directly but you benefit from it every time your application settles transactions securely and privately.
DuskEVM – The Execution Layer
DuskEVM is where most developers live. It is a full EVM execution environment designed to feel familiar while inheriting Dusk’s unique architecture underneath.
Here is the key idea: You build on DuskEVM, while DuskDS quietly handles finality, privacy, and settlement.
The Typical Builder Workflow
For most developers, building on Dusk looks like this:
Write and deploy smart contracts on DuskEVM
Use standard EVM tooling and workflows
Rely on DuskDS for settlement, privacy, and compliance guarantees in the background
This approach removes unnecessary complexity while preserving access to powerful protocol-level features when needed.
Choose Your Path as a Builder
Dusk supports multiple development paths depending on how deep you want to go.
Smart Contracts on DuskEVM (Recommended)
This is the default and recommended path for nearly all applications.
You can deploy Solidity or Vyper smart contracts on DuskEVM using familiar tooling such as:
Hardhat
Foundry
Standard EVM libraries and infrastructure
Ideal Use Cases
DuskEVM is suitable for almost all application-level development, including:
DeFi protocols (AMMs, lending, derivatives)
Tokenized real-world assets (RWAs)
NFTs, gaming, and digital ownership
Any application that expects an EVM-compatible environment
What You Get
Familiar developer experience
DUSK as the native gas token
Compatibility with existing EVM tooling
Privacy and compliance features inherited from DuskDS and Hedger
You focus on shipping applications. Dusk handles the hard parts that traditional blockchains ignore.
Smart Contracts on DuskDS (Advanced)
Some builders need deeper control.
DuskDS smart contracts run directly on the settlement layer and are written in Rust/WASM. This path is intentionally advanced and designed for specialized use cases.
When to Use DuskDS Contracts
Choose DuskDS contracts only if you need:
Protocol-level control at the settlement layer
Direct interaction with DuskDS transaction models
Smart contracts that must operate “next to” consensus
Typical Examples
Genesis and protocol contracts (staking, transfers)
Low-level infrastructure components
Experimental designs requiring direct access to the DuskVM
For most applications, this level of control is unnecessary. But for protocol engineers and infrastructure builders, it opens powerful possibilities.
Integrate with DuskDS
Not every builder is writing smart contracts.
Dusk provides multiple ways to integrate external systems and services through DuskDS, including:
HTTP APIs
W3sper
Event-based integrations
This makes it straightforward to connect:
Wallets
Exchanges
Backend services
Institutional infrastructure
without compromising privacy or compliance requirements.
Dusk Improvement Proposals (DIPs)
If you want to go beyond applications and help shape the protocol itself, you can contribute through Dusk Improvement Proposals.
DIPs allow developers to:
Propose changes to core protocol logic
Define new standards
Improve tooling and infrastructure
This ensures Dusk evolves alongside real developer and institutional needs.
Why This Architecture Matters
Most blockchains blur execution, settlement, and data concerns into a single layer. That approach works for experimentation but struggles with real finance.
Dusk’s modular design enables:
Cleaner abstractions for developers
Strong privacy guarantees without sacrificing usability
Compliance-friendly settlement for institutional adoption
A familiar EVM experience on top of purpose-built financial infrastructure
Final Thoughts
Dusk is not trying to reinvent how developers write applications. It is redefining what happens beneath those applications.
If you want speed, familiarity, and reach build on DuskEVM.
If you need deep protocol control explore DuskDS.
Either way, you are building on infrastructure designed for where blockchain is actually going: regulated, private, and real-world finance.
