hardhat:tldr:191e4
Hardhat is a development environment for Ethereum smart contracts. It provides a set of tools and configurations that simplify the process of writing, testing, and deploying smart contracts on Ethereum.
The command "hardhat" typically refers to a command line tool that allows you to interact with the Hardhat environment. By running the "hardhat" command, you can perform various tasks such as compiling your smart contracts, running tests, deploying contracts to a test network or the Ethereum mainnet, and interacting with deployed contracts.
The "hardhat" command can be followed by different options and subcommands to execute specific tasks. For example, you can run "hardhat compile" to compile your smart contracts, "hardhat test" to execute your tests, or "hardhat deploy" to deploy your contracts.
In addition to the basic functionality provided by the "hardhat" command, you can also customize and extend the Hardhat environment by modifying its configuration file (hardhat.config.js). This allows you to specify specific networks, plugins, and other settings to suit your development needs.
Overall, the "hardhat" command is the entry point to the Hardhat development environment and serves as a versatile tool for Ethereum smart contract development.