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65 changes: 55 additions & 10 deletions docs/get-started/concepts.mdx
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---
title: 'Core Concepts'
title: 'Key Concepts'
description: 'Core blockchain concepts you need to know before building on Base'
---

Key concept overview:
- Gas & Faucets
- Blocks
- Transactions
- Signatures
- Smart Contracts
- Wallets
- Nodes
...
## Overview

Before building on Base, it helps to understand these fundamental blockchain concepts.

## Gas & Faucets

**Gas** is the unit that measures the computational effort required to execute transactions on Base. Every transaction requires gas, and users pay for it in ETH.

- Gas fees on Base are significantly lower than Ethereum mainnet due to L2 architecture
- Use a **faucet** to get free testnet ETH for development on Base Sepolia

## Blocks

Blocks are batches of transactions confirmed together and added to the blockchain. Each block contains:
- A reference to the previous block (forming the "chain")
- A list of transactions
- A timestamp and block number

Base produces blocks approximately every 2 seconds.

## Transactions

A transaction is a signed instruction sent to the network. Transactions can:
- Transfer ETH between wallets
- Call a smart contract function
- Deploy a new smart contract

Each transaction has a unique hash and is permanently recorded once confirmed.

## Signatures

Signatures prove ownership of a wallet without revealing the private key. They are used for:
- Authorizing transactions
- Sign-In With Ethereum (SIWE) for authentication
- Off-chain message signing (e.g. permit approvals)

## Smart Contracts

Smart contracts are self-executing programs deployed on Base. They run exactly as programmed with no possibility of downtime or third-party interference. Written in **Solidity**, they power DeFi, NFTs, and onchain apps.

## Wallets

A wallet stores your private keys and lets you interact with Base. Types include:
- **EOA (Externally Owned Account)** — standard user wallet like MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet
- **Smart Account** — programmable wallet with features like gas sponsorship and batch transactions

## Nodes

Nodes are computers that run the Base software and maintain a copy of the blockchain. You can:
- Run your own node for full decentralization
- Use a node provider (e.g. Coinbase, Alchemy, QuickNode) for convenience

See [Node Operators](/base-chain/node-operators/run-a-base-node) for setup instructions.