# Smart Contract Templates: foundations, design landscape and research directions

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1608.00771 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1608.00771/

## Key facts

- Cited by 6 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 2 Aug 2016.

## Built on by (most cited first, 6 of 6)

- [Logic Meets Magic: LLMs Cracking Smart Contract Vulnerabilities](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.07058/) (2025)
- [Guiding LLM-based Smart Contract Generation with Finite State Machine](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.08542/) (2025)
- [ESCORT: Ethereum Smart COntRacTs Vulnerability Detection using Deep Neural Network and Transfer Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2103.12607/) (2021)
- [OpenExempt: A Diagnostic Benchmark for Legal Reasoning and a Framework for Creating Custom Benchmarks on Demand](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.13183/) (2026)
- [Identification of Dynamical Systems using Symbolic Regression](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.06131/) (2021)
- [Implementing Computational Law in Wolfram Language for the Governance of Artificial Intelligence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.13958/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In this position paper, we consider some foundational topics regarding smart contracts (such as terminology, automation, enforceability, and semantics) and define a smart contract as an automatable and enforceable agreement. We explore a simple semantic framework for smart contracts, covering both operational and non-operational aspects, and describe templates and agreements for legally-enforceable smart contracts, based on legal documents. Building upon the Ricardian Contract, we identify operational parameters in the legal documents and use these to connect legal agreements to standardised code. We also explore the design landscape, including increasing sophistication of parameters, increasing use of common standardised code, and long-term research.