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Get started with Arbitrum

Arbitrum is a suite of Ethereum scaling solutions that make it easy to build and use decentralized applications. This document provides a high-level overview of the Arbitrum suite along with onboarding guidance tailored to specific audiences.

The Arbitrum suite

The Arbitrum suite includes the protocols, chains, services, and SDKs that power the Arbitrum ecosystem:

ComponentDescription
Arbitrum RollupA protocol for scaling Ethereum smart contracts.
Arbitrum AnyTrustA protocol for scaling Ethereum smart contracts even further, with a mild trust assumption.
Arbitrum NitroThe node software that codifies the Rollup and AnyTrust protocols.
Arbitrum nodesMachines that run Nitro in order to service and/or interact with an Arbitrum chain.
Arbitrum OneA public Rollup chain.
Arbitrum NovaA public AnyTrust chain.
Arbitrum bridgeLets you move ETH and ERC-20 tokens between Ethereum, Arbitrum, and select Orbit chains.
Arbitrum OrbitLets you run your own Rollup and AnyTrust chains.
Arbitrum StylusLets you write EVM-compatible smart contracts in Rust and any other language that compiles to Wasm.

Arbitrum for users

Users interact with Arbitrum either through the Arbitrum bridge or by using dApps that have been deployed to an Arbitrum chain.

ResourceDescription
Arbitrum bridgeLets you move ETH and ERC-20 tokens between Ethereum, Arbitrum, and select Orbit chains.
Arbitrum PortalA directory of dApps on Arbitrum.
Quickstart (bridge)Provides step-by-step instructions for first-time bridge users.

Arbitrum for developers

Developers build Arbitrum dApps by deploying smart contracts to an Arbitrum chain.

ResourceDescription
A gentle introduction to ArbitrumA technical introduction to Arbitrum's suite of scaling solutions.
Quickstart (Solidity)Targeted at web2 developers who want to deploy their first Solidity smart contract to Arbitrum.
Quickstart (Rust)Targeted at web3 developers who want to deploy their first Rust smart contract to Arbitrum using Stylus.

Arbitrum for node runners

Node runners run the machines that support the Arbitrum ecosystem.

ResourceDescription
Run a full nodeTargeted at node runners who want to access Arbitrum chains without having to connect to a third-party node.
Configure a Data Availability CommitteeTargeted at Data Availability Committee members and Orbit chain operators who want to run a Data Availability Server.

Arbitrum for chain operators

Chain operators use Arbitrum Orbit to run special-purpose Rollup and AnyTrust chains.

ResourceDescription
Orbit gentle introductionTargeted at readers who want to understand Orbit's value proposition and use cases.
Orbit quickstartTargeted at chain operators who want to deploy their first Arbitrum chain using Arbitrum Orbit.

How it works

ResourceDescription
Inside NitroA technical deep dive into Nitro's architecture.
Inside AnyTrustA technical deep dive into the AnyTrust protocol.
Arbitrum whitepaperThe original whitepaper that introduced Nitro.
DAO docsDocs that support members of the Arbitrum DAO.