What is Cardano's Alonzo update?

Cardano's Alonzo update introduces programmability and smart contracts to the Cardano blockchain. This update follows a phased testing and implementation process to ensure stability and functionality.

Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, explains that the update starts with a series of testnets: Alonzo Blue, White, and Purple. Each phase expands the number of users and complexity of tests. Initially, the update is tested with a small group of stake pool operators (1). As the process progresses, it's opened up to more users and developers, allowing them to test smart contracts extensively before a full public release (2).

The Alonzo update is named after Alonzo Church, a mathematician known for lambda calculus, reflecting Cardano's affinity for functional programming. The aim is to enable robust smart contract functionality on Cardano, transforming it into a fully programmable blockchain platform (2).