> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hedera.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Choose Your Path

> A short decision guide for building on the EVM on Hedera, by experience level.

Everyone building here uses the same [EVM](/support/glossary#ethereum-virtual-machine-evm) and the same tools. Where you start depends on what you already know. Pick the profile that fits you best.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="New to EVM development" icon="seedling" href="#new-to-evm-development" />

  <Card title="Migrating from Ethereum" icon="right-left" href="#migrating-from-ethereum-or-another-evm-chain" />

  <Card title="Hedera-native developer" icon="cubes" href="#hedera-native-developer-adding-the-evm" />
</CardGroup>

## New to EVM development

You are new to Solidity and smart contracts, or new to web3 entirely. Start with the tooling and deploy a working contract before going deeper.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Set up a wallet and testnet account">
    Add Hedera Testnet to MetaMask and fund an account from the faucet.
    [Set Up MetaMask](/evm/quickstart/setup-metamask) and [Get Test HBAR](/evm/quickstart/get-test-hbar).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Deploy your first contract">
    Deploy a Solidity contract with Hardhat and the JSON-RPC relay.
    [Deploy with Hardhat](/evm/quickstart/deploy-with-hardhat).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Understand what makes Hedera different">
    Read how execution, finality, and the account model work.
    [EVM on Hedera Explained](/evm/overview/evm-on-hedera-explained).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Migrating from Ethereum or another EVM chain

You know [Solidity](/support/glossary#solidity), Hardhat, Foundry, or Remix and want to bring existing contracts to Hedera. Your bytecode and tooling carry over. Focus on the handful of behaviors that differ.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Review the differences">
    Start with the differences catalogue, then the two that trip people up most: HBAR decimal precision and the account and key model.
    [EVM Differences](/evm/differences/index), [HBAR Decimals](/evm/differences/hbar-decimals), and [Accounts and Keys](/evm/differences/accounts-and-keys).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Point your tools at Hedera">
    Configure Hardhat or Foundry against the JSON-RPC relay.
    [JSON-RPC Relay](/evm/development/json-rpc/index) and [Tools](/evm/tools/index).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Deploy and verify">
    Deploy your contract and verify the source.
    [Deploying](/evm/development/deploying) and [Verifying](/evm/development/verifying).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Before porting scripts that move value, read [HBAR Decimals](/evm/differences/hbar-decimals). [HBAR](/support/glossary#hbar) is 8 decimals natively but the relay presents 18-decimal units to EVM tools, which is the most common migration surprise.
</Tip>

## Hedera-native developer adding the EVM

You already build with the Hiero SDKs and Hedera services, and you want to add Solidity contracts or call your existing HTS tokens from contract code.

<Steps>
  <Step title="See how native services map into the EVM">
    Learn how to reach [HTS](/support/glossary#hedera-token-service-hts), [HCS](/support/glossary#hedera-consensus-service-hcs), and other services from Solidity through [system contracts](/support/glossary#system-smart-contracts).
    [System Contracts](/evm/hedera-services/system-contracts/index) and [HTS from Solidity](/evm/hedera-services/system-contracts/hts).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Learn the EVM account model">
    See how Hedera accounts map to EVM addresses.
    [EVM on Hedera Explained](/evm/overview/evm-on-hedera-explained) and [Accounts](/evm/development/accounts).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Combine ERC and HTS">
    Use hybrid tokenization to keep ERC compatibility with native controls.
    [Hybrid Tokenization](/evm/hedera-services/hybrid/index).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Not sure yet?

If you are deciding between the EVM and the native SDKs at the network level, start with [Choose Your Path](/learn/getting-started/choose-your-path) in Getting Started, which compares the EVM and native SDK approaches across all of Hedera.