# What is a smart contract?

Smart contracts are a crucial aspect of NFT technology, without which NFTs would not be possible. They consist of code that stores and displays information in a manner that is visible to everyone on the blockchain network. The nature of blockchain networks ensures that this information is permanent and unalterable, meaning that once a smart contract is published, it cannot be altered. Smart contracts are responsible for crucial tasks such as verifying ownership, displaying token metadata, and recording transfers. Additionally, they can also be adapted to handle additional use cases, such as royalty payments for artists in future NFT sales.

It's important to note that you have the ability to update the information regarding your NFT collection at any time through your dashboard on Mintpad. This means that even if you are unsure of the correct description for your NFT collection, you can make adjustments at a later time.

<br>


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.mintpad.co/nft-fundamentals/what-is-a-smart-contract.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.