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    <img alt="Aiken" src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aiken-lang/branding/main/assets/logo-dark.png" height="150">
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    <h2 align="center" style="border-bottom: none">A modern smart contract platform for Cardano</h2>

[![Licence](https://img.shields.io/github/license/aiken-lang/aiken)](https://github.com/aiken-lang/aiken/blob/main/LICENSE)
[![Tests](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/aiken-lang/aiken/tests.yml)](https://github.com/aiken-lang/aiken/actions/workflows/tests.yml)
[![Twitter/X](https://img.shields.io/badge/Follow%20us-@aiken__eng-blue?logo=x)](https://x.com/aiken_eng)

[![Crates.io](https://img.shields.io/crates/v/aiken)](https://crates.io/crates/aiken)
[![NPM](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/%40aiken-lang%2Faiken)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@aiken-lang/aiken)

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## Getting Started

- [Installation instructions](https://aiken-lang.org/installation-instructions)

- [Online playground](https://play.aiken-lang.org/)

- [Beginner checklist](https://aiken-lang.org/fundamentals/getting-started#checklist)

### Hello, World!

Wanna get started right-away? Complete the [_Hello, World!_ tutorial](https://aiken-lang.org/example--hello-world/basics)!

## Contributing

Want to contribute? See [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) to know how.

## Changelog

Be on top of any updates using the [CHANGELOG](https://github.com/aiken-lang/aiken/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md) and the [Project Tracking](https://github.com/orgs/aiken-lang/projects/2/views/1).

> [!NOTE]
>
> The name comes from [Howard Aiken](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_H._Aiken), an American physicist and a pioneer in computing.
