If you’ve been around blockchain development, you’ve probably noticed a growing buzz about Sui Network and its unique programming language — Move. This isn’t just another “smart contract language” competing for developer attention. Move brings a completely different way of thinking about blockchain programming — one that’s fast, safe, and perfect for asset-based applications.

In this post, you’ll get a comprehensive deep dive into Move on Sui — how it works, why it’s different, and how you can start building on it. We’ll also explore common mistakes, best practices, and real-world tips for success.

---

1. What is Move and Why Does Sui Use It?

Move is a bytecode-based programming language originally developed by Meta (formerly Facebook) for the Libra/Diem blockchain. Sui adopted Move but extended and optimized it to fit its object-centric data model.

At its core, Move is designed to securely manage digital assets. Traditional smart contract languages like Solidity treat assets as numbers in account balances — but in Move, assets are first-class citizens. This means:

• Assets cannot be accidentally duplicated.
• Assets cannot be lost without explicitly destroying them.
• Assets must have clear ownership.

This philosophy makes it easier to reason about asset safety and prevents common bugs and hacks.

Why Sui chose Move:

• Safety: Asset ownership is enforced at the language level.
• Speed: Move programs run fast and avoid unnecessary computation.
• Flexibility: You can create custom asset types beyond simple tokens.
• Parallel Execution: Sui’s architecture allows Move code to process transactions in parallel, increasing throughput.

---

2. How Move Works on Sui

While other blockchains execute transactions sequentially, Sui organizes data into objects. Each object:

• Has an owner (could be a user, another object, or the system).
• Can only be modified by its owner or by specific Move functions.
• Has a unique ID.

Move on Sui has three major concepts:

1. Objects

   • Everything stored on-chain is an object.
   • Objects are stored and modified by Move modules.
   • Example: a coin, an NFT, a game character.

2. Modules

   • Containers for Move code.
   • Define types, functions, and rules for how objects behave.

3. Transactions

   • Actions users take.
   • Call Move functions, passing in objects they own.

---

3. Comparing Move to Solidity

Feature	Move (Sui)	Solidity (Ethereum)
Primary Focus	Asset safety, ownership	General smart contract logic
Data Model	Object-based	Account-based
Execution	Parallelized (when no object conflicts)	Sequential
Type Safety	Strongly typed, resources can’t be copied/dropped	Looser type system
Security	Prevents double spends & unintended asset loss	Common issues: reentrancy, integer overflow

If you’re coming from Solidity, you’ll notice that Move forces you to be explicit about asset handling. This is sometimes frustrating at first, but it’s also why Move programs are harder to exploit.

---

4. Writing Your First Move Module on Sui

Let’s walk through a basic Move example: a module that creates and transfers a custom token.

Creating a Token

module my_project::my_coin {
    use sui::coin;
    use sui::transfer;
    use sui::tx_context::{self, TxContext};

    /// Create a new coin type
    struct MyCoin has drop, store {}

    /// Initialize a new coin and send it to the transaction sender
    public entry fun mint(ctx: &mut TxContext) {
        let coin = coin::mint<MyCoin>(1000, ctx);
        transfer::transfer(coin, tx_context::sender(ctx));
    }
}

Explanation:

• struct MyCoin defines a new coin type.
• mint function creates 1,000 units of MyCoin and transfers them to the sender.
• TxContext gives access to transaction details (like who sent it).

---

5. Move’s Resource Types — The Secret Sauce

Move introduces resource types, which are non-copyable, non-duplicable data structures. In everyday terms: if you have a $10 bill, you can’t just “copy” it — you either hold it or give it away. Resources work the same way.

In Move:

struct MyCoin has key, store {
    value: u64
}

• key — Can be stored as a top-level object.
• store — Can be stored inside another object.

If you try to copy a resource, the compiler will refuse to compile your code. This prevents bugs where assets are accidentally cloned.

---

6. The Sui-Specific Move Extensions

Sui made several changes to vanilla Move to optimize it for object-based execution:

• Dynamic Object Fields: You can add fields to objects after they’re created.
• Shared Objects: Multiple users can interact with the same object.
• Mutable References: Allow changing object data in a controlled way.
• Event Emission: Move modules can emit events for off-chain listeners.

For example, creating a shared game leaderboard:

struct Leaderboard has key {
    scores: vector<u64>
}

This could be updated by multiple players without causing blockchain-wide bottlenecks.

---

7. Development Workflow

Here’s the basic workflow for developing with Move on Sui:

1. Install Sui CLI

   curl -fsSL https://sui.io/install.sh | bash
   

2. Create a new Move package

   sui move new my_project
   

3. Write your modules in the sources folder.

4. Build your package

   sui move build
   

5. Publish to Sui

   sui client publish --gas-budget 100000000
   

6. Call functions using:

   sui client call --package <PACKAGE_ID> --module my_module --function my_function
   

---

8. Testing Your Move Code

Sui Move supports unit testing right in the language.

Example:

#[test]
fun test_mint() {
    let ctx = test::new_tx_context(@0x1);
    my_project::my_coin::mint(&mut ctx);
    // Add assertions here
}

Run tests:

sui move test

---

9. Common Mistakes Beginners Make

• Forgetting to Pass TxContext — Many functions need &mut TxContext to create or transfer objects.
• Misunderstanding Object Ownership — If you don’t own it, you can’t mutate it.
• Not Handling Asset Destruction — You must explicitly “destroy” resources you no longer need.
• Publishing Without Versioning — Updating a module means publishing a new version.

---

10. Best Practices for Move on Sui

• Use clear naming conventions — Makes code readable.
• Limit shared object usage — They’re slower than owned objects.
• Emit events for state changes — Helps with off-chain indexing.
• Write thorough tests — The compiler catches a lot, but logic bugs still happen.
• Document your modules — Future you will thank you.

---

11. Real-World Use Cases

• Gaming Assets — Each sword, skin, or pet can be a unique object.
• NFT Marketplaces — Safe transfers and auctions with built-in ownership checks.
• DeFi Protocols — Lending, staking, and swaps using secure asset handling.
• Supply Chain Tracking — Represent goods as objects moving through the system.

---

12. The Future of Move on Sui

Sui’s Move language is still evolving. Current work includes:

• Better developer tooling.
• Standard libraries for common patterns.
• Interoperability with other blockchains.

As adoption grows, we can expect richer documentation, larger open-source projects, and deeper integrations with Web3 infrastructure.

---

Final Thoughts

If you’re serious about building secure, high-performance blockchain apps, Move on Sui is worth your attention. Its strict but logical design helps you avoid entire categories of bugs while enabling innovative use cases that aren’t possible on traditional account-based chains.

Whether you’re creating a DeFi protocol, a game, or a complex NFT ecosystem, Move gives you the building blocks for a safer, faster blockchain future.