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# Contract Instances

## Overview

Use [`Contract.from`](/docs/contract/instances/create) to create a type-safe interface bound to an ABI, address, and [Client](/docs/clients).

The instance exposes contract functions and events as methods. Repeated calls do not need to pass `abi`, `address`, and `functionName`.

Pass contract function arguments as the first parameter. Pass supported call options as the second parameter.

Functions without inputs accept the options as their only parameter.

Use standalone [Contract Actions](/docs/actions/public/contract/read) when a call does not reuse the
same ABI and address.

Event methods accept filters and block ranges while the instance supplies the bound `abi`, `address`, and `eventName`.

`Contract.from` constructs the instance synchronously and makes no RPC request.

It does not check that the address is deployed or that its bytecode matches the ABI.

```ts twoslash
import { Client, Contract, http } from 'viem'
import { mainnet } from 'viem/chains'
import { Abis } from 'viem/utils'

const client = Client.create({ chain: mainnet, transport: http() })

const contract = Contract.from({
  abi: Abis.erc20,
  address: '0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48',
  client,
})

const balance = await contract.read.balanceOf([
  '0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000',
])
// @log: 0n
```

<Cards>
  <Card title="Create an Instance" description="Bind an ABI, address, and Client." icon="lucide:box" to="/docs/contract/instances/create" />

  <Card title="Read Functions" description="Read state without sending a transaction." icon="lucide:book-open" to="/docs/contract/instances/read" />

  <Card title="Write Functions" description="Send state-changing contract transactions." icon="lucide:pencil" to="/docs/contract/instances/write" />

  <Card title="Simulate Functions" description="Run state-changing functions without sending a transaction." icon="lucide:flask-conical" to="/docs/contract/instances/simulate" />

  <Card title="Estimate Gas" description="Estimate the gas units that a state-changing function may use." icon="lucide:gauge" to="/docs/contract/instances/estimateGas" />

  <Card title="Create Event Filters" description="Install a typed filter for one contract event." icon="lucide:list-filter" to="/docs/contract/instances/createEventFilter" />

  <Card title="Query Event Logs" description="Fetch historical logs for one contract event." icon="lucide:scroll-text" to="/docs/contract/instances/getLogs" />

  <Card title="Watch Events" description="Watch new logs for one contract event." icon="lucide:radio" to="/docs/contract/instances/watchEvent" />
</Cards>