Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals · Lesson

Storage Optimization

Packing and slots.

Storage Optimization is a free Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Storage Slots Basics

Contract storage is a giant array of 32-byte slots, indexed from slot 0. State variables are assigned to slots in declaration order.

Every slot you write costs gas, so the fewer slots your data occupies, the cheaper your contract is to use. Understanding the slot layout is the foundation of storage optimization.

contract Layout {
    uint256 a; // slot 0
    uint256 b; // slot 1
    uint256 c; // slot 2
}

Variable Packing

The Solidity compiler packs multiple small variables into a single 32-byte slot when they fit consecutively.

A uint128 uses 16 bytes, so two of them share one slot. A bool uses 1 byte and a uint8 uses 1 byte. Packing reduces both deployment and runtime storage costs.

contract Packed {
    uint128 a; // slot 0 (bytes 0-15)
    uint128 b; // slot 0 (bytes 16-31)
    uint256 c; // slot 1
}

Declaration Order Matters

Packing only works for variables that are adjacent in declaration. A poorly ordered layout wastes slots.

In the bad example below, the uint256 forces the two uint128s into separate slots. Reordering so the small types are together lets them pack.

// BAD: 3 slots
uint128 a; // slot 0
uint256 b; // slot 1
uint128 c; // slot 2

// GOOD: 2 slots
uint128 a; // slot 0
uint128 c; // slot 0
uint256 b; // slot 1

Choosing Integer Sizes

Smaller integers only save gas when they pack. A lone uint8 in its own slot is not cheaper than a uint256, and may even cost more because of masking operations.

Rule of thumb: use uint256 by default, and only downsize when you can fit several small values into one slot.

Packing Structs

Structs follow the same packing rules. Order struct members so small types group together. A well-packed struct can cut the number of SSTORE operations dramatically.

struct Order {
    uint128 amount;  // slot 0
    uint64 timestamp;// slot 0
    uint64 id;       // slot 0
    address maker;   // slot 1
}

Constants and Immutables

Values that never change should not live in storage at all.

constant — inlined into bytecode at compile time, zero storage
immutable — set once in the constructor, stored in bytecode not storage

Both avoid expensive SLOAD operations entirely.

uint256 public constant MAX_SUPPLY = 10000;
address public immutable owner;

constructor() {
    owner = msg.sender;
}

Mappings and Dynamic Arrays

Mappings and dynamic arrays do not pack. Each entry occupies its own slot computed by hashing the key with the base slot.

You cannot pack across mapping entries, but you can pack the struct stored as a mapping value. Designing the value struct to fit in fewer slots saves gas on every write.

mapping(address => Order) public orders;
// each Order packs into 2 slots regardless of mapping

Caching Storage Reads

Reading a storage variable repeatedly inside a function pays for each access. Copy it into a local memory variable once, then use the local.

This is especially valuable inside loops, where each iteration would otherwise re-read storage.

uint256 len = items.length; // cache length once
for (uint256 i = 0; i < len; i++) {
    // process items[i]
}

Batched Writes

When updating multiple fields of a packed struct, load the struct into memory, modify it, then write it back once. The compiler can combine adjacent fields into a single SSTORE.

Writing fields one at a time may trigger multiple read-modify-write cycles on the same slot.

Order memory o = orders[id];
o.amount = newAmount;
o.timestamp = uint64(block.timestamp);
orders[id] = o; // single packed write of slot 0

Zero to Non-Zero Penalty

Initializing a slot from zero to non-zero costs 20000 gas, while updating an already non-zero slot costs only 5000 gas.

This is why some contracts pre-warm slots or use a sentinel value (like 1 instead of 0) to keep slots non-zero, trading a one-time cost for cheaper repeated updates.

// Using 1 as 'false' and 2 as 'true' keeps the slot non-zero
uint256 private locked = 1; // never goes back to 0

Layout Audit Checklist

When auditing storage for gas:

Group small types so they pack into shared slots
Use constant / immutable for fixed values
Cache repeated storage reads in memory
Batch struct writes
Avoid unnecessary zero to non-zero transitions

Always verify with a gas report after changes.

Quick Check

You declare a uint128, then a uint256, then another uint128. How many storage slots do they use?

Recap

You learned to optimize storage layout:

Storage is 32-byte slots; adjacent small types pack together
Declaration order determines packing
constant and immutable avoid storage entirely
Cache reads and batch struct writes
Mind the zero to non-zero write penalty

Next we look at optimizing loops and calldata handling.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Storage Optimization” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Storage Optimization” is free to read here on the web, and the Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Storage Optimization”?

Packing and slots. You practise Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals?

No prior experience is required. Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Storage Optimization” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals lesson?

Yes. Every Web3 & DApp Development Fundamentals lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

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