# getCode

Description: getCode cheatcode documentation

Note: This document was authored using MDX

  Source: https://github.com/NomicFoundation/hardhat-website/tree/main/src/content/docs/docs/reference/cheatcodes/External/get-code.mdx

  Components used in this page:
    - :::note: An informational callout block. Supports custom title `:::note[Title]` and icon `:::note{icon="name"}` syntax.

{/* This document contains content copied/adapted from the Foundry Book (MIT licensed). See LICENSE in the parent directory. */}

### Signature

```solidity
function getCode(string calldata) external returns (bytes memory);
```

### Description

Returns the **creation** bytecode for a contract in the project given the path to the contract.

The calldata parameter can either be in the form `ContractFile.sol` (if the filename and contract name are the same), `ContractFile.sol:ContractName`, or the path to an artifact, relative to the root of your project.

:::note
`getCode` requires read permission for the output directory, see [file cheatcodes](/docs/reference/cheatcodes/file/fs).

To grant read access set `fsPermissions = {"readDirectory": ["./out"]}` in your [Solidity tests configuration](https://hardhat.org/docs/reference/configuration#solidity-tests-configuration).
:::

### Examples

```solidity
MyContract myContract = new MyContract(arg1, arg2);

// Let's do the same thing with `getCode`
bytes memory args = abi.encode(arg1, arg2);
bytes memory bytecode = abi.encodePacked(vm.getCode("MyContract.sol:MyContract"), args);
address anotherAddress;
assembly {
    anotherAddress := create(0, add(bytecode, 0x20), mload(bytecode))
}

assertEq0(address(myContract).code, anotherAddress.code); // [PASS]
```

Deploy a contract to an arbitrary address by combining `getCode` and [`etch`](/docs/reference/cheatcodes/environment/etch)

```solidity
// Deploy
bytes memory args = abi.encode(arg1, arg2);
bytes memory bytecode = abi.encodePacked(vm.getCode("MyContract.sol:MyContract"), args);
address deployed;
assembly {
    deployed := create(0, add(bytecode, 0x20), mload(bytecode))
}

// Set the bytecode of an arbitrary address
vm.etch(targetAddr, deployed.code);
```

### Supported formats

You can fetch artifacts by either contract path or contract name. Fetching artifacts for a specific version is also supported. If not provided, cheatcode will default to the version of a test being executed or the only version artifact was compiled with.

```solidity
vm.getCode("MyContract.sol:MyContract");
vm.getCode("MyContract");
vm.getCode("MyContract.sol:0.8.18");
vm.getCode("MyContract:0.8.18");
```

### SEE ALSO

[`getDeployedCode`](/docs/reference/cheatcodes/external/get-deployed-code)
[`etch`](/docs/reference/cheatcodes/environment/etch)

Forge Standard Library

[`deployCode`](https://getfoundry.sh/reference/forge-std/deployCode)
[`deployCodeTo`](https://getfoundry.sh/reference/forge-std/deployCodeTo)

[forge-std]: https://getfoundry.sh/reference/forge-std