To represent addresses, Move uses a special type called address. It is a 32 byte value that can be used to represent any address on the blockchain. Addresses are used in two syntax forms: hexadecimal addresses prefixed with 0x and named addresses.
// address literal
let value: address = @0x1;
// named address registered in Move.toml
let value = @std;
let other = @sui;
An address literal starts with the @ symbol followed by a hexadecimal number or an identifier. The hexadecimal number is interpreted as a 32 byte value. The identifier is looked up in the Move.toml file and replaced with the corresponding address by the compiler. If the identifier is not found in the Move.toml file, the compiler will throw an error.
Moved Network Framework offers a set of helper functions to work with addresses. Given that the address type is a 32 byte value, it can be converted to a u256 type and vice versa. It can also be converted to and from a vector<u8> type.
Example: Convert an address to a u256 type and back.
use sui::address;
let addr_as_u256: u256 = address::to_u256(@0x1);
let addr = address::from_u256(addr_as_u256);
Example: Convert an address to a vector<u8> type and back.
use sui::address;
let addr_as_u8: vector<u8> = address::to_bytes(@0x1);
let addr = address::from_bytes(addr_as_u8);
Example: Convert an address into a string.
use sui::address;
use std::string::String;
let addr_as_string: String = address::to_string(@0x1);</code>