Smart contracts are computer protocols that digitally facilitate, verify, or enforce the negotiation or performance of an agreement without third parties. They allow transactions to be trackable but irreversible. Smart contracts work on blockchain networks like Ethereum, where contract terms are encoded as code and executed when predetermined conditions are met. This allows agreements like rentals or insurance to be enforced automatically based on if-then statements without the need for intermediaries, providing benefits like reduced costs, increased trust, security and efficiency. However, potential issues with smart contracts include bugs in the code and lack of flexibility.