diff --git a/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/config.json b/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/config.json
index a6ba768fa..93216b0e5 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/config.json
+++ b/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
-  "networks": {}
-}
+  "deployAliases": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/src/main.ts b/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/src/main.ts
index c93b2d287..3e87cc9a2 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/src/main.ts
+++ b/examples/zkapps/01-hello-world/src/main.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ const zkAppAddress = zkAppPrivateKey.toPublicKey();
 // create an instance of Square - and deploy it to zkAppAddress
 const zkAppInstance = new Square(zkAppAddress);
 const deployTxn = await Mina.transaction(deployerAccount, async () => {
+  // 1 Mina fee is required to create a new account for the zkApp
+  // This line means the deployer account will pay the fee for any account created in this transaction
   AccountUpdate.fundNewAccount(deployerAccount);
   await zkAppInstance.deploy();
 });
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/config.json b/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/config.json
index a6ba768fa..93216b0e5 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/config.json
+++ b/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
-  "networks": {}
-}
+  "deployAliases": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/src/main.ts b/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/src/main.ts
index 4a1c9decd..e1097c904 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/src/main.ts
+++ b/examples/zkapps/02-private-inputs-and-hash-functions/src/main.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ const zkAppAddress = zkAppPrivateKey.toPublicKey();
 
 const zkAppInstance = new IncrementSecret(zkAppAddress);
 const deployTxn = await Mina.transaction(deployerAccount, async () => {
+  // 1 Mina fee is required to create a new account for the zkApp
+  // This line means the deployer account will pay the fee for any account created in this transaction
   AccountUpdate.fundNewAccount(deployerAccount);
   await zkAppInstance.deploy();
   await zkAppInstance.initState(salt, Field(750));
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/04-zkapp-browser-ui/contracts/config.json b/examples/zkapps/04-zkapp-browser-ui/contracts/config.json
index 73c34d158..93216b0e5 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/04-zkapp-browser-ui/contracts/config.json
+++ b/examples/zkapps/04-zkapp-browser-ui/contracts/config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
   "deployAliases": {}
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/config.json b/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/config.json
index a6ba768fa..93216b0e5 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/config.json
+++ b/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
-  "networks": {}
-}
+  "deployAliases": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/src/main.ts b/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/src/main.ts
index 7a5f85f7c..8a685c49b 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/src/main.ts
+++ b/examples/zkapps/05-common-types-and-functions/src/main.ts
@@ -179,6 +179,8 @@ const senderPrivateKey = senderPublicKey.key;
 
   // deploy the smart contract
   const deployTxn = await Mina.transaction(deployerAccount, async () => {
+    // 1 Mina fee is required to create a new account for the zkApp
+    // This line means the deployer account will pay the fee for any account created in this transaction
     AccountUpdate.fundNewAccount(deployerAccount);
     await zkApp.deploy();
     // get the root of the new tree to use as the initial tree root
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/07-oracles/contracts/config.json b/examples/zkapps/07-oracles/contracts/config.json
index 73c34d158..93216b0e5 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/07-oracles/contracts/config.json
+++ b/examples/zkapps/07-oracles/contracts/config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
   "deployAliases": {}
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/09-recursion/config.json b/examples/zkapps/09-recursion/config.json
index a6ba768fa..93216b0e5 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/09-recursion/config.json
+++ b/examples/zkapps/09-recursion/config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
-  "networks": {}
-}
+  "deployAliases": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/10-account-updates/src/ProofsOnlyZkApp.ts b/examples/zkapps/10-account-updates/src/ProofsOnlyZkApp.ts
index e60f9f22b..48ac83ed4 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/10-account-updates/src/ProofsOnlyZkApp.ts
+++ b/examples/zkapps/10-account-updates/src/ProofsOnlyZkApp.ts
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ export class ProofsOnlyZkApp extends SmartContract {
   }
 
   @method async init() {
-    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals();
-    this.account.provedState.get().assertFalse();
+    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals().assertFalse();
 
     super.init();
     this.num.set(Field(1));
@@ -43,8 +42,7 @@ export class ProofsOnlyZkApp extends SmartContract {
   }
 
   @method async add(incrementBy: Field) {
-    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals();
-    this.account.provedState.get().assertTrue();
+    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals().assertTrue();
 
     const num = this.num.getAndRequireEquals();
     this.num.set(num.add(incrementBy));
@@ -53,16 +51,14 @@ export class ProofsOnlyZkApp extends SmartContract {
   }
 
   @method async incrementCalls() {
-    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals();
-    this.account.provedState.get().assertTrue();
+    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals().assertTrue();
 
     const calls = this.calls.getAndRequireEquals();
     this.calls.set(calls.add(Field(1)));
   }
 
   @method async callSecondary(secondaryAddr: PublicKey) {
-    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals();
-    this.account.provedState.get().assertTrue();
+    this.account.provedState.getAndRequireEquals().assertTrue();
 
     const secondaryContract = new SecondaryZkApp(secondaryAddr);
     const num = this.num.getAndRequireEquals();
diff --git a/examples/zkapps/anonymous-message-board/src/message.ts b/examples/zkapps/anonymous-message-board/src/message.ts
index 56cf38d18..42f67301a 100644
--- a/examples/zkapps/anonymous-message-board/src/message.ts
+++ b/examples/zkapps/anonymous-message-board/src/message.ts
@@ -53,22 +53,22 @@ export class Message extends SmartContract {
     const signerPublicKey = signerPrivateKey.toPublicKey();
 
     // Get approved public keys
-    const user1 = this.user1.get();
-    const user2 = this.user2.get();
-    const user3 = this.user3.get();
+    const user1 = this.user1.getAndRequireEquals();
+    const user2 = this.user2.getAndRequireEquals();
+    const user3 = this.user3.getAndRequireEquals();
 
     // Assert that signerPublicKey is one of the approved public keys
     signerPublicKey
       .equals(user1)
       .or(signerPublicKey.equals(user2))
       .or(signerPublicKey.equals(user3))
-      .assertEquals(true);
+      .assertTrue();
 
     // Update on-chain message state
     this.message.set(message);
 
     // Compute new messageHistoryHash
-    const oldHash = this.messageHistoryHash.get();
+    const oldHash = this.messageHistoryHash.getAndRequireEquals();
     const newHash = Poseidon.hash([message, oldHash]);
 
     // Update on-chain messageHistoryHash