## `executeTransaction`

### Signature

```solidity
function executeTransaction(bytes calldata rawTx) external returns (bytes memory output);
```

### Description

Decodes and executes a signed raw transaction with full transaction semantics, similar to running a test with `forge test --isolate`. The input can be a legacy RLP transaction or an [EIP-2718](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-2718) typed transaction containing its type byte and encoded payload.

Foundry recovers the sender from the signature, checks the account nonce, executes the transaction in a fresh EVM context, and merges the resulting state back into the test. Calls after `executeTransaction` can immediately use those state changes.

During the nested execution, Foundry sets the base fee and effective gas price to zero. Gas limits and EVM rules are still enforced, but the sender is not charged a gas fee.

The returned bytes are the transaction output. Contract calls return their returndata, contract creation returns the created contract's bytecode output, and a plain value transfer returns empty bytes.

This cheatcode is available in tests, but it is not allowed in `forge script`.

### Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description |
|-----------|------|-------------|
| `rawTx` | `bytes` | Signed legacy RLP or EIP-2718 transaction envelope |

### Returns

| Type | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `bytes` | Output produced by a successful transaction |

### Example

```solidity [test/ExecuteTransaction.t.sol]
// [!include ~/snippets/projects/cheatcodes/test/ExecuteTransaction.t.sol:execute]
```

The encoded transaction sends 17 wei from `sender` to `recipient`. Because its nonce is zero and its chain ID is one, the test configures matching state before execution.

### Gotchas

* The transaction must be signed. Foundry recovers and uses its signer instead of `msg.sender` from the surrounding test.
* The signer's current nonce and the configured chain ID must match the transaction.
* Fund the signer for the transaction value. You do not need to fund the gas fee because execution uses a zero gas price.
* Invalid encoding or signatures, transaction reverts, and EVM halts cause the cheatcode call to revert.
* This cheatcode commits transaction state to the test, unlike an RPC simulation such as `eth_call`.
* `executeTransaction` cannot be used from `forge script`.

### Related Cheatcodes

* [`transact`](/reference/cheatcodes/transact) - Replay a transaction from the active fork by hash
* [`prank`](/reference/cheatcodes/prank) - Set the caller for the next test call
* [`chainId`](/reference/cheatcodes/chain-id) - Set the chain ID used by the test
* [`deal`](/reference/cheatcodes/deal) - Set an account's balance