eUTxO Fundamentals: Building Cardano Smart Contracts [eBook]

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Raul Antonio Rosa Padilla

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

Raulr912@gmail.com

Additional applicants

No other individuals

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

No dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Dev Ecosystem Collaboration

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

The fragmented documentation and lack of comprehensive tutorials hinder the smooth onboarding of new developers. This creates a barrier to entry, preventing individuals from effectively harnessing the potential of Cardano's smart contract ecosystem.

I have chosen to approach the problem by creating an eBook for several reasons. Firstly, an eBook provides a comprehensive and structured format that allows for in-depth explanations, step-by-step instructions, and practical examples. It ensures that readers can learn at their own paceand reinforce their understanding through exercises. Additionally, an eBook is easily distributable and accessible, making it a cost-effective and scalable solution to reach a wider audience of aspiring Cardano developers.

The project will engage a diverse range of individuals interested in Cardano smart contract development. This includes aspiring developers who are new to blockchain technology and wish to venture into Cardano, as well as experienced developers looking to expand their skill set by delving into the specifics of Cardano's eUTxO model.

To demonstrate the impact of the academic eBook, several metrics can be considered. Firstly, the number of downloads of the eBook would indicate the level of interest and demand for the resource. Feedback and reviews from readers can provide valuable insights into the usefulness and effectiveness of the content.

INDEX

• Introduction to Cardano Smart Contracts
• 1.1 Overview of Cardano Blockchain
• 1.2 Importance and Applications of Smart Contracts
• 1.3 Advantages of Cardano for Smart Contract Development
• Setting Up the Development Environment
• 2.1 Installing and Configuring Cardano Development Tools
• 2.2 Setting Up and Connecting to Cardano Testnet
• 2.3 Interacting with Cardano Node and Wallet APIs
• Exploring the eUTxO Model
• 3.1 Understanding the eUTxO Model and Its Components
• 3.2 Writing Transactions and Validating Inputs and Outputs
• 3.3 Working with Scripts and Validators
• Cardano Smart Contract Languages
• 4.1 Introduction to Plutus Language
• 4.2 Exploring Helios Language
• 4.3 Aiken Language: Features and Syntax
• 4.4 OpShin Language: Concepts and Usage
• 4.5 Plu-ts: Understanding the basics
• Smart Contract Runtime and Execution
• 5.1 Overview of Cardano's Smart Contract Execution Model
• 5.2 Transaction Verification and Script Validation
• 5.3 Debugging and Troubleshooting Smart Contracts
• 5.4 Tx Optimization Techniques for Efficient Execution
• Getting Started with Cardano Smart Contract Development
• 6.1 Key Concepts and Terminology
• 6.2 Writing Your First Smart Contract
• 6.3 Deploying and Interacting with Smart Contracts
• 6.4 Best Practices for Secure and Robust Smart Contract Development
• Building a Marketplace Smart Contract
• 7.1 Defining Requirements for a Marketplace Contract
• 7.2 Implementing Marketplace Contracts in Plutus, Helios, Aiken, OpShin and plut-ts
• 7.3 Testing and Deploying Marketplace Contracts
• 7.4 Enhancing Marketplace Contracts with Additional Features
• Conclusion and Next Steps
• 8.1 Recap of Key Concepts and Takeaways
• 8.2 Resources for Further Learning and Exploration
• 8.3 Contributing to the Cardano Smart Contract Ecosystem

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

The benefits of my proposal to Cardano ecosystem are:

1. Comprehensive and Consolidated Resource: The eBook consolidates fragmented documentation into a cohesive and comprehensive resource. It provides a single point of reference that covers various alternatives, setup procedures, and practical examples
2. Smooth Onboarding of New Developers: By offering a step-by-step guide and practical examples, the eBook facilitates the smooth onboarding of new developers into the Cardano ecosystem.
3. Increased Developer Engagement: The eBook engages aspiring developers by providing them with a reliable and accessible learning resource. It lowers the barrier to entry by offering clear explanations and practical guidance, fostering a positive learning experience.
4. Enhanced Skill Development: The eBook equips developers with the necessary tools, configurations, and knowledge to effectively develop Cardano smart contracts. By providing practical examples and exercises, it enables developers to gain hands-on experience and build confidence in their abilities.
5. Accelerated Adoption of Cardano: The availability of a comprehensive resource like the eBook removes barriers to entry and enhances the learning experience for developers. This, in turn, accelerates the adoption of Cardano as developers can quickly and confidently build smart contracts.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

To measure the success of the proposed eBook project, considering that the material will be in a repository and easily updatable based on community feedback, and will be written in LaTeX with the ability for any user to generate the PDF, the following metrics can be considered:

1. Repository Activity: Monitoring the activity within the repository, such as the number of stars, forks, and pull requests, can indicate the level of community engagement and interest in the eBook. Increased activity demonstrates the relevance and value of the resource to the community.
2. User Contributions: Encouraging and tracking user contributions to the eBook, such as submitting edits, corrections, or additional content through pull requests, provides an indication of community involvement and the willingness to improve and expand the material. The number and quality of contributions reflect the community's engagement and investment in the project.
3. Community Interactions: Assessing the level of community interactions surrounding the eBook, such as discussions, questions, and collaborations on discord or twitter.
4. Continued Usage and Updates: Monitoring the longevity of the project and its sustained relevance is crucial. Continued usage, updates, and improvements to the eBook over time reflect its ongoing value and effectiveness in addressing the needs of the community.

By considering these metrics, observing the activity in the repository, encouraging community feedback and contributions, and ensuring regular updates and iterations, it becomes possible to measure the success of the eBook project in a collaborative and community-driven manner.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

As the eBook project will be hosted in a public repository, it will be easily accessible for anyone interested in checking the status, progress, and content of the project. The repository will serve as a centralized hub where users can access the latest version of the eBook, view the project's history, and examine the community interactions and contributions.

All the important updates will be shared on my personal Twitter account

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

In order to show my capabilities of delivering the product I am attaching my educational tweets that got:

• 500 likes
• +200 Bookmarks
• 100,000 views

These are some of tweets that covered Cardano development:

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1677281956583571457

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1675790321613955072

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1674425444681252864

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1674034748853739525

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1671159935072346114

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1670813663572246530

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1668524185973403648

https://twitter.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1667157924269924353

This means that community needs this content and is looking for it

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The primary goal is to develop an academic eBook that serves as a comprehensive resource for starting the development of Cardano smart contracts. The eBook will cover various alternatives, provide setup instructions, and offer practical examples, ensuring that it meets the needs of developers seeking a solid foundation in Cardano smart contract development.

To validate the feasibility of the approach it will be conducted a market research to understand the demand for a comprehensive resource on Cardano smart contract development is essential. This involves assessing the needs, preferences, and challenges of the target audience. Engaging with the Cardano community, gathering feedback, and analyzing existing resources will provide insights into the feasibility and potential impact of the proposed eBook.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Here is a breakdown of the project's milestones, main tasks, and expected timeline for delivery:

Milestone 1: Environment Setup and Language Introduction

• Task 1: Research and gather information on Helios, Aiken, Opshin, and plut-ts languages (10 hours)
• Task 2: Develop content explaining the environment setup for each language (15 hours)
• Task 3: Write introductory chapters for each language, highlighting key features and syntax (35 hours)
• Timeline: Expected delivery in 60 hours (approximately 8 weeks)

Milestone 2: eUTxO Model and Smart Contract Runtime

• Task 1: Research the eUTxO model in Cardano (10 hours)
• Task 2: Develop detailed content explaining the eUTxO model and its implementation (10 hours)
• Task 3: Write chapters on smart contract runtime and execution on the eUTxO model (10 hours)
• Timeline: Expected delivery in 20 hours (approximately 4 week)
• 
  

Milestone 3: Beginner Chapter with Q&A

• Task 1: Develop content for a beginner-friendly chapter, covering foundational concepts (20 hours)
• Task 2: Create a set of questions with answers at the end of the chapter for self-assessment (20 hours)
• Timeline: Expected delivery in 40 hours (approximately 6 weeks)

Milestone 4: Marketplace Smart Contract Development in Each Language

• Task 1: Research and understand the requirements of a marketplace smart contract (10 hours)
• Task 2: Develop a marketplace smart contract in Helios language (25 hours)
• Task 3: Develop a marketplace smart contract in Aiken language (25 hours)
• Task 4: Develop a marketplace smart contract in Opshin language (25 hours)
• Task 5: Develop a marketplace smart contract in plut-ts language (25 hours)
• Timeline: Expected delivery in 100 hours (approximately 20 weeks)

It's crucial to continuously review and adjust the timeline as the project progresses to ensure timely delivery and effective resource allocation.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

The final output is a repository including the material source of the ebook written in laTex and the pdf generated with this material.

To track the progress of the project, the following measures can be considered:

• Completion of ebook within the designated timeframes.
• Review and assessment of user feedback and engagement.
• Number of contributors and community participation.
• Quantitative metrics such as the number of downloads, views, or interactions with the eBook repository.
• Quality and relevance of the content based on user reviews and feedback.

These measures will provide insights into the project's progress, effectiveness, and impact on the target audience and the wider Cardano developer community.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Milestone 1: Environment Setup and Language Introduction (60 hours)

• Research and Information Gathering: €500
• Content Development for Environment Setup: €1,500
• Chapters for Language Introduction: €2,500

Milestone 2: eUTxO Model and Smart Contract Runtime (20 hours)

• Research and Understanding of eUTxO Model: €500
• Documentation and Content Development: 2,000

Milestone 3: Beginner Chapter with Q&A (40 hours)

• Content Development for Beginner Chapter: €2,000
• Q&A Section Development: €1,000

Milestone 4: Marketplace Smart Contract Development in Each Language (100 hours)

• Research and Understanding of Marketplace Requirements: €1500
• Development of Marketplace Smart Contracts (each language): €5,000 (€1,250 per language)

Additional Budget Elements:

Publicity/Marketing/Community Engagement: €5,000

• Promotion and Marketing of the eBook
• Community Engagement Initiatives (events, forums, social media)

Project Management: €1,500

• Overseeing the project progress, coordination, and communication

Documentation: €1,000

• Writing and organizing comprehensive documentation for the eBook

Reporting Back to the Community: €1,000

• Preparing progress reports and updates for the community

Total Budget: €25,000

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

Regarding the costs previously described, they were determined based on a realistic assessment of the time and effort required to achieve the project goals. The costs take into account factors such as content development, research, documentation, project management, publicity, and reporting.

In determining the costs, factors such as expertise, time commitment, project deliverables, and market research were considered. The aim is to ensure that the project receives the necessary resources and funding to produce a high-quality eBook that meets the needs of the Cardano community and provides value for money.

Ultimately, the costs associated with the project are justified by the potential impact on the Cardano ecosystem, including increased developer engagement, enhanced knowledge transfer, and the development of valuable resources that contribute to the growth and adoption of Cardano as a leading smart contract platform.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept