Aiken JetBrains Extension

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

Aiken JetBrains Extension

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

85000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

4

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

The Cardano Developer Survey identified Aiken as the community's preferred smart contract language, yet JetBrains IDEs—used by millions of professional developers—lack Aiken support.

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

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

No

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

No dependencies

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

Apache 2.0

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal

Developer Tools

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.

Apache License 2.0 - This permissive license aligns with Cardano ecosystem standards and Aiken's own licensing. It allows unrestricted use, modification, and distribution while providing patent protection, encouraging community contributions and commercial adoption without barriers.

How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?

The GitHub repository will be public from day one, with all development occurring transparently. I will maintain a clear commit history, project board, and changelog. The repository link will be shared with the Cardano community through official forums and Discord channels for visibility and early feedback.

How will you provide high quality documentation?

I will create comprehensive documentation using VitePress, including installation guides, feature descriptions, configuration options, troubleshooting sections, and contribution guidelines. The documentation will include screenshots, code examples, and clear navigation, hosted on GitHub Pages for easy access.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

I will develop a JetBrains plugin that connects to Aiken's existing Language Server, eliminating the need to reimplement compiler logic or language analysis. The plugin will act as a client to the Aiken LSP server, which already provides all the language intelligence. Key technical implementation includes:

• File type registration for .ak files with custom syntax highlighting
• LSP client configuration to communicate with the Aiken LSP server process
• Run configurations for executing aiken build and aiken check commands
• Console output parsing with hyperlinking for error navigation
• Settings panel for Aiken CLI path configuration
• Automatic project detection via aiken.toml presence

The Aiken LSP server already provides diagnostics, go-to-definition, hover information, code formatting, and quick fixes. My plugin will surface all these capabilities in JetBrains IDEs by properly connecting to and communicating with the LSP server. This approach ensures feature parity with VS Code while minimizing implementation complexity.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

This project directly addresses the tooling gap identified in Cardano developer surveys. Success will be measured through:

• Downloads and ratings on JetBrains Marketplace
• GitHub repository engagement (issues, contributions)
• Developer feedback on Cardano forums and Discord
• Reduction in context-switching for developers using JetBrains IDEs

The plugin will lower barriers to Aiken adoption by meeting developers where they already work, potentially attracting more developers to the Cardano ecosystem who prefer JetBrains tools.

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & Feasibility

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

I am Tolga Yaycı, an experienced software engineer with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and proven expertise in developer tooling across multiple blockchain ecosystems. My recent work demonstrates direct capability to deliver this project:

• IDE Extension Development: Successfully built and published the Arbitrum Stylus VS Code Extension, implementing LSP integration and developer workflows
• Blockchain Developer Tools: Created interactive development environments including Wizard (Arbitrum Stylus Playground), Dfinity DFX GUI, and Soroban CLI GUI
• Cross-Platform Tooling: Delivered developer tools for Solana, Arbitrum, Stellar, and Internet Computer ecosystems

My VS Code extension experience directly translates to JetBrains plugin development—both involve LSP integration, syntax highlighting, and IDE APIs. Having already connected IDEs to blockchain-specific language servers, I understand the technical requirements and potential challenges. The public GitHub repositories of my previous projects demonstrate my commitment to open-source development and documentation standards.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Core Plugin Infrastructure

Milestone Outputs

• Public GitHub repository established with Apache 2.0 license and comprehensive README
• JetBrains plugin project structure properly configured with all necessary dependencies
• File type registration for .ak files with custom icon and file associations
• Syntax highlighting implementation with support for keywords, literals, comments, and operators
• Basic LSP connection established with real-time error detection and diagnostic display

Acceptance Criteria

• Plugin successfully loads and initializes in supported JetBrains IDEs without errors
• .ak files are recognized with proper icon and syntax highlighting applied consistently
• Aiken LSP server launches automatically and provides real-time compilation diagnostics
• Errors and warnings appear in editor with proper highlighting and tooltip messages
• Plugin appears in IDE plugin list with correct metadata and description

Evidence of Completion

• Public GitHub repository link with complete source code and build instructions
• Demo video showing syntax highlighting and error detection in real-world Aiken files
• Screenshot documentation of plugin running successfully in multiple IDE variants
• Initial testing report confirming basic functionality across different operating systems

Delivery Month

1

Cost

25000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Language Features and Intelligence

Milestone Outputs

• Full LSP feature integration including go-to-definition, hover documentation, and quick fixes
• Code formatting capability via LSP server with customizable keyboard shortcuts
• Auto-completion support for Aiken language constructs and project symbols
• Automatic project detection via aiken.toml with workspace configuration
• Settings configuration panel for Aiken CLI path and plugin preferences
• Cross-IDE compatibility testing completed and documented

Acceptance Criteria

• All LSP features functional including code navigation and intelligent suggestions
• Settings panel accessible from IDE preferences and properly saves user configuration
• Formatting works reliably via menu action, keyboard shortcut, and format-on-save option
• Plugin auto-detects Aiken projects and configures workspace appropriately
• Features work consistently across IntelliJ IDEs

Evidence of Completion

• Comprehensive video demonstrating all implemented language features in action
• Alpha release published on GitHub with installation instructions for early adopters
• Test reports from multiple JetBrains IDE variants confirming cross-platform compatibility

Delivery Month

2

Cost

25000

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

Compilation, Testing, and Release

Milestone Outputs

• Run configurations for aiken build and aiken check with customizable parameters
• Console output parsing with clickable error hyperlinking and source navigation
• Bug fixes and performance improvements based on alpha testing feedback
• Performance optimizations ensuring smooth operation with large Aiken projects
• JetBrains Marketplace submission with all required metadata and documentation
• Comprehensive user documentation completed with tutorials and troubleshooting guides

Acceptance Criteria

• Compile and test commands execute successfully with proper output formatting
• Console errors are clickable and accurately navigate to source code locations
• Plugin passes JetBrains verification process and marketplace requirements
• Published on JetBrains Marketplace as stable v1.0.0 release
• Documentation website fully deployed and accessible with search functionality

Evidence of Completion

• Official JetBrains Marketplace listing with v1.0.0 publicly available
• Video showing compilation and testing features with real Aiken projects
• Community feedback integration documented with resolved issues list
• Live VitePress documentation site URL with complete user guides

Delivery Month

3

Cost

25000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Project Close Out

Milestone Outputs

• Comprehensive Project Close Out Report detailing all achievements and outcomes
• Professional Project Close Out Video showcasing complete plugin functionality
• Final documentation review and updates based on user feedback
• Community handover materials including detailed contribution guide and future roadmap
• Confirmation document verifying all previous milestone completions

Acceptance Criteria

• Close-out report includes detailed metrics, achievements, and lessons learned
• Professional video demonstrates all plugin features with real-world use cases
• Complete VitePress documentation site live with all sections finalized
• All source code properly documented with inline comments and architecture overview
• Contribution guidelines published with clear instructions for community developers
• Future development roadmap shared with community for continued evolution

Evidence of Completion

• Published close-out report
• Video uploaded to YouTube/Vimeo and shared across Cardano community channels
• Live documentation website URL with analytics showing user engagement
• GitHub repository with comprehensive README, contribution guide, and issue templates
• Community announcement confirming successful project completion and handover
• Archived project artifacts available for future reference and development

Delivery Month

4

Cost

25000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Total Funding Requested: 85,000 ADA

0.93 USD per ADA (currently)

(120 USD/hour × 8 hours/day × 5 days/week × 14 weeks) = 67,200 USD ≈ 72,500 ADA + 12,500 ADA volatility buffer = 85,000 ADA

This covers approximately 3 months of full-time development by a single experienced developer, providing exceptional value for a tool that will serve the Aiken-Cardano ecosystem indefinitely.

Breakdown:

Development (14 weeks): 72,500 ADA

Volatility buffer: 12,500 ADA - Protection against ADA/USD fluctuation

All funds are allocated to development work. No marketing or promotional costs included.

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

This one-time investment of 85,000 ADA delivers permanent infrastructure for the Cardano ecosystem. By utilizing Aiken's existing LSP server rather than reimplementing language features, I maximize efficiency and value. The plugin will remain available indefinitely on JetBrains Marketplace at no cost to users, with the open-source nature enabling community maintenance beyond the initial development. Given that JetBrains IDEs are preferred by many professional developers, this investment could significantly expand Aiken adoption and accelerate smart contract development on Cardano.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes