Aiken Playground - Online IDE

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

Aiken Playground - Online IDE

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

100000

[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?

Cardano lacks a browser-based online playground for Aiken, forcing developers to spend days setting up local env just to test simple Aiken contracts.

[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 2.0 License. This permissive license encourages community adoption while protecting openness. It allows commercial and non-commercial use, modification, and distribution without legal barriers, aligning with Cardano's collaborative ecosystem values.

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 of development. Every commit will be visible in real-time. I will use clear commit messages, maintain a structured branching strategy (main for stable, dev for ongoing work), and set up GitHub Actions for continuous integration. The repository will include comprehensive README documentation and contribution guidelines from the start.

How will you provide high quality documentation?

I will use VitePress to create a dedicated documentation website with: Getting Started guide with screenshots, API reference, tutorials for common use cases, troubleshooting section, and architecture documentation for contributors. Documentation will be updated with each milestone to stay synchronized with features. The site will be hosted on GitHub Pages and linked directly from the Playground interface.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

The Aiken Playground addresses Cardano's developer experience gap through a comprehensive browser-based development environment. The solution comprises several integrated components:

The Monaco editor provides a professional IDE experience with Aiken syntax highlighting and basic autocomplete. When users write code, it sends build requests to a secure backend service running the Aiken toolchain.

Building happens in milliseconds, returning either success with the built script or detailed error messages. Errors display inline with precise line/column markers and helpful diagnostics.

After successful building, the Playground shows the built script's hash, Cardano address, size in bytes, and UPLC output preview. This helps developers understand what their high-level Aiken code produces on-chain.

The transaction simulator validates built scripts against user-provided inputs. Users specify datum, redeemer, and transaction context through a guided interface. The backend service executes the validation logic using Aiken's built-in testing capabilities, returning pass/fail status and execution units consumed. This provides instant feedback on contract behavior without blockchain deployment.

Code sharing works through unique URLs that store the contract code in a lightweight database. Anyone can view, build, and test shared contracts in read-only mode, then fork to create their own version. This enables frictionless collaboration and learning.

Optional testnet integration allows dry-running scripts on Cardano Preview network for additional validation confidence, using the same backend infrastructure.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

This project directly addresses critical gaps identified in Cardano developer surveys. By removing setup barriers, the Playground enables developers to start writing Cardano smart contracts within minutes instead of days. This accelerates learning for newcomers and speeds prototyping for experienced developers.

The tool will become a foundation for Cardano developer education - workshops can use it for hands-on training without setup overhead, documentation can link to live examples, and developers can share bug reproductions or solutions instantly.

Success will be measured through usage analytics (builds run, simulations executed, links shared) and community adoption. The open-source nature ensures the tool can evolve with community contributions beyond the initial development period.

[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 a proven track record of delivering developer tooling across major blockchain ecosystems including Solana, Arbitrum, Stellar, and Internet Computer.

My directly relevant experience includes building Wizard (Arbitrum Stylus Playground) - an interactive browser-based playground similar to what I propose for Aiken. This demonstrates my ability to deliver exactly this type of tool. I have also developed multiple VS Code extensions for blockchain development (Stylus Suite), GUI tools for complex CLIs (Dfinity DFX GUI, Soroban CLI GUI), showing my expertise in making developer tools more accessible.

This background uniquely positions me to deliver the Aiken Playground successfully. I understand the technical challenges of browser-based development environments, have solved similar problems before, and know how to create intuitive interfaces that developers actually want to use. The project leverages my existing knowledge while contributing new value to the Cardano ecosystem.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Core Editor and Build Infrastructure

Milestone Outputs

• Monaco editor with full Aiken syntax highlighting and code formatting support
• Backend build service with Aiken toolchain integration running on secure cloud infrastructure
• RESTful API endpoints for build requests with error handling and rate limiting
• Comprehensive error display and feedback system with line-by-line annotations
• Curated example contracts library covering common use cases
• Initial GitHub repository setup with CI/CD pipelines and contribution guidelines

Acceptance Criteria

• Users can write and edit Aiken code in the browser with syntax highlighting
• Build requests complete for standard contracts
• Errors display with precise line/column information and helpful suggestions
• At least 5 example contracts available covering different contract patterns
• Public repository accessible with clear documentation

Evidence of Completion

• Live demo deployment accessible via public URL with stable uptime
• GitHub repository with complete source code and documentation
• Screenshot/video demonstration of build functionality working end-to-end
• Test results showing successful builds of example contracts

Delivery Month

1

Cost

25000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Simulation Engine and Advanced Features

Milestone Outputs

• Full transaction simulation backend service with validator execution capabilities
• Intuitive user interface for datum/redeemer input with type validation
• Real-time execution units measurement and cost estimation display
• Complete script metadata display including hash, address, size, and UPLC preview
• Code sharing system via unique URLs with database persistence
• PostgreSQL database integration for shared code storage and retrieval

Acceptance Criteria

• Users can simulate contract validation with custom inputs successfully
• Pass/fail results display correctly with detailed error messages when applicable
• Execution units shown accurately for each simulation matching on-chain estimates
• Shareable links work across different browsers and devices
• Shared code persists and loads correctly when accessed via URL

Evidence of Completion

• Comprehensive simulation feature demonstration video showing various scenarios
• Multiple shared code examples with working URLs demonstrating persistence
• Test results showing various contract simulations with different outcomes
• Database records showing successful storage and retrieval of shared contracts

Delivery Month

2

Cost

25000

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

Polish, Testing, and Production Release

Milestone Outputs

• Production deployment at dedicated domain with SSL and CDN configuration
• Complete performance optimization for sub-second response times
• Comprehensive cross-browser testing completion and compatibility fixes
• Full VitePress documentation site with tutorials and API reference

Acceptance Criteria

• Application works flawlessly on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge browser
• Documentation comprehensively covers all features with examples
• Documentation website is easily accessible from the URL
• Playground can accessible from the URL

Evidence of Completion

• Production URL with stable deployment enabled
• Complete documentation site URL with all sections populated
• Performance benchmarks report showing response times
• Browser compatibility test matrix showing all features working

Delivery Month

3

Cost

25000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Project Close-Out

Milestone Outputs

• Comprehensive Project Close-Out Report detailing all deliverables and outcomes
• Professional Project Close-Out Video demonstrating complete functionality
• Final documentation review and updates based on user feedback
• Complete community handover materials including contribution guide and future roadmap
• Confirmation document of all previous milestone completions with evidence links

Acceptance Criteria

• All deliverables from milestones 1-3 verified complete and functional
• Close-out video clearly demonstrates full functionality of all features
• Documentation includes detailed developer contribution guide with setup instructions
• Future development roadmap published with prioritized enhancement suggestions
• All source code, documentation, and materials publicly accessible

Evidence of Completion

• Published close-out report in PDF format with comprehensive details
• YouTube/video link of professional demonstration covering all features
• GitHub repository with all materials, documentation, and contribution guides
• Community announcement of project completion on relevant forums
• Signed attestation of milestone completion with links to all deliverables

Delivery Month

4

Cost

25000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

0.93 USD per ADA (currently)

(120 USD/hour × 8 hours/day × 5 days/week × 17 weeks) = 81,600 USD ~= 88,000 ADA + 12,000 ADA for volatility = 85,000 ADA

This covers ~4 months of full-time development by a single experienced developer, providing exceptional value for a tool that will serve the Aiken-Cardano ecosystem.

Breakdown:

Development (17 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 investment delivers critical infrastructure that will benefit every Cardano smart contract developer. The cost represents excellent value - commercial development of similar tools typically exceeds 150,000 USD. My proven track record with Arbitrum Wizard demonstrates I can deliver this complex tool efficiently.

The open-source delivery ensures the community owns the result permanently. By accelerating developer onboarding and reducing friction, the tool's impact will far exceed its cost. The project directly addresses the top pain points from official developer surveys, ensuring funds target proven community needs.

The lightweight architecture ensures sustainable long-term operation with minimal maintenance, making this a one-time investment with lasting benefits for the entire Cardano ecosystem.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes