Last updated 7 months ago
Developers and dApp builders on Cardano lack a simple tool to accurately estimate transaction costs during development, leading to inefficiencies and unexpected fee behavior.
We'll develop a lightweight, open-source CLI tool that allows developers to estimate Cardano transaction costs quickly and accurately, improving dApp testing, budgeting, and user experience.
This is the total amount allocated to Cardano Transaction Cost Estimator CLI.
Please provide your proposal title
Cardano Transaction Cost Estimator CLI
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
42000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
4
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Developers and dApp builders on Cardano lack a simple tool to accurately estimate transaction costs during development, leading to inefficiencies and unexpected fee behavior.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
no dependencies
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
Yes, the project will be fully open source. We will use the MIT License, which allows for maximum flexibility, reuse, and contribution. This aligns with our goal to support the Cardano developer ecosystem with accessible and collaborative tooling.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Infrastructure
Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.
We will release the Cardano Transaction Cost Estimator CLI under the MIT License. This permissive license allows developers to freely use, modify, and distribute the tool with minimal restrictions. It fits our project goals by encouraging broad adoption, reuse, and contribution—fostering collaboration within the Cardano developer ecosystem and supporting open innovation.
How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?
We will release the Cardano Transaction Cost Estimator CLI under the MIT License. This permissive license allows developers to freely use, modify, and distribute the tool with minimal restrictions. It fits our project goals by encouraging broad adoption, reuse, and contribution—fostering collaboration within the Cardano developer ecosystem and supporting open innovation.
How will you provide high quality documentation?
We will use Markdown and Docusaurus to provide structured, high-quality documentation including a clear README, setup guide, usage examples, and developer notes. Visual aids and code snippets will be included to help users and contributors understand functionality. API documentation will follow OpenAPI standards. All docs will be kept up to date within the GitHub repo.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
We will develop an open-source command-line interface (CLI) tool that accurately estimates Cardano transaction costs based on live network parameters and user input. The tool will be simple, lightweight, and developer-friendly—allowing users to input transaction attributes (e.g., number of inputs/outputs, metadata, scripts) and receive real-time fee estimates. This addresses the need for transparency and predictability when developing or interacting with Cardano smart contracts and wallets. The tool will support integration into dev pipelines and be continuously updated with network upgrades.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
This tool will empower developers, builders, and wallet integrators across the Cardano ecosystem by removing guesswork in transaction fee estimation. It reduces friction for dApp development, improves cost planning, and promotes efficient on-chain interaction—especially important for projects with limited resources or beginner developers.
We will measure impact by:
Number of downloads/clones of the CLI tool
Community contributions (GitHub stars, forks, issues, pull requests)
Adoption or integration by other projects and wallets
Feedback from developer channels and Cardano forums
All outputs, updates, and documentation will be shared publicly on GitHub and through Cardano developer channels.
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?
This project will be led by Kese Events' technical team in collaboration with open-source contributors and developer advisors within the Cardano ecosystem. The team has experience building CLI tools, blockchain integrations, and open documentation workflows.
We will validate feasibility by:
Prototyping core CLI functionality early using Cardano node tools and APIs
Testing across various use cases (smart contracts, metadata, multi-sigs)
Engaging the community for feedback during development
To ensure trust and accountability, we will:
Manage funds through Kese Events' registered financial structure
Provide milestone-based updates with verifiable deliverables on GitHub
Publish all code under an open-source license (MIT), with transparent commits
Share progress and respond to community questions via developer forums and Catalyst channels
This structured and transparent approach ensures we can deliver with reliability and full community visibility.
Milestone Title
CLI Architecture Design & Prototype Development
Milestone Outputs
Design and documentation of the CLI tool architecture (commands, modules, and flow)
Development of the initial working prototype that estimates Cardano transaction costs using real network parameters
GitHub repository setup with open-source license
Basic README file with setup instructions and usage examples
Acceptance Criteria
A public GitHub repository is created and accessible
The repository includes a working prototype of the CLI tool that can estimate transaction costs using Cardano’s network parameters
Code is properly structured and includes a README.md file with setup and usage instructions
Initial documentation outlines tool commands, functions, and architecture
Tool is open source under MIT license
Evidence of Completion
GitHub repository link showing open-source code publicly available under MIT license
Working CLI prototype that can be cloned, installed, and used to estimate transaction costs
Screenshots or screen recordings of the tool running in test environments
Documentation files (e.g., README.md, setup guide) included in the repo
Community feedback or test reports, if any, gathered during early testing phase
Delivery Month
1
Cost
14000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Feature Expansion & Network Integration
Milestone Outputs
Integration of real-time Cardano network parameters (e.g. protocol constants, fee rates).
CLI functionality to estimate transaction costs for a wider range of transaction types including:
Native token transfers
Smart contract interactions
Multi-sig transactions
Support for mainnet and testnet environments with toggle functionality.
Implementation of unit tests for core functionality to ensure reliability.
Code published and updated on GitHub.
Developer documentation updated with usage examples for new features.
Acceptance Criteria
CLI successfully estimates transaction costs for native token transfers, smart contract interactions, and multi-sig transactions.
Real-time Cardano network parameters (e.g. current fee coefficients) are fetched dynamically.
CLI supports both testnet and mainnet environments with functional toggling.
All new features are covered by automated unit tests with at least 80% test coverage.
Code is open-source, committed to GitHub with clear commit history and version tagging.
Updated documentation includes new feature guides and examples.
Evidence of Completion
Public GitHub Repository showing:
Functional CLI commands for native token, smart contract, and multi-sig transaction cost estimation.
Commit logs, tagged releases, and changelogs documenting progress.
Dynamic integration of Cardano network parameters.
Demo Video or Screenshare walking through the CLI in action across testnet and mainnet.
Updated Documentation published as README and markdown files, including:
Setup guides
Usage examples for new features
Developer instructions for contribution
Automated Test Results showing 80%+ code coverage on the CLI features.
Community Feedback or issue logs (if applicable) gathered from GitHub Issues, community forum, or Discord.
Delivery Month
3
Cost
14000
Progress
40 %
Milestone Title
Deployment, Community Testing & Documentation Finalization
Milestone Outputs
Final deployment of the CLI tool to GitHub under an open-source license
Setup of a community-accessible test environment with instructions
Public announcement via Cardano developer channels, Discord, and Telegram
Finalized and published documentation: README, setup guide, usage examples, and API reference
Community testing feedback form and collection dashboard
A summary blog post or explainer video walking through tool usage and purpose
Completion report detailing reach, impact, and next steps
Acceptance Criteria
The CLI tool is fully functional and publicly available on GitHub under the MIT License
A test environment or mock network is provided for community testing
Documentation (README, usage guide, and API reference) is complete and accessible
At least 15 developers from the community have tested the tool and submitted feedback
Community feedback is reviewed, and at least 3 suggested improvements are implemented
A public walkthrough (blog post or video) is shared to increase accessibility and visibility
Evidence of Completion
GitHub repository with public access showing the final version of the CLI tool
Documentation files: README.md, setup instructions, usage examples, and API references
Screenshots and logs of successful test runs and output samples
Feedback form/report compiled from at least 15 community testers
A changelog showing the implementation of suggested improvements
Public post (blog/video) demonstrating usage and inviting further contributions
Social media posts and developer community engagement links proving outreach
Delivery Month
4
Cost
14000
Progress
30 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Total Request: 42,000 ADA
Developer salary for CLI tool development
Integration with Cardano APIs
On-chain testing and benchmarking
User guide, API references, README, and dev onboarding
Setup of GitHub repo, versioning, and ongoing updates
Collecting feedback from Cardano dev community
AMAs, feedback loops, and CLI demo sessions
Outreach to open-source devs and ecosystem partners
Task planning, milestone tracking, and communication
Regular Catalyst updates and transparency reports
Launch campaign for CLI tool
Twitter/Telegram/X posts, educational threads
Short how-to videos & reach to dev-focused communities
Buffer for unexpected development challenges or platform updates
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
This project delivers a highly practical tool that directly supports Cardano developers and dApp builders by helping them estimate and optimize transaction costs. It minimizes wasted ADA on failed or oversized transactions, enhancing overall network efficiency.
With a modest request of 51,000 ADA over three milestones, this budget reflects fair compensation for skilled blockchain development, documentation, and community engagement. Developer rates in Ethiopia and similar markets are significantly lower than global averages, meaning more value is delivered per ADA.
By open-sourcing the CLI tool, we empower the entire ecosystem—new and existing devs can build faster and smarter. The cost is not just for code, but for a tool that saves ADA across the network and supports scalable dApp adoption.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
This project is jointly led by Kese Events and Yeneta Blockchain Academy, two organizations committed to advancing blockchain adoption and developer empowerment across Africa.
Kese Events brings technical project execution, developer outreach, and blockchain integration experience. They manage delivery, documentation, and community engagement.
Yeneta Blockchain Academy leads on developer education, testing coordination, and user feedback. They provide mentorship, workshops, and help onboard testers.
Both teams are experienced in open-source blockchain tools, Catalyst-funded projects, and local ecosystem development. No additional hiring is required at this stage; the core team is already in place.