Last updated 7 months ago
Many developers find building Cardano dApps slow and complex due to fragmented tools, difficult setup, and steep learning curves for both frontend and smart contract development.
A CLI toolkit that scaffolds full-stack Cardano dApps, integrates wallet connections, and sets up smart contracts with testing and deployment in minutes using one simple command.
This is the total amount allocated to Cardano Web3 Toolkit: Build dApps & Contracts.
Please provide your proposal title
Cardano Web3 Toolkit: Build dApps & Contracts
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
47000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
7
What is the problem you want to solve?
Many developers find building Cardano dApps slow and complex due to fragmented tools, difficult setup, and steep learning curves for both frontend and smart contract development.
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. All code will be open source under the MIT license, available on GitHub from day one. Developers can freely use, modify, and contribute to the toolkit.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Developer Tools
Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.
We will use the MIT License for this project. The MIT License offers a permissive framework that allows anyone to freely use, modify, and distribute the code, while requiring attribution to the original creators. This fosters innovation, encourages contributions from the community, and aligns with Cardano’s principles of transparency and decentralization. Its simplicity makes it accessible to both individual developers and organizations.
How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?
From day one, we will host the project in a public GitHub repository under the MIT License. The repository will include clear documentation, contribution guidelines, and continuous updates. Announcements of repository availability will be made through our community channels, including Twitter, LinkedIn, and Cardano forum, ensuring stakeholders and the public are aware of the project’s progress and can participate.
How will you provide high quality documentation?
We will maintain comprehensive, developer-friendly documentation in the GitHub repository. This will include a detailed README, API references, architectural diagrams, setup guides, and use-case examples. Documentation will be updated in parallel with development milestones, reviewed by team members for clarity and accuracy, and will use Markdown for easy readability both on GitHub and in exported formats like PDF or HTML.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
The Cardano Web3 Toolkit is a command-line tool designed to help developers build modern, scalable, and production-ready decentralized applications (dApps) on the Cardano blockchain faster and easier than ever before.
With one simple command, npx create-cardano-dapp developers can scaffold:
How it works:
Upon running the CLI, users choose their project type (frontend, smart contract, or both). If a smart contract is selected, they choose their preferred language (Aiken or Plutus). The tool then automatically:
Frontend Stack:
Smart Contract Stack:
Testing Environment:
Why it matters:
Today, new Cardano developers often spend days just configuring their environment before writing a single line of application logic. By automating and standardizing this process, the Cardano Web3 Toolkit reduces setup time to minutes, enabling more projects to be built, tested, and deployed quickly.
This solution removes the barrier of fragmented tooling, allowing developers to focus on innovation rather than configuration. It’s flexible enough for both beginners and advanced teams, and it’s fully open source so the community can expand and improve it over time.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
The Cardano Web3 Toolkit will directly contribute to ecosystem growth by making dApp development faster, simpler, and more accessible. This reduces the learning curve for newcomers and boosts productivity for experienced teams.
Key community benefits:
Over time, the toolkit could become a default starting point for Cardano dApps, similar to how create-react-app helped drive adoption in the React ecosystem. By focusing on both user experience and developer experience, this project supports long-term ecosystem health and innovation.
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?
Our team has experience in delivering production-ready Web3 projects, including dApps on Cardano. We understand the current developer pain points because we have personally encountered them in real projects.
Team capabilities:
Validation approach:
We have already tested an internal prototype of the CLI to confirm that automating scaffolding, wallet integration, and contract setup is feasible. During development, we will:
We will measure success through on-chain metrics such as the number of contracts deployed via the toolkit, as well as GitHub stars, forks, and downloads of the CLI package.
Milestone Title
Planning & Prototype
Milestone Outputs
A fully detailed project plan outlining deliverables, development timeline, and resource allocation for all stages of the toolkit. This includes finalized architecture for the frontend and smart contract integration flow. A functional CLI prototype capable of generating a frontend-only Cardano dApp with wallet connection (Nami, Eternl, Lace) using Next.js, TypeScript, TailwindCSS, and Mesh SDK. GitHub repository initialized with MIT license, basic README, and initial documentation explaining how to run the generated project locally. Early feedback is collected from at least 3 developers to refine the CLI flow before moving to contract integration.
Acceptance Criteria
The CLI must allow a user to run a single command and generate a fully functional frontend dApp connected to Cardano testnet with wallet connect buttons working. The generated project must compile without errors and include a standardized folder structure. The GitHub repository must be public and contain all code under the MIT license. Documentation must allow a developer with no prior toolkit experience to run and test the generated app within 15 minutes. Feedback from test users must be reviewed, documented, and prioritized for future improvements.
Evidence of Completion
A public GitHub repository link showing the complete prototype code and commit history, ensuring all outputs are open source. Screenshots and/or screen recording of the CLI generating the frontend project, along with a demo video walking through setup and running the dApp. Documentation in the repo explaining installation, dependencies, and running instructions. Written feedback reports from 3 external testers summarizing their experience, including any issues encountered and suggestions for improvement. A milestone completion report will summarize progress, lessons learned, and adjustments for the next stage.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
11000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Smart Contract Integration
Milestone Outputs
Extension of the CLI to include scaffolded smart contracts in both Aiken and Plutus. CLI prompts enhanced to let users select their preferred contract language and automatically generate related boilerplate code. Deploy scripts provided for testnet deployment of both frontend and contracts. Comprehensive README files for contracts included in the generated project.
Acceptance Criteria
The CLI must allow a user to create an Aiken or Plutus smart contract. Generated projects must successfully compile and set up all the required setup to deploy the smart contract to the Cardano testnet without manual intervention beyond CLI prompts. Deploy scripts must run without errors on a clean environment. Documentation must explain all steps from generation to deployment in a way that an intermediate developer can follow without extra help. Feedback from at least 3 testers must confirm deploy success.
Evidence of Completion
An updated public GitHub repository contract templates parts, including versioned releases. Testnet deployment links for both Aiken and Plutus generated projects. Demo video showing CLI usage from generation to deployment on the testnet. README and deployment guides uploaded to the repo. Written feedback from testers confirming that they could deploy and interact with the smart contracts following the provided documentation.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
14000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Testing & Documentation
Milestone Outputs
Implementation of automated test suites covering frontend and smart contracts, targeting at least 80% code coverage. Tests include unit, integration, and functional coverage for generated projects. Cross-platform compatibility ensured by testing on Linux, macOS, and Windows environments. Complete documentation for all CLI features, including parameter explanations, example commands, and troubleshooting tips. At least two video tutorials showing how to create, deploy, and test a project using the toolkit. Feedback gathered from community testers integrated into the final development branch before mainnet release.
Acceptance Criteria
Generated projects must pass all automated tests without failures across the three major platforms. Test coverage reports must show at least 80% coverage for frontend and contracts combined. Documentation must clearly explain CLI usage, supported configurations, and known limitations. Video tutorials must be published on a public platform like YouTube. At least 3 external testers must confirm that they could successfully follow the documentation and replicate results without extra assistance. Any critical issues identified during testing must be resolved before the milestone is considered complete.
Evidence of Completion
Public GitHub repository showing test files, test results, and coverage reports. Video recordings of test runs across all supported operating systems. Published tutorials accessible to the public. Documentation uploaded to the repository and rendered in Markdown for easy reading. Written confirmation from 3 external testers that they were able to set up, run, and test the generated project following the documentation. Updated changelog summarizing bug fixes and improvements made during this milestone. Screenshots and demo videos will be included in the milestone completion report.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
11000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Mainnet Release & Community Launch
Milestone Outputs
Stable mainnet deployment support integrated into the CLI, enabling users to deploy frontend and contracts directly to the Cardano mainnet. Finalized CLI release version published to npm. Community onboarding campaign including at least one live workshop and one recorded tutorial session to help developers adopt the toolkit. Launch campaign on Cardano developer forums, Discord, and Twitter/X. Final Catalyst proposal report summarizing project delivery, lessons learned, and success metrics such as npm downloads, GitHub stars, and number of deployed contracts from toolkit-generated projects.
Acceptance Criteria
CLI must successfully generate, compile, and deploy a dApp with smart contracts to the Cardano testnet without errors. The published npm package must be accessible and installable on all major operating systems. Community workshop must have a minimum of 10 participants or equivalent online engagement. Tutorials and documentation must be updated to reflect mainnet deployment steps. Success metrics must be tracked for at least 2 weeks post-launch and included in the final report.
Evidence of Completion
Testnet deployment transaction hashes recorded and verified on CardanoScan. Public npm package link with published version history. Video recording of the live workshop and link to the recorded tutorial. Screenshots and engagement data from launch announcements. GitHub repository updated with final stable release and corresponding tags. Final Catalyst report including testnet success metrics and participant feedback from the community onboarding session. Copies of all presentation materials, tutorial scripts, and event summaries attached to the milestone report.
Delivery Month
1
Cost
11000
Progress
20 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Our funding request is ₳47,000, distributed across tasks not individuals to ensure transparency and focus on deliverables:
CLI Core Development: ₳15,000
Design, build, and optimize the command-line tool, including core scaffolding logic, dependency management, and project generation workflow.
Smart Contract Templates: ₳12,000
Create and test Aiken & Plutus contract boilerplates, including deploy/test scripts and integration support.
Testing & QA: ₳7,000
Implement automated testing for frontend, backend, and contracts; conduct cross-platform compatibility tests.
Documentation & Tutorials: ₳6,000
Produce written guides, record video tutorials, and create troubleshooting documentation.
Community Onboarding & Launch: ₳7,000
Host workshops, run social campaigns, and track success metrics during the mainnet launch.
We believe this budget represents excellent value to the Cardano ecosystem because each deliverable is permanent, open-source, and reusable by countless future projects.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
The toolkit reduces development time from days to minutes, enabling more high-quality dApps to be deployed on Cardano. By funding this project, Catalyst accelerates ecosystem growth through reusable open source tools that benefit countless future projects.
The cost covers end-to-end delivery from planning, coding, testing, and documentation to testnet deployment and community launch. The result is a complete, polished tool that will remain free for all developers, multiplying Catalyst’s impact well beyond the initial funding period.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Lead Developer / Project Manager – Kambale Mechack
Responsible for overall project architecture, CLI core development, and milestone coordination. Brings 4+ years of blockchain development experience, with a portfolio of Cardano dApps.
Smart Contract Engineer – Justin Bihango
Expert in Aiken and Plutus. Designs and implements contract templates, writes deployment scripts, and ensures compatibility with frontend interactions. Responsible for writing unit and integration tests for contracts and assisting in backend integration.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-bihango-4035561a9/
Backend Engineer – Serge Makasi
Focuses on API architecture using Node.js/Express. Builds secure endpoints for contract calls, transaction handling, and blockchain data queries. Works closely with the frontend team to ensure seamless connectivity between UI and on-chain components.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serge-makasi-mak-54420915a/
Frontend Engineer – Kambale Mechack
Leads Next.js + TypeScript development for generated templates. Integrates wallet SDKs, creates reusable UI components, and ensures responsive, accessible design using TailwindCSS + ShadCN. Collaborates with backend and smart contract teams to create full-stack demos.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elie-kambale-172418126/
QA & Documentation Specialist – Kazadi Ruben
Designs and executes testing protocols for all generated projects. Produces detailed user documentation, developer guides, and troubleshooting sections. Responsible for recording video tutorials and workshop materials for the community launch.
Community Engagement Lead – Samuel Wanzaluendo
Manages community onboarding, live workshops, and social media campaigns. Gathers user feedback during the beta phase and post-launch, ensuring continuous improvement of the toolkit.
All team members are cross-functional, meaning they can assist in other areas when needed, ensuring redundancy and flexibility throughout the project.