COTS-CLI: Cardano Offline Transaction Simulator

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

COTS-CLI: Cardano Offline Transaction Simulator

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

20000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

4

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

Developers struggle to test Cardano transactions and smart contracts without syncing a full node. It’s slow, complex, and blocks rapid iteration and offline development.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://cotscli.com
,
• https://github.com/COTSCLI
,
• https://github.com/COTSCLI/COTS
,
• https://cotscli.com/documentation
,
• https://uptodatedevelopers.com

[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

COTS uses the MIT license, which allows open-source use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions, ideal for developer tools.

[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.

COTS is released under the MIT license. This permissive license allows anyone to use, modify, and distribute the tool with minimal restrictions. It encourages community contributions, integration in developer workflows, and adoption across open-source and commercial Cardano projects. We chose MIT to support transparency, interoperability, and rapid innovation in the Cardano developer ecosystem.

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

All COTS source code is public from day one.

The code is hosted on a public GitHub repository under the MIT license. Development is done in the open, with regular commits, issues, and changelogs visible to all. We promote transparency by sharing progress updates on community forums, GitHub Releases, and—once ready—a dedicated Twitter account will be created to inform the wider Cardano developer ecosystem. Documentation is maintained to support onboarding and collaboration.

How will you provide high quality documentation?

We provide comprehensive and continuously updated documentation on both our website and GitHub. The official docs are hosted at: https://cotscli.com/documentation

with developer guides, usage examples, and CLI references.

All source docs are also available on GitHub: https://github.com/COTSCLI/COTS/tree/main/docs

We follow best practices in structure, versioning, and accessibility to ensure clarity for users and contributors.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

COTS CLI (Cardano Offline Transaction Simulator Command Line Interface) is a professional-grade, offline development toolkit for the Cardano blockchain. It enables developers, auditors, and educators to simulate, test, and export Cardano transactions and smart contracts without requiring access to a live node or spending real ADA. With a focus on protocol compliance, offline reliability, and developer speed, COTS CLI significantly enhances the Cardano development experience.

Problem Statement

---

Cardano developers and auditors face critical issues that slow down productivity:

• Node Dependency: Setting up, syncing, and maintaining a full node is resource-intensive.

• Network Delays: Waiting for block confirmations or testnet responses limits development speed.

• Cost Risks: Even on mainnet, obtaining ADA can be a barrier, as real funds are at stake and experimentation becomes costly and risky.

• Debugging Complexity: Live debugging is limited, with few tools to inspect transactions offline.

• Lack of Safe Sandboxing: Testing edge cases, errors, or failed scripts in live settings can be risky.

These problems make onboarding harder, extend development cycles, and increase risk.

The COTS CLI Solution

---

COTS offers a complete local simulation environment that removes these barriers:

• Offline Transaction Simulation Engine: Build and simulate Cardano transactions locally. Calculate accurate fees and min-UTXO values. Validate transactions against protocol parameters. Export raw transactions in Cardano CLI or Koios API format.

• Persistent UTXO & State Management (SQLite): Track UTXO state across sessions using a lightweight ACID-compliant SQLite database. Supports import/export of UTXO sets, transaction history, snapshots, and complete rollback.

• HD Wallet & Key Management: Generate hierarchical deterministic wallets (CIP-1852), payment/staking keys, and addresses from BIP-39 mnemonics. Supports automatic change address rotation and secure offline key handling.

• Plutus Smart Contract Testing: Run Plutus scripts offline with datum and redeemer inputs. Capture execution logs, CPU and memory steps, error conditions, and simulate outcomes without network risks.

• Native Token Minting & Burning: Simulate the creation and destruction of native assets using both native and Plutus-based minting policies. Supports metadata, fee calculation, and post-mint state inspection.

Visual Overview

Technical Architecture

---

COTS is written in Haskell and built using Stack. It is fully open-source under the MIT license. Developers interact with the tool via a clean CLI with commands such as simulate, validate, export, wallet, utxo, and database.

A persistent SQLite database stores UTXOs, transactions, wallets, protocol parameters, and Plutus script results. Snapshots can be created and restored, enabling reproducible testing and versioned states.

Example Use Cases

---

• Development & Testing: Simulate end-to-end dApp transactions, test fee optimization and UTXO balancing, validate Plutus smart contracts, and experiment with failure conditions.

• Education & Research: Learn the UTXO model in a safe sandbox, teach Cardano CLI concepts without a node, explore smart contract logic offline.

• Auditing & QA: Review Plutus scripts and transaction logic, run reproducible test scenarios, and validate compliance with protocol parameters.

Sample Commands

---

# Initialize a new offline DB

cotscli database init --db-file dev.db



# Import UTXOs

cotscli database import-utxo --db-file dev.db --utxo-file utxos.json



# Build and simulate a transaction

cotscli transaction build --tx-in #0 --tx-out addr_test1...+1000000 --out-file tx.raw

cotscli transaction simulate --tx-file tx.raw --db-file dev.db



# Mint a token

cotscli mint build --tx-in #0 --mint "1000 + policyID.MyToken" --out-file mint.raw

Key Advantages

---

COTS CLI delivers a significant improvement over traditional Cardano CLI-based workflows. The following table highlights the most important differences and advantages:

Licensing and Access

---

COTS is published under the MIT license, with open-source access:

• GitHub: [https://github.com/COTSCLI/COTS](https://github.com/COTSCLI/COTS)](https://github.com/COTSCLI/COTS)

• Documentation: [https://cotscli.com/documentation](https://cotscli.com/documentation)](https://cotscli.com/documentation)

Conclusion

---

COTS CLI empowers Cardano developers with a safe, fast, and extensible environment for simulating blockchain behavior offline. It reduces friction, cost, and complexity, accelerating the path from idea to deployment. It is a critical tool for developers, educators, auditors, and all builders in the Cardano ecosystem.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

The success of the COTS CLI project will bring substantial value to the Cardano community by improving the developer experience, increasing onboarding efficiency, and enabling secure, reproducible testing workflows. The tool directly supports Cardano’s mission of decentralization and open innovation by empowering builders to develop and experiment without depending on centralized infrastructure or funding for test execution.

COTS CLI enables developers to prototype, test, and validate smart contracts, transactions, and token operations entirely offline. This fosters a safer development culture, reduces the barrier to entry, and opens new possibilities for educational use, DevOps integration, and security auditing — all while accelerating product delivery timelines.

Quantitative Measurement

---

We will assess the impact of COTS CLI through a combination of adoption metrics, usage analytics, and external integration signals.

Key indicators will include:

• GitHub stars, forks, and contributors: As an open-source tool, activity on the GitHub repository is a direct reflection of community adoption and developer engagement.

• Download statistics: Via GitHub releases and Homebrew formula (if adopted), to track usage trends over time.

• CLI telemetry (optional, opt-in): Anonymous statistics to measure active usage and popular command patterns.

• Documentation traffic: Page visits, time-on-page, and referral sources from https://cotscli.com/documentation

• Third-party integrations: Number of tools, scripts, or platforms referencing or building upon COTS CLI.

• Bug reports and feature requests: Number and quality of submitted issues and pull requests.

We will also track external mentions such as blog posts, tutorials, or YouTube videos referencing the tool to gauge awareness and community-led education.

Qualitative Measurement

---

Beyond numbers, we will rely on direct user feedback, interviews, and community sentiment to understand how COTS CLI is being used and where its strengths or limitations lie.

Qualitative feedback sources include:

• GitHub discussions and issues

• Catalyst project comments and IdeaScale input

• Feedback from partners and educators using the tool in academic or workshop settings

• Testimonials from auditors or developers reporting time saved or bugs caught thanks to offline simulation

We also plan to host feedback sessions or community calls once the project is more mature.

Output and Knowledge Sharing

---

The COTS CLI project follows a transparent and open development model. All outputs, updates, and learnings will be publicly accessible and community-driven.

Key sharing mechanisms:

• Public GitHub repository: Source code, documentation, changelogs, and community contributions.

• Documentation portal: Clear user manuals and integration guides available at https://cotscli.com/documentation.

• Release notes and blog updates: Shared through GitHub Releases and Medium/Project Catalyst for milestones, major features, or ecosystem integration.

• Community forums and Discord servers: Updates and support through Cardano ecosystem channels and developer groups.

• Conference or workshop materials: We plan to prepare reproducible labs and example scenarios to support offline learning in bootcamps, university courses, and hackathons.

• Developer newsletter (planned): To provide news, feature spotlights, and showcase community projects using COTS CLI.

We intend to make COTS CLI a central part of Cardano's developer toolbox. Success will be measured by whether it becomes a go-to solution for new developers, educators, and auditors who need a fast, safe, and local environment to test Cardano applications.

Long-Term Sustainability

---

All tooling and documentation will be designed for maintainability and extensibility. Because COTS is offline and requires no external server infrastructure, it will remain usable regardless of future Catalyst funding.

We also aim to attract external contributors and contributors from the ecosystem to ensure long-term evolution of the tool. Should the tool reach wide adoption, we will consider formalizing plugin support and governance to make it community-owned.

In summary, the impact of COTS CLI will be measured through real adoption, community contribution, learning outcomes, and tooling integration. It will be shared openly, maintained transparently, and extended collaboratively.

[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?

Uptodate Developers — https://uptodatedevelopers.com Uptodate Developers is fully equipped to deliver the COTS CLI project with a high level of trust, technical expertise, and proven accountability. Our organization combines extensive blockchain experience, deep Cardano protocol knowledge, open-source contribution history, and community leadership to ensure successful and transparent project delivery.

Proven Track Record

---

We have already delivered and deployed high-impact projects on the Cardano mainnet. Our flagship product, Adaex https://adaex.app , integrates mobile money services, Cardano smart contracts, and on-chain identity systems. This real-world implementation validates our ability to architect, build, and launch sophisticated blockchain-based systems at scale.

We are also the creators of CSPoCLI — [https://github.com/UPTODATE-DEV/cspocli](https://github.com/UPTODATE-DEV/cspocli)](https://github.com/UPTODATE-DEV/cspocli) — a professional-grade command-line tool designed to manage secure stake pool wallets for Cardano SPOs. This tool is actively used in the ecosystem and demonstrates our ability to maintain high standards in CLI-based tooling, similar to the nature of the COTS project.

Development Expertise

---

Our company is composed of a multidisciplinary team of 18 experienced developers, specializing in:

• Backend and frontend web development

• Mobile and desktop application development

• Blockchain architecture and protocol engineering

• UX/UI design for developer and end-user tools

We have delivered over 18 successful projects across various domains, including fintech, education, developer tools, and infrastructure. Our ability to integrate traditional systems (e.g., mobile money APIs) with decentralized technologies allows us to innovate quickly and execute complex architectures reliably.

Blockchain and Cardano Experience

---

We have been deeply engaged in blockchain development for over three years, with a strong emphasis on the Cardano ecosystem. Our team’s expertise includes:

• Cardano-node, Plutus, and native token infrastructure

• Smart contract development and testing

• CLI tooling for low-level interaction with Cardano protocol

• Indexing, API integration (Koios, Mesh, Blockfrost), and metadata standards

• UTXO and wallet state modeling, crucial for the simulation engine in COTS

Many of our team members have worked on decentralized finance (DeFi), governance, staking, and wallet technologies across both public and private Cardano projects.

Community Engagement

---

Uptodate Developers is an active member of the global Cardano community:

• We founded Updev Community, which serves over 1,200 French-speaking Cardano developers and enthusiasts.

• Our educational content generates over 4,000 monthly unique visitors and more than 100,000 views annually.

• Our team members have participated in and contributed to multiple Cardano Summits (2021–2024) and online community developer events.

• We host workshops, webinars, and live coding sessions in the Web3 and DeFi space, focused on expanding Cardano awareness in Africa and globally.

Our leadership includes Cardano Ambassadors, actively promoting the ecosystem through open-source tools, educational outreach, and technical support for other projects.

Governance and Accountability

---

We apply rigorous project and financial management practices across all our Catalyst-funded and customer-facing projects. These include:

• Transparent budgeting and milestone planning

• Secure, auditable fund tracking

• Progress reporting through public GitHub repositories and community updates

• Independent review and code audit procedures

We have a track record of delivering value under tight constraints and continuously iterate based on community and stakeholder feedback.

Validation of Feasibility

---

The COTS CLI project benefits from significant prior R&D. Our team has already delivered several core components independently in other contexts, such as:

• HD wallet and key derivation (used in CSPoCLI)

• Transaction construction and CLI export formatting

• SQLite-based UTXO state models

• CLI interfaces with hierarchical command structures and argument parsing

To validate technical feasibility and alignment with user needs:

• We will rely on Koios, Ogmios, and Cardano CLI specs to ensure protocol compliance

• Early alpha versions of the COTS tool will be released on GitHub to collect community feedback

• We will conduct internal simulations using production-like scripts from real dApp use cases and stress test with hundreds of UTXOs, assets, and wallets

• Collaboration with Cardano SPOs, auditors, and Plutus educators will help refine usability and stability

• Public documentation, reproducible scripts, and examples will validate the tool’s value for training and audits

In addition, we have already established internal tooling and CI/CD workflows to ensure regular builds, test coverage, and packaging.

Conclusion

---

Uptodate Developers — https://uptodatedevelopers.com combines deep technical capability, operational discipline, and community trust. Our track record with Adaex, CSPoCLI, and ecosystem education demonstrates that we are not only capable of delivering COTS CLI, but of ensuring that it becomes a long-term asset to the Cardano developer ecosystem. Our approach balances innovation with practicality and accountability with open governance — key principles aligned with Cardano’s values.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Milestone #1: Core Simulation Engine & Wallet Integration

Milestone Outputs

• Offline transaction simulation engine (fee/min-UTXO logic).

• Persistent SQLite database for UTXO state and wallet tracking.

• CLI commands:

  • init, build, simulate, import-utxo, export-tx

  • wallet create, address generate, key derive

• HD wallet system (BIP-39 + CIP-1852)

• Mainnet/testnet address generation and key handling.

• Exportable transactions in Cardano CLI and Koios JSON formats.

Acceptance Criteria

• User can create a wallet and simulate a transaction without network access.

• Fees and UTXO behavior simulate accurately per Cardano protocol specs.

• Wallet and UTXO data persist and reload via database.

• Each command includes built-in help and error handling.

• Unit tests pass on wallet, fee calculation, and tx validation.

Evidence of Completion

• Open-source code pushed to GitHub (MIT License)

• Detailed developer documentation on [https://cotscli.com/documentation](https://cotscli.com/documentation)](https://cotscli.com/documentation)

• Release of CLI binary (v0.1.0-alpha)

• CLI help command output for all included features

• Usage examples and test UTXO files in examples/

Delivery Month

1

Cost

5000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Milestone #2: Smart Contract (Plutus) Simulation & Debugging Tools

Milestone Outputs

• Plutus script execution engine (offline)

• CLI commands:

  • script run, script simulate, script debug

• Support for datum, redeemer, and script context inputs.

• CPU/memory usage estimation per script

• Logging of evaluation steps and failure traces

• Simulation of failure modes and error analysis

Acceptance Criteria

• User can run a Plutus script offline with valid inputs and simulate results.

• Correct CPU/memory estimation based on protocol parameters.

• Evaluation logs include step-by-step debugging trace.

• Script errors are clearly logged with context for troubleshooting.

• Example scripts included for both passing and failing scenarios.

Evidence of Completion

• Updated source code on GitHub with smart contract engine

• Plutus script examples in /contracts/ and testing CLI scenarios

• Passes functional test suite covering successful and failed script evaluations

• Screenshots or terminal logs from real simulation sessions

• Release of CLI version v0.2.0 with smart contract features

Delivery Month

2

Cost

5000

Progress

50 %

Milestone Title

Milestone #3: Token Minting, Web Documentation & Community Rollout

Milestone Outputs

• Native asset minting and burning simulation

• CLI commands:

  • mint build, mint simulate, burn simulate

• Support for native scripts and Plutus-based policies

• Metadata and multi-asset transaction handling

• Public documentation site (Markdown + API references)

• Community onboarding demos and examples

• Initial Twitter and GitHub community presence

Acceptance Criteria

• User can simulate minting/burning operations using CLI.

• Policy IDs and metadata are validated before tx export.

• Multi-asset transactions are correctly structured in simulation.

• Docs site is live and includes command guides and architecture diagrams.

• Community access to CLI binary, quickstart guides, and tutorial scripts.

Evidence of Completion

• GitHub repo updated with minting modules and examples

• Live documentation at [https://cotscli.com/documentation](https://cotscli.com/documentation)](https://cotscli.com/documentation)

• Release v1.0.0 of COTS CLI with asset and contract support

• Public tweet/thread announcing release and features

• Demo walkthroughs shared via GitHub or Loom/Youtube links

Delivery Month

3

Cost

5000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Milestone #4: Full System Testing, Validation & Release Candidate

Milestone Outputs

• End-to-end test cases covering:

  • Wallet creation, UTXO imports, transaction build/simulate/export

  • Smart contract execution with datum/redeemer inputs

  • Native token minting and burning simulations

• Functional tests for all CLI commands

• Regression testing for SQLite persistence, error handling, and edge cases

• Release Candidate (RC) version packaged for all platforms

• Community feedback collection strategy for beta testers

Acceptance Criteria

• All commands are fully tested in isolation and in complete workflows.

• Test coverage >85% across modules (wallet, tx, script, token).

• DB snapshots are correctly restored and validated in tests.

• RC build installs and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

• Feedback form or issue template made available for users to report bugs and suggestions.

Evidence of Completion

• Published test suite on GitHub with make test or equivalent runner

• Test reports or coverage badges included in the repository

• RC package downloadable from GitHub Releases (v1.0.0-rc)

• Documentation includes “Testing Guide” and “Known Issues”

• Collected feedback from 5+ external testers or contributors

Delivery Month

4

Cost

5000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Total Funding Requested: 20,000 ₳

Project Duration: 4 months

Number of Milestones: 4

---

Allocation Summary

1. Development & Engineering – 11,000 ₳

Development of the core CLI system, including:

• Offline transaction simulation engine
• Wallet and key management (HD wallets, UTXO tracking)
• Minting and burning features
• Export functions to Cardano CLI and Koios-compatible formats

This work represents the foundation of COTS and covers all functional modules.

---

2. Plutus Contract Simulation – 2,000 ₳

Build and integrate a local smart contract testing engine:

• Offline Plutus execution
• Datum and redeemer input handling
• CPU and memory estimation
• Execution tracing and error output

This allows developers to safely test contracts without needing mainnet/testnet interaction.

---

3. Documentation – 1,500 ₳

Creation of a complete documentation suite:

• CLI command references and user manuals
• Developer onboarding tutorials
• Hosting via GitHub and cotscli.com%5D(https://cotscli.com/documentation))

Ensures smooth community adoption and long-term sustainability of the project.

---

4. Quality Assurance – 1,500 ₳

Rigorous internal testing and validation:

• Unit and regression testing
• UTXO replay testing
• Smart contract logic validation
• Continuous integration and protocol compliance verification

Maintains robustness and security across releases.

---

5. Project Management – 2,000 ₳

Structured coordination and delivery planning:

• Agile sprint planning and timeline supervision
• Team accountability and milestone tracking
• Public updates and Catalyst reporting

Ensures the project progresses on schedule and delivers measurable outcomes.

---

6. Community Integration & Delivery – 2,000 ₳

Public access and user onboarding:

• GitHub repository management
• Discord community setup and moderation
• Hosting and domain services (cotscli.com)
• CLI binary distribution and versioning
• Feedback channels and support documentation

Drives adoption and collaboration within the Cardano ecosystem.

---

Total Budget: 20,000 ₳

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

COTS CLI represents exceptional value for money by delivering high-impact, developer-focused infrastructure at a minimal cost to the Cardano ecosystem. The entire toolset is built to operate fully offline, eliminating dependency on network resources or costly third-party APIs. With a total funding request of only 20,000 ₳, the return on investment is immediate and long-lasting in several ways:

1. Reusability and Open Access

All components of COTS will be released under the MIT open-source license, ensuring that any developer, auditor, educator, or team in the Cardano ecosystem can freely use, extend, or integrate the tool. This creates a compounding effect—lowering the cost and effort for future projects across the ecosystem.

2. Developer Productivity Boost

By eliminating the need to run a local node, obtain testnet ADA, or wait for block confirmations, COTS significantly accelerates development cycles. Developers can test, validate, and iterate faster, reducing project costs and timelines across multiple dApp and smart contract projects.

3. Strategic Focus on Core Infrastructure

Instead of spreading budget across marketing or superficial features, COTS channels funding directly into mission-critical tooling:

• Transaction simulation

• Wallet & UTXO management

• Plutus contract testing

• CLI usability and export tooling

These are foundational building blocks needed by every Cardano developer team.

4. Long-Term Community Benefit

Through GitHub publishing, structured documentation, and community onboarding (Discord, website), the project ensures that the ecosystem benefits well beyond the funded timeline. The tool will continue to support developers, educators, and new contributors to Cardano indefinitely.

5. High Technical Value at Low Cost

Compared to the development costs of similar devtool infrastructure in other ecosystems, COTS offers a complete local test environment for a fraction of the price. No additional infrastructure, servers, or blockchain nodes are required to use it.

6. Efficient Team Structure

COTS is being delivered by a small, experienced, and specialized team focused on CLI tools and blockchain infrastructure. This lean execution model minimizes overhead and ensures nearly every ADA requested is used for direct development output.

Conclusion

With its low cost, strong open-source impact, and direct alignment with Cardano's technical growth, COTS CLI delivers exceptional value for money and serves as a multiplier for ecosystem innovation.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes