Frictionless Onboarding: Open-Source Web2 Login to Wallet

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

Frictionless Onboarding: Open-Source Web2 Login to Wallet

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

50000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

3

[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's adoption is hampered by technical impediments that can discourage traditional users. Devs waste time rebuilding the same complex social login bridges, slowing innovation and user adoption.

[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

The project will be fully open source and released under the extremely permissive MIT license.

[Theme Selection] Theme

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

Authentication

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

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

License: MIT License.

Rationale: We chose the MIT license for its maximum freedom and simplicity. It allows developers to use this code in any project—including commercial and closed-source applications—without complex legal obligations or restrictions. This permissive approach removes barriers to adoption and encourages the widest possible use across the entire Cardano ecosystem. Our goal is to empower all builders, and the MIT license is the best way to achieve that.

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

The full source code will be made public in a GitHub repository on the first day of the funding period. We will immediately announce the launch of the repository and our project roadmap across key Cardano community channels to ensure broad visibility. All future development will be conducted transparently through public pull requests, and we will post regular progress reports to keep the community fully informed of our milestones and achievements.

How will you provide high quality documentation?

Our documentation will be comprehensive and multi-layered.

For Users: We will create a detailed README.md file that covers installation, configuration, and API usage. To support all learning styles, we will also produce step-by-step videos and written tutorials demonstrating a complete integration.

For Contributors: A CONTRIBUTING.md file will clearly explain our development workflow and coding standards. The code itself will be thoroughly commented to ensure it is easy to understand, maintain, and extend. This makes the project easy to use and easy to contribute to.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

I propose to develop and release a production-ready, open-source backend that serves as a seamless bridge between familiar Web2 logins and the Cardano ecosystem.

This tool directly solves two major problems: the high-friction onboarding that deters new users, and the repetitive, complex development work that slows down our builders.

To understand the power of this solution, consider a real-world use case:

The Scenario: A new Web3 mobile game launches on Cardano. All in-game items—like characters, skins, and power-ups—are NFTs. To play, the game must verify which assets belong to the user by checking their Cardano wallet.

The Problem (The Traditional Approach):

For a typical Web2 gamer, the barrier to entry is immense. They are asked to leave the game, go to an app store, download a third-party wallet, write down a 24-word seed phrase, and then perform a "wallet verification" transaction. This is a daunting, multi-step technical hurdle that results in massive player drop-off before they even start playing.

The Solution (The Frictionless Approach):

With my backend, the game's developer can simply add "Login with Google" or "Login with X" buttons.

1. A new player clicks a button they already know and trust.
2. They complete the familiar social login flow.
3. Behind the scenes, our backend instantly provisions a dedicated, managed Cardano wallet for that user, securely linking it to their social account identity.

The player is now in the game and ready to play, completely unaware of the complex blockchain operations they just bypassed. The game can now interact with their new wallet to verify NFT ownership and manage assets.

The core technical challenges of this workflow have already been solved in a robust proof of concept (POC). This funding will allow me to transform that proven solution into a hardened, secure, and meticulously documented asset, ready for any developer to deploy with confidence. Let's turn a critical adoption roadblock into a reusable, plug-and-play component for the entire community!

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

The positive impact of this project is direct, measurable, and aligns perfectly with Cardano's growth strategy. If we (as the Cardano ecosystem) fund this proposal, it will act as a catalyst for both developer activity and user adoption.

1. For Developers: Accelerated Innovation. This tool will save development teams hundreds of hours. By providing a ready-made, secure solution for the complex task of user authentication and wallet creation, we liberate developers to focus on what truly matters: the unique features and value proposition of their dApps. This directly translates to more projects shipping faster.
2. For New Users: Frictionless Onboarding. We are transforming a complex, multi-step process that often confuses newcomers into a single, familiar click. This drastically lowers the barrier to entry, making Cardano applications more accessible and appealing to a mainstream, non-crypto-native audience.
3. For the Ecosystem: A Network Effect. Easier onboarding and faster development cycles will lead to more applications being built on Cardano. More applications attract more users, which in turn makes Cardano a more attractive platform for the next wave of builders. This project is a foundational piece of infrastructure designed to help ignite that positive feedback loop.

[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?

Capabilities & Trust:

My capability to deliver this project is backed by a deep foundation of technical expertise and a proven track record of community trust and successful delivery within the Cardano ecosystem.

I am an IT professional with nearly 30 years of experience as a developer and systems engineer, with a recent focus on game development. My commitment to Cardano is demonstrated through my actions. In 2022, I co-founded the European Cardano Community (ECC), successfully securing funding in Fund10 and Fund11 to build a vibrant community hub. We host regular town halls, multi-language X spaces, and in-person events, including the Intersect Constitutional Event I hosted in Bologna, Italy.

Most importantly, I have a direct history of delivering on my promises to Catalyst. In Fund12, my proposal to build an NMKR SDK for the Godot game engine was approved. That project was successfully delivered and is now available in Godot's official asset library, complete with an open-source example game. Link to Fund12 Project: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/12/cardano-open-developers/nmkr-sdk-for-godot

Feasibility Validation:

The feasibility of my technical approach is not a matter of speculation; it has already been validated. I have built a robust proof of concept that successfully integrates OAuth 2.0 social logins with the NMKR API to create Cardano wallets on the fly.

This project is therefore exceptionally low-risk. The funding is not for exploring an unproven idea, but for the well-defined process of hardening, testing, documenting, and releasing a proven solution for the benefit of the entire developer community.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Production Hardening & v1.0 Release

Milestone Outputs

1. A public GitHub repository containing the initial source code, refactored from the current working POC.
2. The integration of the first highly requested OAuth providers (Google) into the backend.
3. Detailed README.md documentation covering installation and API usage.
4. The official v1.0 release of the backend, published on GitHub with a clear MIT License.

Acceptance Criteria

• The GitHub repository is public and accessible.
• The README.md covers all the current features and is published in the repository.
• A CONTRIBUTING.md file with guidelines for community contributors.
• A formal v1.0 release is tagged on GitHub.

Evidence of Completion

• A direct link to the public GitHub repository.
• A link to the final README.md file within the repository.
• A link to a brief video showing what has been delivered (login example)

Delivery Month

1

Cost

25000

Progress

50 %

Milestone Title

Feature Expansion & Community Engagement

Milestone Outputs

1. Integration of at least two additional, highly requested OAuth providers (e.g., X/Twitter, Discord) into the backend.
2. A more detailed video tutorial is published on a public platform like YouTube, walking developers through the entire setup and integration process.
3. Complete documentation is published in the README.md file.
4. A dedicated public support channel (e.g., Discord channel or GitHub Discussions) for community questions and feedback.

Acceptance Criteria

• The code for the new OAuth provider integrations has been successfully merged into the main branch of the GitHub repository.
• The video tutorial and documentation (README.md file) are publicly accessible online.
• The community support channel is live and linked from the project's README.md.

Evidence of Completion

• Links to the specific pull requests or code commits that add the new features.
• Direct links to the published video tutorial and documentation.
• A link to the newly created public support channel.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

15000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Final Report & Project Close-out

Milestone Outputs

1. A detailed project close-out report in PDF format, summarizing the work completed, challenges faced, and lessons learned.
2. A concise close-out video (~3-5 minutes) summarizing the project's journey, its final state, and its value to the Cardano ecosystem.

Acceptance Criteria

• The close-out report is comprehensive, detailed, and addresses all required points.
• The report is submitted to the Catalyst team.
• The close-out video is published on a public platform like YouTube.

Evidence of Completion

• A downloadable copy of the final PDF close-out report.
• A public link to the final close-out video.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

10000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

The total requested budget of 50,000 ADA covers the focused, part-time development effort of a single senior developer over an accelerated 3-month project duration.

The cost breakdown is based on a total of 200 hours of work at a rate of 250 ADA per hour, reflecting the senior-level expertise required for software architecture, security hardening, and technical documentation.

The work is allocated across the 3-month schedule as follows:

Month 1: Production Hardening & v1.0 Release (100 hours)

• Activity: Intensive core development, extensive testing, and creating foundational documentation.
• Cost: 100 hours @ 250 ADA/hour = 25,000 ADA

Month 2: Feature Expansion & Community Engagement (60 hours)

• Activity: Integrating new providers, creating high-quality video/blog tutorials, and establishing support channels.
• Cost: 60 hours @ 250 ADA/hour = 15,000 ADA

Month 3: Support, Maintenance & Final Reporting (40 hours)

• Activity: Providing initial community support, bug fixes, and preparing the final close-out report and video.
• Cost: 40 hours @ 250 ADA/hour = 10,000 ADA

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

This proposal offers exceptional value for money by acting as a high-leverage investment in the Cardano developer ecosystem, with an impact that far exceeds its cost.

1. Accelerated Delivery & Multiplier Effect:

The accelerated 3-month timeline means the community gets this foundational tool faster. The 50,000 ADA funds a reusable asset that will be immediately available. If just 10 development teams use this tool, they could each save 100+ hours of work. This represents over 250,000 ADA worth of development effort saved across the ecosystem in the near term—a direct 5x return on investment.

2. Creation of a Permanent Public Good:

The treasury pays once for a concentrated 3-month effort, but the community benefits indefinitely. The final product will be a free, MIT-licensed tool available to any developer, forever. This is a highly efficient way to build sustainable public infrastructure.

3. Low-Risk, High-Trust Investment:

The cost includes the assurance of rapid execution by a trusted community member with a proven history of delivering a funded Catalyst project (F12 Godot SDK) on time. This significantly de-risks the investment and guarantees a high-quality outcome.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes