No Witness - Ghost Codec the Hardhat of Cardano

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

No Witness - Ghost Codec the Hardhat of Cardano

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

97600

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

5

[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 developers face months-long onboarding due to fragmented tooling.

There is no unified development environment like Ethereum's Hardhat, creating barriers to Cardano developer adoption.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://nowitnesslabs.com/
,
• https://hardhat.org/
,
• https://github.com/no-witness-labs

[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

Fully open source under MIT license since day one

[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.

This project will be fully open source under MIT license from day one.

We believe all developer tooling should be open source which helps teams build new products, but also improve and develop tooling by collaboration

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

Our project will be open source from day on at:

https://github.com/no-witness-labs

We will also be sharing all development and updates regularly on our X account:

https://x.com/nowitnesslabs

How will you provide high quality documentation?

Jonathan, lead developer is taking all the lessons learned from creating Lucid Evolution library and applying them to this project to have high quality documentation having in mind developers transitioning to Cardano as well as those that have been building here for years.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Ghost Codec solves Cardano's developer tooling fragmentation by smartly integrating proven ecosystem components into a unified TypeScript development platform.

Instead of rebuilding everything from scratch, our core architecture wraps existing mature tools like the Aiken compiler, evolution-sdk transaction library, and private testnet management behind a clean API layer. This eliminates the usual configuration headaches while keeping full functionality intact.

Project setup becomes straightforward through template-based scaffolding. The CLI generates pre-configured development environments with Aiken smart contract sources, TypeScript off-chain integration code, comprehensive testing frameworks, and automated deployment pipelines. We provide templates for common patterns like DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, and governance mechanisms so developers can hit the ground running.

The development workflow integrates compilation and testing across the full stack seamlessly. File system watchers automatically trigger Aiken compilation when you save changes. TypeScript modules interface directly with evolution-sdk for transaction construction and submission. The testing harness combines Aiken's property-based testing with TypeScript integration tests, giving you unified coverage reporting and debugging capabilities.

Local development environments handle complex infrastructure management through containerized services. Docker orchestration manages private Cardano networks with pre-configured genesis parameters and pre-funded development accounts, so you don't need to worry about node setup. Transaction simulation enables off-chain validation and debugging before network submission. Smart contract deployment automation handles script compilation, UTXO management, and metadata attachment automatically.

The deployment pipeline provides environment-agnostic contract publication with configuration management that abstracts network-specific parameters while maintaining security best practices. Automated verification processes ensure contract integrity across environments, and integration with existing Cardano infrastructure enables seamless testnet and mainnet deployment workflows.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

Ghost Codec addresses documented developer experience challenges in the Cardano ecosystem through improved tooling integration.

Developer onboarding represents a measurable pain point, with community surveys identifying tooling fragmentation as a primary barrier. If successful, Ghost Codec could reduce setup complexity, though actual adoption will depend on developer reception and tool reliability. The platform may lower barriers for developers familiar with TypeScript ecosystems who currently avoid Cardano due to unfamiliar toolchains.

Educational applications present practical opportunities. Teaching Cardano development currently requires significant setup time that limits classroom effectiveness. A unified development environment could make Cardano more viable for academic curricula, though this depends on institutional adoption patterns and curriculum flexibility.

Existing developers face real productivity challenges managing multiple disconnected tools. Ghost Codec attempts to streamline these workflows, which could improve development efficiency if the integration proves stable and comprehensive. However, experienced developers may prefer existing tools or find migration costs prohibitive.

Enterprise evaluation processes often compare development complexity across blockchains. Providing familiar TypeScript workflows could influence technology selection decisions, though enterprise adoption depends on many factors beyond developer tooling, including ecosystem maturity and business requirements.

Open source contribution patterns suggest that standardized development environments can reduce participation barriers. If Ghost Codec achieves wide adoption, it might enable more consistent contribution patterns across Cardano projects, though community acceptance of standardization remains uncertain.

[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?

No Witness Labs is founded by seasoned blockchain developers with a proven track record of delivering high-quality, impactful open-source tools and protocols in the Cardano ecosystem.

Our co-founder, Jonathan Rodriguez, is the creator and lead maintainer of Evolution SDK—the next generation of the widely adopted Lucid—which has become a cornerstone for off-chain transaction building on Cardano. His work has enabled countless developers to rapidly build, test, and deploy Cardano dApps with improved developer experience and reliability.

Our team collectively has extensive experience building both open-source and production-grade blockchain solutions. Members have contributed to many ecosystem projects and several protocol-level designs including cross-chain bridges, staking systems, and Layer 2 frameworks.

No.Witness Labs operates with transparency and accountability as core principles and all significant of our work is developed open-source, ensuring community visibility, code review, and independent audit potential.

Our deep experience, combined with a proven history of delivering developer-focused infrastructure, ensures that No Witness Labs can execute this project with the highest standards of trust, transparency, and technical excellence.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Foundation & CLI Development

Milestone Outputs

1. CLI scaffold generating projects with Aiken contracts, TS off-chain code, configs, and CI boilerplate
2. Aiken integration: automatic compile/watch, errors surfaced in CLI with clear diagnostics
3. Starter d:cumentation including:

• Quickstart + project structure guide + minimal API reference
• example “hello-contract” template.

Acceptance Criteria

1. Demo showcasing how to run ghost-codec to compile Aiken and start the dev flow
2. CI (Linux/Mac/Windows, Node LTS) green
3. sample template builds and runs end-to-end.
4. v0.1.0 pre-release published

Evidence of Completion

1. GitHub commits and v0.1.0 tag
2. Short demo video showing the process from init to compile.
3. Documentation URL with Quickstart and project layout screenshots.

Delivery Month

1

Cost

25000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Transaction Integration

Milestone Outputs

1. evolution-sdk integration with typed helpers for building/submitting txs and parameter config.
2. Local dev server + hot reload. This recompiles contracts, restarts services, and refreshes frontend on file changes.
3. Starter patterns: templates for payments, simple NFT mint, and a minimal DeFi interaction.

Acceptance Criteria

1. From scaffold, a developer can submit a testnet tx using evolution-sdk helpers
2. Logs show tx hash and confirmation
3. Hot-reload updates contract & TS code without manual restarts
4. v0.2.0 release with 3 runnable templates

Evidence of Completion

1. Commit for v0.2.0 tag
2. Demo video showcasing the process going from edit the code to recompiling it and finally submitting the transaction and getting confirmation

Delivery Month

2

Cost

25000

Progress

50 %

Milestone Title

Testing Framework & Local Network

Milestone Outputs

1. Unified test runner, a single command executes Aiken property tests and TypeScript integration tests with one report.
2. Private testnet automation, a one-command local Cardano network (Docker) with pre-funded wallets and auto-deploy.
3. Fixtures & mocks: deterministic datasets, wallet/UTxO fixtures, and example CI recipes for PR validation.

Acceptance Criteria

1. ghost-codec test runs and fails fast with clear tracebacks
2. ghost-codec nlaunches local network in less than 2 minutes
3. sample contracts auto-deployed and faucet available
4. v0.3.0 release with examples

Evidence of Completion

1. Repo can be found at https://github.com/no-witness-labs
2. Screenshots of test outputs and local testnet startup.
3. Demo video showing how to
   1. spin up testnet
   2. run tests
   3. inspect results.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

30000

Progress

90 %

Milestone Title

Production Readiness & Documentation

Milestone Outputs

1. Complete documentation with guides, troubleshooting, and starter templates gallery.
2. Closeout report showcasing lessons learned
3. Video closeout report showcasing a demo of usage all the way from starting the testnet, runing tests and inspect results

Acceptance Criteria

1. ghost-codec deploy performs end-to-end publish
2. Docmentation site includes Release Notes, Production Checklist, Security considerations; quickstart to deploy.
3. Final v1.0.0 released
4. Closeout report and video closeout has lessons learned and demo of usage

Evidence of Completion

1. Link to GitHub v1.0.0 release can be found at https://github.com/no-witness-labs
2. Documentation URL can be found at https://github.com/no-witness-labs with screenshots/GIFs of deployment flow and templates gallery.
3. Closeout report can be found at https://github.com/no-witness-labs

Delivery Month

4

Cost

17600

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

The total budget for the proposed project is estimated at 100,000 ADA, equivalent to 95,000 USD at the current ADA price of 0.95 USD. This plan is designed to efficiently deliver the project within 5 months, ensuring quality while addressing all cost considerations.

Senior Developer:

Hiring one senior developer is essential for the successful completion of the project within the specified timeframe. His expertise will be crucial for delivering high-quality code.

Senior developers' rate: Range from 80-120 USD per hour.

Estimated Total Cost in ADA (5 months):

80 USD/hour: For one developer working full-time (40 hours per week for 5 months), the total cost per developer would be 64,000 USD, equivalent to 67.300 ADA.

Junior Developer:

Hiring two junior developers is needed for detailed documentation of the project within the specified timeframe. Two developers would be needed to write documentation that will cover all aspects of the library and prepare it for future use

Junior developers' rate: Range from 40-60 USD per hour.

Estimated Total Cost in ADA (5 months):

40 USD/hour: For two developers working full-time (40 hours per week for 5 months), the total cost would be 32,000 USD, equivalent to 33,600 ADA.

Thus, hiring two developers at the 80 USD/hour rate and 40 USD/hour rate will collectively cost approximately 97,600 ADA over the full project duration.

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

We see Ghost Codec representing value for the Cardano ecosystem in three different areas:

• With Ghost Codec we would like to bring onboarding from weeks down to days and saving huge amount of time for teams building on Cardano.

By building with TS and catering big pool of developers where they are, Ghost Codec expands Cardano’s contributor base. The architecture is modular, so new compilers, providers, or patterns can be plugged in with near-zero friction.

• Lowering risk through standardization and tests by having a unified workflow with templates, opinionated CI, and integrated tests preventing common misconfigurations and failures

• Education and enterprise leverage for universities and bootcamps by having a turnkey environment. Also enterprises evaluating chains can benchmark Cardano with a familiar, professional DX.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes