[Proposal setup] Proposal title
Please provide your proposal title
Visual Aiken Smart Contract Builder (No-Code Platform)
[Proposal Summary] Budget Information
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
75000
[Proposal Summary] Time
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
7
[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?
Non-technical entrepreneurs and small businesses cannot deploy smart contracts due to complex programming, limiting Cardano accessibility.
[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation
Supporting links
[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 dependancies
[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
Open Source Licensing: All platform components will be released under MIT license for maximum community contribution and ecosystem development.
[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.
All platform components will be released under MIT license for maximum community contribution and ecosystem development, chosen for its permissive nature allowing commercial use and derivatives while encouraging widespread adoption.
How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?
All source code will be hosted on public GitHub repositories from project inception with regular commits, comprehensive documentation, and community announcements through Catalyst channels to ensure transparency and enable ongoing community review and contributions throughout development
How will you provide high quality documentation?
We will provide comprehensive documentation including detailed API references, step-by-step user guides, video tutorials, code examples, and developer onboarding materials, maintained through structured documentation frameworks and regular community feedback to ensure clarity and completeness for both technical and non-technical users.
[Your Project and Solution] Solution
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Cardano's technical barriers prevent non-technical innovators from building blockchain applications. Current smart contract development requires months of learning Aiken/Plutus, deterring entrepreneurs, DAOs, and small businesses from leveraging blockchain technology.
Our visual builder democratizes smart contract development through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Users select pre-built components (voting mechanisms, token distribution, escrow logic) and visually connect them to create custom contracts. The platform generates clean Aiken code in real-time with syntax highlighting, allowing technical review while maintaining accessibility.
Core Features
Essential Components:
- Visual drag-and-drop interface for contract creation
- Real-time Aiken code generation with syntax highlighting
- Basic template library with common contract patterns
- One-click deployment to testnet/mainnet with cost estimation
- Security warnings for risky operations
Target Market
The platform targets:
- Entrepreneurs building blockchain businesses without technical teams
- DAOs creating basic governance systems
- Educational institutions teaching blockchain development concepts
- Small businesses exploring blockchain integration
This significantly lowers barriers to Cardano adoption while maintaining security through validated templates and automated security checks.
[Your Project and Solution] Impact
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
Ecosystem Benefits
This platform will democratize Cardano smart contract development, enabling non-technical users to build blockchain applications and expanding the developer ecosystem.
Success Metrics
- We'll measure impact through:
- User adoption: Platform registration and active usage
- Contract deployments: Successfully deployed contracts
- Educational effectiveness: Tutorial completion and user engagement
- Community growth: Template contributions and feedback
Long-term Value
Success indicators include reduced contract creation complexity, positive user feedback, and increased Cardano smart contract activity. The platform creates lasting ecosystem value by establishing new developer onboarding pathways and expanding Cardano's addressable market beyond technical users.
We'll share outputs through open-source core components and basic template library for community contributions. Integration potential with existing development tools supports long-term sustainability.
[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?
Team Expertise
John Ndigirigi brings proven Cardano smart contract development expertise essential for building code generation engines. As SSI expert and Hyperledger Identus contributor, I understand both complex blockchain concepts and the need to make them accessible to non-technical users.
Completed Catalyst proposals demonstrate reliable delivery and fund management for complex projects. As a Cardano Tutor in the African Blockchain Championship, I have experience creating innovative, practical blockchain solutions that serve real user needs.
Professional Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ndigirigijohn/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/ndigirigi__john
Technical Approach
The technical approach is highly feasible using established web technologies (React, Node.js) combined with Cardano's development tools. We'll validate through:
- Iterative development with user feedback
- Security validation of generated contracts
- Testing with Cardano developer communities
- Comprehensive testing environments
Risk Mitigation
Risk mitigation includes starting with proven contract patterns, comprehensive testing environments, and community feedback on template quality and security.
Open Source Licensing: Core platform components will be released under MIT license for maximum community contribution and ecosystem development.
[Milestones] Project Milestones
Milestone Title
Platform Architecture & Basic Interface
Milestone Outputs
- Platform architecture and basic visual interface design with fundamental drag-and-drop components for smart contract creation enabling users to understand the development workflow
- Basic Aiken code generation engine with simple template processing and syntax highlighting providing users with immediate feedback on their visual contract designs
- User authentication system with secure login and basic project management allowing users to save their work and access projects across different sessions
- Responsive web interface with essential navigation and user experience elements ensuring accessibility across desktop and mobile devices for broad user compatibility
Acceptance Criteria
- Working visual interface with basic drag-and-drop functionality enabling users to place and connect simple contract components through intuitive interactions and visual feedback
- Simple Aiken code generation for basic contract patterns with syntax highlighting showing users the generated code and helping them understand smart contract structure
- User registration and login system with secure authentication and basic project storage allowing users to create accounts and save their contract development progress
- Responsive design with consistent functionality across desktop and mobile browsers ensuring users can access the platform from various devices and screen sizes
Evidence of Completion
- Live demo of basic visual interface showcasing drag-and-drop functionality and user interaction capabilities accessible for testing and community feedback collection
- Generated Aiken code examples demonstrating basic code generation capabilities with clean output following Cardano development standards and best practices for readability
- User authentication system with secure registration and login functionality demonstrating reliable account management and basic project storage capabilities for user convenience
- Platform architecture documentation with technical specifications and development progress tracking showing systematic approach to building scalable and maintainable codebase
Delivery Month
2
Cost
20000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Templates & Code Generation
Milestone Outputs
- Pre-built contract templates for essential use cases including voting mechanisms, basic escrow systems, and simple token operations with clear documentation and usage examples
- Advanced code generation engine with improved validation and error checking ensuring generated contracts compile correctly and meet Cardano development standards for deployment
- Syntax highlighting and basic validation tools providing users with real-time feedback on their contract logic and helping identify potential issues before deployment
- Template customization system allowing users to modify existing templates and adapt them to their specific requirements while maintaining code quality and security
Acceptance Criteria
- Five working contract templates covering common use cases with thorough testing and validation ensuring reliability and proper functionality for user deployment scenarios
- Enhanced Aiken code generation with error checking and validation ensuring all generated contracts compile successfully and function according to user specifications and requirements
- Basic cost estimation for contract deployment helping users understand transaction fees and make informed decisions about deploying their contracts to testnet or mainnet
- Template modification system enabling users to customize existing templates and create variations suited to their specific business needs and development requirements
Evidence of Completion
- Template library with functional contracts demonstrating various use cases and applications accessible through the platform interface for user selection and customization
- Code generation testing results showing successful compilation and validation across different contract types with comprehensive error handling and quality assurance documentation
- Template customization demonstrations showing user modification capabilities and flexibility in adapting existing templates to meet diverse project requirements and business needs
- Documentation and user guides explaining template usage and customization options with clear instructions for effective platform utilization and contract development
Delivery Month
4
Cost
25000
Progress
60 %
Milestone Title
Deployment & Security
Milestone Outputs
- Deployment functionality for testnet and mainnet with basic integration to Cardano blockchain networks enabling users to deploy their generated contracts successfully
- Wallet integration with major Cardano wallets including Eternl and Nami providing users with convenient and secure transaction processing capabilities for contract deployment
- Basic security analysis tools with vulnerability detection providing users with essential safety guidance and security recommendations for responsible contract deployment
- User documentation and tutorials explaining platform functionality and blockchain concepts helping users understand smart contract development and deployment processes effectively
Acceptance Criteria
- Functional contract deployment to Cardano testnet and mainnet with successful transaction processing and contract activation verified through blockchain network confirmation
- Integration with popular Cardano wallets ensuring reliable connectivity and transaction processing for contract deployment and basic interaction with deployed contracts
- Basic security warnings and vulnerability detection providing users with safety guidance and development recommendations for secure and responsible contract deployment
- User documentation with tutorials covering platform usage and basic blockchain concepts helping users effectively utilize the platform and understand smart contract fundamentals
Evidence of Completion
- Successful contract deployments with verified blockchain transactions demonstrating platform functionality and reliable integration with Cardano network infrastructure for user contracts
- Wallet integration demonstrations showing connectivity with popular Cardano wallets and successful transaction processing for contract deployment and basic contract interactions
- Security analysis documentation showing vulnerability detection capabilities and safety recommendations providing users with guidance for secure development and deployment practices
- Published user guides and educational content providing comprehensive instructions and blockchain education for effective platform usage and smart contract understanding
Delivery Month
6
Cost
20000
Progress
80 %
Milestone Title
Platform Polish & Launch
Milestone Outputs
- Basic template marketplace enabling users to discover and share contract templates created within the platform community fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Platform launch with community outreach and marketing efforts to establish initial user base and promote adoption among target audiences interested in blockchain development
- Performance optimization ensuring platform operates efficiently and reliably under normal usage conditions providing users with smooth and responsive development experience
- Community feedback system allowing users to provide input on platform functionality and suggest improvements for future development and feature enhancement
Acceptance Criteria
- Working template marketplace with basic sharing and discovery functionality allowing community members to contribute and access contract templates for collaborative development
- Public platform launch with initial user adoption demonstrating successful community engagement and platform accessibility for target audiences and potential users
- Platform performance optimization ensuring stable functionality and reliable operation under typical usage scenarios with consistent user experience and system responsiveness
- Community feedback collection system enabling user input and suggestions for platform improvement and future development prioritization based on actual user needs
Evidence of Completion
- Live template marketplace demonstrating community template sharing and discovery functionality with user-generated content and collaborative development examples for community engagement
- Launch announcement and initial adoption metrics showing successful platform introduction to target audiences with evidence of user interest and community engagement
- Performance testing results demonstrating platform stability and reliable functionality under normal operating conditions with consistent user experience and system reliability
- Community feedback collection showing user satisfaction and constructive suggestions for platform improvement providing valuable input for future development and enhancemen
Delivery Month
7
Cost
10000
Progress
100 %
[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Core Platform Development (60%) - ₳45,000
- Visual interface development with drag-and-drop functionality
- Aiken code generation engine with basic validation
- User authentication and project management system
- Platform architecture and database design
Template Development (16%) - ₳12,000
- Contract template creation for common use cases
- Template validation and testing procedures
- Basic security analysis tools implementation
- Template customization system development
Integration & Deployment (11%) - ₳8,000
- Wallet integration with major Cardano wallets
- Blockchain deployment functionality for testnet/mainnet
- Cost estimation tools for deployment planning
- Performance optimization and testing
Security & Documentation (8%) - ₳6,000
- Security validation of generated contracts
- Platform security testing and vulnerability assessment
- User documentation and tutorial creation
- Community guidelines and best practices
Infrastructure (5%) - ₳4,000
- Cloud hosting and platform infrastructure
- Database hosting and backup systems
- Monitoring tools and analytics
- Development tools and services
[Final Pitch] Value for Money
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
Market Opportunity
At ₳75,000, this platform addresses a significant market gap by making Cardano development accessible to non-technical users. Commercial no-code platforms typically cost $200-500K to develop; our focused approach delivers essential Cardano-specific functionality efficiently.
Development Efficiency
The budget reflects efficient development practices while maintaining quality standards. Focus on essential features rather than complex functionality ensures reliable delivery and reduces development risk.
Ecosystem Impact
Each user onboarded through this platform could deploy contracts contributing to ecosystem value and diversity. The platform enables non-technical innovation, increases smart contract activity, and establishes Cardano as an accessible blockchain for business applications.
Sustainable Growth
Open-source components and basic template sharing create lasting value beyond the funding period, establishing foundation for sustainable developer onboarding infrastructure for Cardano's ecosystem expansion
[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation
Terms and Conditions:
Yes