Java SDK for Blockfrost API

## What is Blockfrost.io?
Blockfrost.io is an instant, public and freely accessible API that removes infrastructure obstacles for developers so that everyone can start building (d)apps on Cardano. With Blockfrost.io, developers can start doing what they love ❤️, without the need for running and maintaining additional infrastructure and tooling themselves.
At the moment, we have more than 200 developers already onboarded in Blockfrost!

## What is an API?
API is an interface that helps developers program (d)applications effortlessly. An API is a software component that makes the developer's life a lot easier, reusing already available tools instead of reinventing the wheel.
Blockfrost.io is a hosted API, this means that developers don't have to spend time building and setting up the infrastructure needed to run their own API. Instead, developers can focus on developing applications.

## What is an SDK?
SDK stands for "Software Development Kit", which is a great way to think about it — a kit. Think about putting together a model car or plane. When constructing this model, a whole bunch of items is needed, including the kit pieces themselves, the tools needed to put them together, assembly instructions, and so forth.
An SDK functions in much the same way, providing a set of tools, libraries, relevant documentation, code samples, processes, and/or guides that allow developers to create software applications on a specific platform. If an API is a set of building blocks that allow for creating something, an SDK is a full-fledged workshop, facilitating creation far outside the scopes of what an API would allow.

## Roadmap, deliverables and performance
We plan to deliver the first stable version of the SDK within one month from the funding.
The first version will include 100% coverage of all Blockfrost API endpoints in Java, including tests and documentation. We will continue working and maintaining the SDK through the year 2021.
The main key performance indicator (KPI) would be the number of downloads of this SDK from the maven registry. Our short-term goal is to have at least 10 active downloads in the first month after the project release. We would consider the project a long term success if the number of downloads per month stays above 10 for the entire year of 2021.

## Relevant experience
Five Binaries is an infrastructure development company. We're Cardano pioneers - with the first Cardano block minted on an aeroplane, first stake pool on the ITN, the first Shelley transaction on the mainnet and the first native asset minted on Cardano.
We are the creators of Blockfrost.io. We help developers to quickly bootstrap in the Cardano ecosystem.
We are trusted by customers such as Emurgo, Trezor or Ergo Foundation. To get in touch or find more information about us, please visit https://fivebinaries.com/.

## Budget
We estimate it will take us 70 engineering-hours to complete the deliverables.
Our standard rate, which comprises of our engineers' salaries, infrastructure costs, office rent, accounting and taxes is 100 EUR per hour.
We pay our people well because they are both skilled and exceptionally experienced in the industry. And last but not least, because we respect them and want them to feel good and appreciated while working on Cardano.

## License
The entire outcome of this project will be open-sourced under Apache License 2.0.