SAF Simple Application Framework

Let's build a modular and extensible framework for bootstrapping Cardano applications!

We're the same team behind Cardano After Dark, an F7 funded project about a poker game on Cardano. We have experience with UI/UX, Plutus, Project-management, SW Development, and Cardano Architecture. We are also concerned about Open Source and reusability.

[IMPACT]

Intro

Most successful software frameworks are providing tools to quickly generate and run a base application, that can be extended by the developers. E.g. npm, JHipster, Spring, Android, etc..

Motivation

A common typical question asked by community members is "How can we quickly build a simple application running on the Cardano blockchain?", e.g. https://cardano.stackexchange.com/questions/7584/is-there-a-cardano-quickstart-application/7608#7608

At the moment of writing seems that there is no simple answer to this question.

We believe that having an extensible framework that can generate a minimal application with a few possible options would be beneficial in order to

• increase adoption: by lowering entry barriers
• increase market penetration: by increasing the number of applications running on the blockchain

The earlier we deliver this framework, the bigger is the overall increase of value for the community.

Concept

A generic framework for DApps can be reused by other developers to quickly startup their projects. It will increase the number of projects in the ecosystem and capture the attention of other teams who might be interested in reusing and modifying the framework.

All that we need is to build an Open Source extensible framework for generating various types of dAPP boilerplates, e.g. CLI applications, Web applications, etc.

While generating, there will be different possible choices for generation depending on the context. e.g.:

• Web application
• Native CLI
• selection of a simple contract
• integration with state channels
• Admin Dashboard
• Wallet Integrations
• Single transaction
• Blockchain query
• Dandelion API samples
• Blockfrost API samples
• WebAssambler and Cardano Serialization Library samples
• Sample Wordpress plugin

Increase the number of DApps available on the ecosystem, build a community of users of the framework. Build a community of developers who want to improve the framework. The framework should then be used by other projects.

Main risks

• all the applications generated must be kept updated over time
• absence of a clear solution for a state channel, that is needed to have fast response time and no fees needed by several projects, e.g. applications where the users interact with each other and expect high speed, low latency, and low (or zero) fees.

De-risk

• A possible de-risk about keeping the solution updated is about re-propose this proejct, when needed or ask support from the community
• A possible solution related to the state-channel risk is considering different solutions for implementing a state channel, e.g. https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/405072

[FEASIBILITY]

October 2022: the framework should be ready to be used by others

November 2022: There should be several projects providing feedback on the framework

December 2022: We expect the community start contributing back to the project on github

Roadmap

Phase 1

May

Prototyping of two simple applications types:

• command line app interacting with a cardano node through cardano-cli
• webapp interacting with a wallet through a browser (Nami Integration)

June

• initial implementation of a bootstrapping framework offering different options
• Initial generation of a Cardano dAPP including simple Admin Dashboard
• ADA Transfers

July/August

Add functionalities

• ADA Transfers
• Blockchain queries
• Native
• Dandelion API
• Blockforst API

Phase 2

September/October

Adding functionalities (depending on the achievements in phase 1)

• NFT viewer
• NFT Minting
• Token generation
• Submission of metadata to Cardano Token Registry

• Research and Development - $50,000
• Tech learning and workshops: $10,000
• Development of different application prototypes : $20,000
• Extensible framework and additional modules: 15,000
• Documentation: 5,000
• Program management: $15,000
• Communication : $5,000
• External consulting / auditing: $10,000

• Seomon - Cohort F6, CA, IT consultant - https://github.com/Seomon4u
• Psuzzi - Fullstack Engineer, Banking, Automotive, SW Modeling - https://github.com/psuzzi
• David Baxter - Front end Engineer and Founder of Beanchain Coffee - https://www.linkedin.com/in/baxweb
• Cem Karaca - Cardano Architecture & Design Developer Professional Student @Emurgo. fintech data center owner, MFC/C++ developer, cyber security professional. - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckaraca/ - https://github.com/ckaraca
• Cagkan - Backend Engineer. Experience in Python, PostgreSQL and a bit of HTML&CSS.
• Jude Ben - 9 years+ Software Development , Plutus Smart Contract Development , Cloud and Infrastructure Engineer https://www.linkedin.com/in/judeebene/
• Thomas - Theoretical physicist and mathematician - https://nl.linkedin.com/in/thomas-vellekoop-1a622119a
• Steve Lockhart - Community builder, decentralization advocate, arborist, dog owner.
• Nori Nishigawa - Founder of the Salmon Nation Decentralized Alliance (SANADA), Bridge Builders, and SAMON pool. Member of the Catalyst Circle Admin Team, Cardano4Climate, and Rapid Funding Challenge Team. Cardano Ambassador, CA, and Funded proposer. Passionate about radical inclusivity and community and devoted to making Cardano the best community on the planet. Nori brings over 30 years of experience in software development, agile methodologies, leadership & managing teams, and founding & running technology startups. https://github.com/xeeban
• Shannon Baxter - UI/UX Designer, Information Architect, Management - https://www.sbax.design/

[AUDITABILITY]

• The application Framework Should be available by October 2022.
• The framework should be used by other proposers to startup their own projects.
• There should be a community of users of the framework (e.g. discord, reddit), and we should be able to measure the adoption by the number of users of the community
• One or more contributors should contribute to the project improvement. We can measure the contributions as commits of people (external to the team) on the git repository

• Several projects are using the framework to bootstrap their projects.
• There should be social media echo about the projects - a vibrant community
• The project should be improved by the community.

It is not a continuation but is born from the experience collected in Cardano After Dark.