Self-Hosted Full Node for End Users

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

A cardano full node now has hardware requirements that overshoot most current generation raspberry pi's. It is critical that low-power, reliable, and cheap hardware be identified. I will build the base using nixos and deploy the web-ui there as well so that it can be cross-platform running on macos, windows (via the WSL) , and Linux. As low-cost single-board computers become powerful enough to run a full node this setup will be compatible.

I will be bulding this application and releasing it via the bsd 3-clause license on github, I will work with the major wallets to create documentation to connect the major wallets to a self-hosted cardano node.

The final output will be a fully open-sourced project that has a web-ui to manage, connect to, and run a cardano node. Following iterations should allow for hosting other software that can act as an nft vending machine, function as a hydra head and continually be available (as required by hydra heads), and anything else the community can dream up or build. The plan is to make the system as robust as possible in building plugins.

The current plan is to deploy using nix, building a REST API using spock (a haskell package built for this specific purpose), and a rich javascript rich frontend. Security and privacy options will need to be built out but plans to integrate login via wallets (both hardware and software), tailscale for accessing the system outside your home network, and general hardening against attack.

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

Self-sovereignty and decentralization will be fostered when a low-power, efficent, and purpose built project makes it possible to use your own node and have a dedicated place to run it, making it more useful to many users than daedalus. The future potential as a full node to run hydra heads on with relative ease will make hydra highly scalable and very powerful to end users.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

The major risks to this project are time and funding, I have priced this project so high because the current plan is to reject job offers with a FAANG company and to leave my current full time job to build during the bear market, i'm pricing in for the inherit risk that the price of Cardano continues to drop and making sure I can make all my financial obligations for myself and my family.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

1. Research low-cost/high performance per watt machines for running the system. (1 month)
2. Build a nix derivation that builds the most optimized version of cardano node available and makes it available on the local network. (2 months)
3. Test on Linux
4. Test on macOS
5. Test on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
6. Build a spock REST api that grants a feature complete implementation of the cardano node. (3 Months)
7. Research the best frontend framework or tool to build the web application. (2 weeks)
8. Build the web application frontend (3 Months)
9. Test for security features (1 Month)

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

20000 for the purchase of many single board computers, mac mini, and small factor amd windows systems for testing. (a report on each of them which we can make available.

160000 Full time employment for myself for 1 year during the bear market

(I am giving up a job with health benefits and an offer from a FAANG organization to build during a bear market because I believe in the project and what it needs.)

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

I will be the main driver of the project, but being an open source project I will be happy to take commits from the community.

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

I have no intention on returning to Catalyst for futher funding of this project. This is a passion project for the community that I will turn over, If catalyst permits my doing so I'd like to have a donate page on the github page that goes back to the Catalyst project.

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

The key milestones and the commits to github will be the best way to measure progress, each will be measured with the outcomes defined in the goals and milestones above.

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

A software package and list of machines that can best be used to install the software package on. Clear documentation that makes it easy for users to obtain and use the software/webui . Success certainly includes the option to order a low-cost box that runs the software and allows users to manage their own full cardano node.

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

This is a new proposal and not related the previously funded Catalyst projects.