Please describe your proposed solution.

The Problem

As a Cardano developer, I had to face a steep learning curve by myself. Even though I felt accomplished after going through it, It was a big pain and time-consuming process. My personal situation, having spare time, and being a self-learner allowed me to go through all of that, but definitely if we expect to onboard more developers this can not continue to be the case.

To reinforce this diagnosis we can go and see some data from a Developer Report, that shows the Cardano ecosystem, is far behind Polkadot, Solana & Cosmos in the number of developers, those three are above 300 active developers, while Cardano has only 160. But that is a snapshot. If we analyze the developer growing metric, it's a lot worse. Cardano is one of the slowest with a 14% increase comparing 2022 with 2021.

Link to the report: https://www.developerreport.com/developer-report

The solution

Our proposal is to create an all-in-one repository that enables developers to quickly start developing, compiling, testing, and implementing their projects.

We will implement an automated multi-container workflow that includes all the necessary tools and configurations to achieve this. By utilizing Docker Compose, we can define and run these multi-container applications seamlessly. This approach relieves developers from the burden of individually installing and configuring each tool, allowing them to concentrate on building dApps and smart contracts.

With our solution, developers can simply choose the desired version, begin writing their code, and experience a streamlined development process.

Protofire aims to create and maintain the Developer Studio as a public repository, offering a comprehensive resource for developers entering the world of Cardano smart contracts. This repository will include a CLI toolkit that empowers developers to make the most of the available tools. Additionally, it will provide sample contracts and Haskell libraries with essential functions to facilitate both on-chain and off-chain development. To enhance accessibility and adaptability, the repository will offer up-to-date Dockerfiles that users can easily configure to suit their specific needs, such as selecting desired tools, services, and networks.

Solution Features

Developer Studio will provide documentation, tutorials, and links to official pages and documentation. This ensures that developers have easy access to essential information and references.

To achieve this, we will provide the following tools within the Developer Studio repository:

1- Dockerfiles and Docker Compose for tools and services: We will offer Dockerfiles and Docker Compose configurations to facilitate the setup and execution of various core services in Cardano. These services, including Cardano Node, Cardano Wallet and DbSync are essential for many developments and applications. Developers will have the flexibility to start containers individually or in combination. The only requirement is that the user has Docker installed on their computer.

• cardano-node (software capable of running as a core block producer, as a relay or as a local entry-point to the network)
• cardano-wallet (provides an HTTP API and CLI for working with the wallet)
• cardano-cli (provides a collection of tools for generating keys, constructing transactions, creating certificates, and other important tasks)
• db-sync (database that maintains a copy of the ledger state)

2- Dockerfile and Docker Compose that sets up a development environment ready for writing, compiling, testing, and deploying smart contracts. It includes GHCup, Cabal, Nix, Plutus-Tx, and optionally Plutus-Apps. This uses the DevContainers offered by VS Code, the most widely used development environment for these projects today. Once the Docker is established within the DevContainer, VS Code seamlessly loads and runs the Docker for the user. This means that users can start writing and executing code within the mentioned Docker without any extra setup required.

Link: <https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/devcontainers/containers>

3- Bash script-based CLI toolkit to manage and utilize all the included tools within the Studio: containers, services and utilities. Users will be able to choose, configure, and create the aforementioned containers through interactive menus. The toolkit will also feature menus to interact with various services, such as querying the Cardano Node, creating basic transactions, signing and sending raw transactions, managing wallets in the Wallet Server and more.

Additionally, the toolkit will offer menus for performing essential tasks in the Cardano development process. This includes utilities to convert and derive addresses, view wallet balances, inspect UTXOs of addresses, calculate hash values of datums and redeemers, and more.

Menus will also be provided to interact with example contracts included as part of this solution, including minting contracts. Users will be able to create and utilize different pre-existing minting policies or add their own policies. These policies can be wallet-dependent or limited to one-time use (e.g., for creating NFTs). Users will be able to mint their tokens directly from this toolkit, add metadata to minting transactions and create metadata files in the required format for presentation to the Cardano Foundation. The suite empowers developers to create and deploy their own FT and NFTs needed for running and testing their applications.

Wallets can be exported for users to add them to their preferred wallet applications, such as Eternl, Nami, and others.

The toolkit will offer menus to download and select specific versions of Plutus Apps, along with commands to initiate the specific nix-shell for each of them. Additionally, there will be menus to facilitate running the documentation server (Haddock) for each of the downloaded Plutus Apps.

Menus will be available to start Chain Index, Playground Server, and Playground Client for the example contracts in the suite.

Other utility menus included:

• Fixing folder permissions (addressing issues with Cabal)
• Adding a folder to Git's safeDirectory for improved compatibility

4- Haskell libraries that encompass both off-chain and on-chain functions. These libraries serve as valuable resources for developers, enabling them to efficiently develop and interact with Cardano smart contracts. Includes functions to evaluate scripts that allows developers to assess the resource consumption of their contracts and getinsights into the performance and efficiency of the contracts, helping developers optimize their code and ensure optimal resource utilization.

These libraries equip developers with the necessary libraries, tools, and evaluation capabilities to enhance their development experience, simplify contract deployment, and optimize the efficiency of Cardano smart contracts.

5- Suite of example smart contracts and customizable minting policies: These examples, designed to inspire and empower developers, serve as invaluable references, providing developers with a solid foundation and inspiration to create their own smart contracts.

Moreover, the suite includes comprehensive testing files and a user-friendly CLI interface, enabling developers to easily execute PAB Simulator, Trace Emulator, and Plutus-Simple-Model. These tools facilitate thorough testing and interactive experimentation in simulated newtwork, ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of the contracts.

With these example contracts and customizable minting policies, developers have the resources they need to explore and experiment with different contract functionalities.

6- Automatization of building production image: To facilitate the deployment of the production environment, we offer a set of actions and scripts that automate the process. These actions and scripts enable the generation of a production-ready image that is portable and can be easily uploaded to Docker Hub.

With every new release on GitHub, the automation scripts automatically build and upload the image to Docker Hub. This ensures that the latest version is readily available for deployment.

The generated image is designed to be easily deployable on hosting services like Demeter. You can effortlessly mount the image on the hosting service, allowing for seamless deployment and scaling of your application.

With these actions and scripts, developers can efficiently generate a production environment, create a portable image, automate the release process, and deploy their applications on hosting services with ease.

How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Our proposed solution directly addresses several aims outlined in the challenge:

1. Developer accessibility: We provide an all-in-one repository with tools, configurations, and documentation that streamline the development process to onboard on the Cardano smart contracts ecosystem.
2. Developer productivity: By automating the setup and integration of essential tools, developers can focus more on building dApps and smart contracts rather than dealing with individual installations and configurations.
3. Knowledge base & Documentation: The Developer Studio repository includes comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and links to official pages and documentation. This ensures that developers have easy access to essential information and references, helping them overcome barriers and learn how to build on Cardano more effectively.
4. Samples, recipes, and templates: We offer a suite of example smart contracts, customizable minting policies, and Haskell libraries. These examples serve as invaluable references and provide developers with a solid foundation to create their own smart contracts. The included libraries and evaluation capabilities enable developers to optimize their code and ensure optimal resource utilization.
5. Support structures: Our solution provides a CLI toolkit that allows developers to manage and utilize the tools within the Developer Studio repository. The toolkit includes interactive menus for various tasks, such as querying the Cardano Node, creating transactions, managing wallets, and more. It offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies the development process and provides support throughout.

By providing these tools and resources, our project brings significant value to the Cardano ecosystem:

1. Increased developer engagement: Our solution aims to attract developers from outside the current Cardano community. By offering a streamlined development environment, comprehensive documentation, and user-friendly interfaces, we make it easier for developers to get involved and build on Cardano. This can lead to an influx of developers joining the Cardano ecosystem and contributing to its growth.
2. Strengthened developer community: The Developer Studio repository, along with its supporting documentation and resources, fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing among developers. It creates a platform for developers to connect, exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects. This helps build a strong community of developers who can support each other and drive innovation within the Cardano ecosystem.
3. Increased open-source projects throughput: Our project encourages and facilitates open-source development on Cardano. By providing a comprehensive resource repository and example contracts, we empower developers to create and contribute to open-source projects. This can lead to an increase in the number of open-source projects on Cardano, aligning with Cardano's strategic goals.
4. Improved developer experience: Our solution aims to make it easier for developers to build on Cardano by providing streamlined workflows, automation, and user-friendly interfaces. This improved developer experience reduces barriers, increases productivity, and enhances overall satisfaction. It incentivizes developers to continue building on Cardano and encourages them to explore the full potential of the platform.

While it is challenging to quantify the exact impact our project will have, we anticipate the following outcomes within a reasonable timeframe:

• Increase in the number of developers actively building on Cardano, measured by developer engagement in the community, participation in hackathons, and project proposals in Project Catalyst.
• Growth in the number of repositories on GitHub using the Developer Studio tools and resources, indicating adoption and utilization by developers.
• Positive feedback and testimonials from developers who have benefited from the streamlined development process, documentation, and example contracts.
• Expansion of the Cardano developer community with a diverse range of developers joining from outside the existing ecosystem.
• Increase in the number of open source projects on Cardano, measured by the number of new projects initiated, forks, clones, and community involvement in the projects.

Overall, our project aims to contribute to the evolution of the Cardano developer ecosystem by providing essential tools, resources, and support structures that enhance developer productivity, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. This, in turn, can attract more developers, increase the number of open source projects, and strengthen the overall Cardano ecosystem.

How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

To measure the success of our project, we will utilize a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics that reflect the benefits our solution brings to the Cardano ecosystem. Here are some metrics we will consider:

1. Number of active developers: We will track the number of developers actively utilizing the Developer Studio repository, engaging in the community, participating in hackathons, and submitting project proposals in Project Catalyst. An increase in the number of active developers indicates the success of our solution in attracting and retaining developers in the Cardano ecosystem.
2. GitHub engagement: We will monitor metrics such as the number of GitHub forks, clones, and traffic for the Developer Studio repository and other repositories utilizing our tools and resources. Increased engagement on GitHub demonstrates the adoption and utilization of our solution by developers.
3. Community involvement: We will assess the level of community involvement through various channels such as Discord, Telegram, Cardano Stack Exchange, YouTube and Twitter. This includes monitoring the growth of community members, engagement in discussions and knowledge sharing, and positive feedback or testimonials from users. A thriving and active developer community indicates the success of our project in fostering collaboration and support structures.
4. Number of open source projects: We will track the number of new open source projects initiated on Cardano, particularly those that utilize the tools, resources, and example contracts provided by the Developer Studio repository. This metric reflects the impact of our project in encouraging open source development and contributing to the growth of the Cardano ecosystem.
5. User satisfaction: We will gather qualitative feedback from developers who have utilized our solution. This feedback can be collected through surveys, interviews, or community forums. By understanding their experiences, challenges, and satisfaction levels, we can assess the effectiveness of our project in improving the developer experience and productivity on Cardano.

The measures mentioned focus on tangible indicators of adoption, engagement, and growth within the Cardano developer community. These metrics can be tracked and assessed based on available data, user feedback, and community interaction.

In the short term, our project will enhance developer productivity by providing streamlined workflows and tools. This will result in more efficient development processes, faster iterations, and reduced barriers for developers entering the Cardano ecosystem. The availability of comprehensive documentation and example contracts will further accelerate dApp development and experimentation.

In the long term, the benefits of our project will contribute to the overall growth and productivity of Cardano. The increased number of active developers, open source projects, and community involvement will foster innovation, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. This will lead to a broader range of applications and use cases built on Cardano, attracting more developers, investors, and users to the ecosystem. Ultimately, the project will help position Cardano as a leading platform for decentralized applications and contribute to its long-term success.

Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

1. GitHub Repository: We will create a dedicated GitHub repository to share all the code, Dockerfiles, documentation, and resources developed as part of the project. This repository will serve as a centralized hub where developers can access and contribute to the project's outputs.
2. Public Documentation: We will create and maintain detailed documentation in ReadMe files on the repository that explains the usage, configurations, and best practices related to the tools and resources provided in the Developer Studio repository.
3. Community Engagement: We will actively engage with the Cardano community through channels such as Discord, Telegram, and Cardano Stack Exchange to share updates, gather feedback, and address any questions or concerns. This will ensure that the project's outputs are widely communicated and understood within the community.
4. Project Catalyst: We will submit regular updates and progress reports to Project Catalyst, sharing the milestones achieved, impact metrics, and future plans.
5. Developer Outreach: We will actively promote and showcase the project's outputs to developers outside the current Cardano community. This includes reaching out to relevant developer communities, participating in industry conferences and events, and leveraging social media platforms to create awareness about the benefits and opportunities provided by Cardano and our solution.
6. Research and Development: The results generated from the project will serve as valuable inputs for further research and development activities. We will analyze user feedback, metrics, and community engagement to identify areas of improvement and potential enhancements. This iterative process will drive continuous improvement and inform future development efforts within the Cardano ecosystem.

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Protofire has a strong track record and demonstrated capabilities that make us well-suited to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability. Here are some reasons why:

1. Expertise in decentralized infrastructure: Protofire has extensive experience in building decentralized infrastructure, protocols, and applications. We have successfully contributed to the growth of various network ecosystems by providing hands-on coding, development, and technical expertise. Our deep understanding of decentralized technologies and ecosystems positions us as a reliable and knowledgeable partner for delivering projects of this nature.
2. Developer adoption and network growth: Protofire specializes in accelerating developer adoption and network growth. We have a proven track record of successfully bootstrapping developer communities, fostering collaboration, and driving network usage. Our previous engagements with blockchain projects demonstrate our ability to effectively engage developers and empower them to build on the respective platforms.
3. Financial management expertise: Protofire has a robust financial management process in place to ensure proper handling and management of funds. We adhere to best practices in financial governance, including maintaining transparent accounting records, conducting regular audits, and implementing robust financial controls. We prioritize accountability and integrity when it comes to managing project funds.
4. Transparent reporting and communication: We understand the importance of trust and accountability in project delivery. We have established processes for transparent reporting and communication, including regular progress updates, milestone tracking, and open dialogue with stakeholders. We are committed to keeping the community informed about the project's status, challenges, and achievements throughout the implementation.
5. Proven track record: Protofire's past engagements and contributions to various blockchain projects speak to our ability to deliver results and uphold trust. We have a history of successful collaborations, satisfied clients, and impactful contributions to the growth of decentralized ecosystems. Our reputation and track record demonstrate our commitment to delivering high-quality projects with accountability.

In summary, Protofire possesses the necessary capabilities, expertise, and processes to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability. Our experience in decentralized infrastructure, developer adoption, and financial management, combined with a transparent and communicative approach, make us well-suited to effectively manage funds and ensure the successful delivery of the project.

What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals for our project are as follows:

1. Streamline development process: The goal is to create an all-in-one repository and provide a comprehensive set of tools, resources, and documentation that streamline the development process for Cardano smart contracts. We aim to simplify the setup, configuration, and integration of essential tools, allowing developers to focus more on building dApps and smart contracts.
2. Enhance developer productivity: Our objective is to improve developer productivity by reducing barriers and providing efficient workflows. We will measure this by evaluating feedback from developers who have utilized our solution, assessing their experiences, and collecting qualitative data on time savings, ease of use, and overall satisfaction.
3. Encourage open source development: We aim to foster a culture of open source development on Cardano. Our goal is to encourage developers to contribute to open source projects and create a collaborative environment. The number of open source projects initiated and community engagement metrics, such as the number of project proposals in Project Catalyst, will serve as indicators of the project's success in promoting open source contributions.
4. Increase developer adoption: We aim to attract developers from outside the current Cardano community to participate in the ecosystem. This will be measured through metrics such as the number of active developments in GitHub, level of engagement in community channels and hackathons, and the growth of the Cardano developer community in general.

To validate the feasibility of our approach, we will employ some of the following strategies:

1. User testing and feedback: We will conduct user testing sessions with developers to validate the usability, effectiveness, and efficiency of our tools and workflows. Feedback from these sessions will help us iterate and refine our approach, ensuring that it meets the needs and expectations of developers.
2. Documentation and resources assessment: We will evaluate the clarity, completeness, and usefulness of the provided documentation, tutorials, and resources. Feedback from developers and the community will be considered to enhance the quality and effectiveness of these materials.
3. Adoption and engagement metrics: We will track adoption metrics, such as the number of active developers, engagement on GitHub, community involvement, and participation in hackathons. These metrics will provide insights into the level of interest and utilization of our project's outputs within the Cardano ecosystem.
4. Developer satisfaction surveys: We will gather feedback through surveys or interviews to measure developer satisfaction and gauge their experiences using our solution. This qualitative feedback will help us assess the achievement of our goals related to streamlining the development process, enhancing productivity, and encouraging open source development.

Regarding the implementation of our approach, we will utilize the existing expertise and technical capabilities of our team at Protofire. Our team members have experience in building decentralized infrastructure, protocols, applications, and developer platforms. We will leverage this expertise to design and develop the all-in-one repository, create Dockerfiles and Docker Compose configurations, implement the CLI toolkit, develop Haskell libraries, and curate the suite of example smart contracts. Continuous iteration, testing, and feedback loops will be integrated into our development process to ensure a robust and effective implementation.

Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1: Repository Setup and Initial Tooling

Tasks:

• Set up the GitHub repository for the Developer Studio project.
• Develop Dockerfiles for Cardano Node, Cardano Wallet, cardano-cli, and db-sync.
• Implement Docker Compose configurations for integrating the Docker images.

Validation Criteria:

• The GitHub repository should be publicly accessible.
• Dockerfiles should build without errors.
• Docker Compose configurations should integrate Docker images correctly and should not throw errors upon execution.

Timeline: 4 weeks

Milestone Cost: 19,467 ADA

Milestone 2: Development Environment Setup

Tasks:

• Build a Dockerfile for setting up the development environment with GHCup, Cabal, Nix, Plutus-Tx, and optionally Plutus-Apps.
• Develop Docker Compose configurations.
• Create VS Code DevContainer to load and run the Docker environment.

Validation Criteria:

• The Dockerfile for the development environment should build without errors.
• The development environment should be fully functional with the necessary tools installed.
• The VS Code DevContainer should successfully load and run the Docker environment.

Timeline: 4 weeks

Milestone Cost: 17,600 ADA

Milestone 3: CLI Toolkit Development

Tasks:

• Design and develop a bash script-based CLI toolkit for managing Docker containers, services, and utilities.
• Implement interactive menus for container management, service interaction, and essential tasks in the Cardano development process.
• Integrate menus for working with example contracts and managing wallets.

Timeline: 4 weeks

Milestone Cost: 13,200 ADA

Milestone 4: Haskell Libraries and Example Contracts

Tasks:

• Create Haskell libraries for off-chain and on-chain functions.
• Implement functions to evaluate scripts and assess resource consumption.
• Write examples on how to use the libraries and main functions.
• Develop a suite of example smart contracts with comprehensive testing files.

Timeline: 4 weeks

Milestone Cost: 15,200 ADA

Milestone 5: Deployment Automation

Tasks:

• Design and implement actions and scripts for automating the deployment process.
• Create production-ready images that can be uploaded to Docker Hub.
• Automate the build and upload process for new releases on GitHub.

Validation Criteria:

• The automation scripts should execute without errors.
• Production images should be generated successfully.
• Automation should trigger with new releases and upload images to Docker Hub.

Timeline: 4 weeks

Milestone Cost: 12,400 ADA

Additional roles for all milestones:

• Marketing and Community: This role is essential for updating the community about the progress of the project and any significant milestones that have been achieved.
• Document Specialist: They would ensure that all work is documented accurately and comprehensively, allowing for easy reference and understanding of the processes and tools developed.

Additional Cost: 8,000

Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1: Repository Setup and Initial Tooling

Deliverables & Outputs:

• GitHub Repository: A public repository containing the source code and documentation for the Developer Studio project.
• Dockerfiles: Files that automatically build Docker images for Cardano Node, Cardano Wallet, cardano-cli, and db-sync.
• Docker Compose Configurations: Files for defining and running multi-container Docker applications.

Intended Outcomes:

• Simplified setup for developers starting with Cardano development.
• Quick access to essential tools without the need for manual installation and configuration.

Measures for Progress:

• Successful creation of the GitHub repository.
• The completion of Dockerfiles and Docker Compose configurations.
• Validation that Dockerfiles build without errors and containers run successfully.

Milestone 2: Development Environment Setup

Deliverables & Outputs:

• Development Environment Dockerfile: A file for building a Docker image with a pre-configured development environment.
• VS Code DevContainer Configuration: Configuration files to support loading the Docker environment within VS Code.

Intended Outcomes:

• Developers can start coding with a fully configured environment quickly.
• Support for using the development environment in different platforms.

Measures for Progress:

• Successful building of the development environment Docker image.
• Successful loading and running of the environment within VS Code.

Milestone 3: CLI Toolkit Development

Deliverables & Outputs:

• CLI Toolkit: A command-line interface toolkit for managing Docker containers, services, and utilities.
• Documentation: Detailed documentation explaining the usage of the CLI toolkit.

Intended Outcomes:

• Simplified management and interaction with Cardano services.
• Streamlined development process.

Measures for Progress:

• Completion and functionality of the CLI toolkit.

Milestone 4: Haskell Libraries and Example Contracts

Deliverables & Outputs:

• Haskell Libraries: Libraries for off-chain and on-chain functions in Haskell.
• Example Contracts: A suite of sample smart contracts.
• Documentation & Tutorials: Detailed guides and examples for using the libraries and smart contracts.

Intended Outcomes:

• Enable developers to efficiently interact with Cardano smart contracts.
• Provide developers with reference materials and inspiration for creating their own smart contracts.

Measures for Progress:

• Successful compilation of Haskell libraries.
• Completion of example contracts and tutorials.

Milestone 5: Deployment Automation

Deliverables & Outputs:

• Automation Scripts: Scripts for automating the deployment process.
• Production Images: Docker images ready for production deployment.
• Documentation: Guides for using the automation scripts and deploying the images.

Intended Outcomes:

• Simplified deployment process.
• Accelerated development to production transition.

Measures for Progress:

• Successful execution of automation scripts.
• Validation that production images are generated and can be deployed without issues.

Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Milestone 1: Repository Setup and Initial Tooling

Project Manager:

Coordinate with DevOps team for repository setup and Docker configurations.

Liaise with QA team for quality standards.

Cost: 30h * 67 ADA/h = 2,000 ADA

DevOps Engineer:

Set up Github repository.

Develop Dockerfiles.

Implement Docker Compose configurations.

Cost: 100h * 93 ADA/h = 9,333 ADA

Full Stack/Cardano Developer:

Assist and guide DevOps team in creating Dockerfiles.

Provide expertise and recommendations on tools, frameworks, and libraries.

Cost: 80h * 93 ADA/h = 7,467 ADA

QA:

Ensure Dockerfiles build without errors.

Validate Docker Compose configurations.

Cost: 10h * 67 ADA/h = 667 ADA

Total ADA for Milestone 1: 19,467 ADA

Milestone 2: Development Environment Setup

Project Manager:

Oversee DevOps and Developer teams for development environment setup.

Coordinate with QA for validation of Dockerfile and environment functionality.

Cost: 20h * 67 ADA/h = 1,333 ADA

DevOps Engineer:

Build Dockerfile for development environment.

Develop Docker Compose configurations.

Create VS Code DevContainer.

Cost: 100h * 93 ADA/h = 9,333 ADA

Full Stack/Cardano Developer:

Ensure Cardano blockchain development environment setup.

Explore browser-based development environments.

Cost: 60h * 93 ADA/h = 5,600 ADA

QA:

Validate Dockerfile and environment functionality.

Cost: 20h * 67 ADA/h = 1,333 ADA

Total ADA for Milestone 2: 17,600 ADA

Milestone 3: CLI Toolkit Development

Project Manager:

Guide Full Stack/Cardano Developer team in CLI toolkit design and development.

Ensure effective testing and feedback from QA.

Cost: 20h * 67 ADA/h = 1,333 ADA

Full Stack/Cardano Developer:

Design and develop bash script-based CLI toolkit.

Implement interactive menus and utility menus.

Cost: 120h * 93 ADA/h = 11,200 ADA

QA:

Test toolkit functionality and usability.

Cost: 10h * 67 ADA/h = 667 ADA

Total ADA for Milestone 3: 13,200 ADA

Milestone 4: Haskell Libraries and Example Contracts

Project Manager:

Oversee Full Stack/Cardano Developer team in Haskell libraries creation and example smart contracts development.

Coordinate with QA for verification and validation.

Cost: 20h * 67 ADA/h = 1,333 ADA

Full Stack/Cardano Developer:

Create Haskell libraries, implement functions, write examples, and develop example smart contracts.

Cost: 120h * 93 ADA/h = 11,200 ADA

QA:

Verify library functionality and validate example contracts.

Cost: 40h * 67 ADA/h = 2,667 ADA

Total ADA for Milestone 4: 15,200 ADA

Milestone 5: Deployment Automation

Project Manager:

Coordinate with DevOps team for deployment automation design and implementation.

Liaise with QA for validation of automation scripts and production image generation.

Cost: 20h * 67 ADA/h = 1,333 ADA

DevOps Engineer:

Design and implement automation actions and scripts.

Create production-ready images.

Automate build and upload process.

Cost: 90h * 93 ADA/h = 8,400 ADA

QA:

Validate execution of automation scripts and successful production image generation.

Cost: 40h * 67 ADA/h = 2,667 ADA

Total ADA for Milestone 5: 12,400 ADA

Additional Roles for All Milestones:

Marketing and Community:

Update community about project progress and milestones.

Cost: 60h * 67 ADA/h = 4,000 ADA

Document Specialist:

Document all work accurately and comprehensively.

Cost: 60h * 67 ADA/h = 4,000 ADA

Total ADA for Additional Roles: 8,000 ADA

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Protofire Experience

Protofire stands at the forefront of the Web3 revolution, offering a comprehensive range of services to empower and catalyze the growth of decentralized technologies. With our deep-rooted expertise and vast experience, we have established ourselves as a trusted partner for clients seeking to harness the full potential of blockchain and Web3 applications. From smart contract development and decentralized app creation to developer tools, integrations, DevOps, wallets, and TVL solutions, our team of blockchain mavericks has collaborated with prominent projects and platforms, such as Gnosis Safe Wallet, Chainlink, The Graph, Filecoin, MakerDAO, Fuse, CowSwap, and many others. We are committed to bringing your visionary ideas to life, combining technical prowess with effective project management to drive the success of your Web3 endeavors

Diego Torres Project Management

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-torres-borda-94b70912/>

In 2018, I stumbled upon Bitcoin's White Paper, and it was love at first sight. Since then, I've immersed myself in the world of blockchain and studied numerous other protocols, from Ethereum to third-generation blockchains. To me, a decentralized protocol is more than just a buzzword - it's a community-driven decision-making organization with open and public records, enforced by consensus protocols that ensure permissionless access and censorship resistance.

Web3 Experience

Protofire FCTO: Business Development. Education. Team Leadership.

The Graph: Indexing Operation Leadership. Subgraph development. Hosted services to third parties.

Polkadot Ecosystem: Contract Wizard & Multisg development. Infrastructure as a service to Parachains.

Cardano Ecosystem: RastDAO Founder, Core team at Mayz & Cardano Ambassador.

Manuel Padilla Lead Software Engineer & Blockchain Specialist

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuel-ale-padilla/>

Manuel Padilla is a versatile and highly motivated software engineer with a Bachelor's degree in Technology from the National Technological University. Having a plethora of programming languages under their belt, including but not limited to SQL, Basic, C, C++, VB, .NET, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and Haskell, Manuel Padilla brings over 13 years of experience in web development and software engineering.

Web3 Experience:

• Protofire (April 2023 - Present): Currently working as a Software Engineer, focusing on blockchain technologies including Cardano, Plutus, DeFi, and DApps.
• MAYZ Protocol (October 2022 - Present): Involved in full-stack blockchain development, specializing in Cardano, Plutus, and Haskell.
• RATS DAO (January 2022 - Present): Serving as a Web Developer, DApp Developer, and Blockchain Developer, primarily focusing on Cardano, Plutus, and Haskell.

dApps:

• https://aldea-nft-marketplace.vercel.app/
• https://staking.ratsdao.io/

GitHub: https://github.com/manupadillaph/

Camila Mancusi QA Engineer

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/camilamancusi/>

Camila wants to participate improving the user experience and usability in the web3 applications to make this world more friendly and accesible to everyone. She wants to be involved in making possible that using web3 functionalities is as simple and usual as those focused on web2

Web3 Experience

• Protofire: QA & Project Management
• SimpleState: Design test cases. Participate in the definition of features. Design scenarios and test cases.Report errors, propose solutions and validate the correction. Ensuring that the product is ready for the customer
• UNICEF: Design test cases. Participate in the definition of features. Creates test executions. Reports bugs / issues. Monitor bug priorities.

Luis Lopez Full Stack Developer

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/luigibyte/>

Luis likes the entire Blockchain ecosystem, and He is currently creating an minting Dapp for BadgerDAO. Expert knowledge in NodeJS, Web3JS, SM, Solidity. Has experience with Smart Contracts. Polkadot, Polygon, Chainlink, Lens

Web3 Experience:

• Protofire: Full Stack Developer
• BadgerDAO:
• MakerDAO: Subgraph development
• Messari: Built subgraph for harvest-finance yield-farming protocol Messari

Braian Leiva DevOps

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/braian-leiva/>

Fan of blockchain and decentralized system. Infrastructure automation lover.

Experience:

• 15+ years of experience using Linux (Debian, Centos, Arch Linux, Red Hat, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Ubuntu, etc).
• 7+ years designing, maintaining and improving all size of application Infrastructure as System Engineer and now as Cloud Engineer.
• 4+ years using AWS. I'm Amazon Solutions Architect working on infrastructure automation using tools like Terraform, Cloudformation, Sam, Serverless, Fargate, CodePipeline, Docker, Python.
• Currently working as DevOps/Cloud Engineer.
• Also studying and learning Data Science and Machine Learning. He has a AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty (MLS)

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

We, at Protofire, are thrilled to submit our proposal for the Catalyst Grant Program, highlighting our strong determination to enter in Cardano ecosystem as +80 Engineer Company.

In this proposal, we will outline our approach, emphasizing the importance of quality, adherence to timelines and milestone base projects, and our proven track record in diverse markets.

While profitability is undoubtedly a critical aspect of any project, we recognize that onboarding Cardano requires a long-term vision that extends beyond immediate financial gains. We understand that investing in this new technology may initially result in costs that surpass our break-even point.

However, we firmly believe that by strategically positioning ourselves within this ecosystem, we will eventually become a main character that can drive and produce great value for everyone.

So for Cardano, this proposal represents a world-class team working on an open-source tool for half the cost. It's definitely a good deal!