Technical Journey
From concept to production - building a decentralized ETF protocol
XTF Vault Lifecycle
🛠️ How We Built It
My journey in developing XTF during the hackathon started with creating smart contracts using Solidity, initially as a single-chain protocol. The main aim was quick development and testing of key features. For this, I used mock interfaces for the DataFeed and Hardhat for early testing, ensuring the protocol's foundation was strong.
The protocol first handled defining vault compositions and managing deposits, then progressed to minting tokens in proportion to each user's contribution once a vault was fully funded. To enhance reliability and security, I integrated vetted libraries like Thirdweb's TokenBundle and TokenStore.
Token Minting Formula
Total Tokens Formula
As XTF evolved, I introduced multi-chain functionality, adding mock contracts for the LinkToken interface and the CCIP router, and incorporated a VRFCoordinator mock for the NFT Vote lottery feature. A comprehensive suite of tests was crucial for validating the protocol and refining its versions.
Vault State Machine
Deposit & Notify Flow
Redeem Message Flow
Frontend Stack
For the user interface, I chose Next.js, React, and ThirdWebUI, incorporating graphical elements using libraries like Chart.js and ApexCharts.js. The data on the website, mainly sourced directly from the blockchain through QuickNode providers, includes bundle states, compositions, and asset allocations, with some data for index price comparisons sourced from the Young Platform API.
The final stage was deploying the project on Vercel for judges' review. However, I've kept broader public access limited for now, prioritizing stability and user experience, especially since the performance under multiple user access scenarios is yet to be fully tested.
Key Commands
npm run test- Run all Hardhat tests to check the XTF protocolnpm run checksize- Check the size of the contractsnpm run init- Run local testchain, build contracts, and deploy⚡ Challenges We Ran Into
1. Mock Contract Development
One major obstacle was the absence of mock contracts for certain Chainlink components, requiring me to deepen my understanding of these elements and create custom mocks from scratch.
2. Smart Contract Size Constraints
Another significant challenge was adhering to the MAXIMUM_BYTECODE_SIZE limit set by the 'Spurious Dragon' hard fork. This limitation demanded continuous optimization and refactoring of our smart contracts. To manage the contract size effectively, I crafted a script that checked the size after each change, guiding my adjustments. Eventually, I divided the contract into three parts — a base contract, a types contract, and a third segment — to meet size constraints.
Contract Size Monitoring
3. Multi-Chain UX Complexity
From a backend development perspective, crafting a user interface that supported seamless network switching across multiple chains was a complex task. The standard wallet connection model, which typically limits users to a single chain, posed a significant challenge in creating a unified and flexible user experience.
4. Video Production Under Time Constraints
Lastly, producing a comprehensive video to explain the XTF protocol and demonstrate the web app within a five-minute timeframe proved to be a demanding task.
🏆 Accomplishments We're Proud Of
One of our project's major accomplishment was transforming the XTF protocol from a conceptual design to a fully operational set of smart contracts. This journey from initial sketches on paper to working code was both challenging and rewarding. It involved not only developing and testing a proof of concept using Hardhat but also swiftly building and launching a comprehensive website into a live environment, all within a matter of weeks.
"Establishing a strong foundation for the protocol was crucial. It provided the flexibility needed for continuous improvements, allowing me to effortlessly integrate new features and make adjustments as required during the shift from testing to production."
Adapting and refining the system to meet the demands of real-world applications proved to be one of the most exhilarating parts of this hackathon.
☕
(Yes, I have spilled coffee on my notes multiple times)
The Evidence
3 Chainlink Services
CCIP, Data Feeds, VRF
Multi-Chain Protocol
Seamless cross-chain operations
Full Test Suite
Comprehensive protocol validation
Comprehensive Test Suite Results
XTF in the News
