Building Serverless dApps on Polkadot - the Bounty Manager
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The rise of decentralized technologies has ushered in a new era of innovation, particularly in how applications are built and deployed. Polkadot, a leading blockchain ecosystem known for its interoperability and scalability, is a pioneer in this space. During the sub0 Reset 2024 event, the development of serverless decentralized applications (dApps) took center stage with a focus on the Bounty Manager project—a user-centric tool aimed at revolutionizing the Polkadot Treasury’s bounty management system.
This article explores the challenges addressed by the Bounty Manager, its technical architecture, and how it embodies the potential of serverless dApp solutions in the Polkadot ecosystem.
Understanding Polkadot’s Bounty System
Polkadot’s Treasury is designed to fund projects that enhance the ecosystem. Its bounty system, introduced to streamline resource allocation, addresses recurring funding needs within specific categories. Unlike one-off treasury proposals, bounties enable more flexible and efficient distribution of funds for ongoing or related projects.
Key Components of the Bounty System
- Curators: Subject matter experts appointed to manage bounties. They oversee fund allocation and create child bounties for specific tasks or milestones.
- Child Bounties: Sub-tasks within a parent bounty, managed and distributed by curators.
- Challenges:
- High technical barriers for curators, requiring advanced knowledge of blockchain operations.
- Fragmented communication channels for beneficiaries seeking funding.
- Complex workflows involving multiple extrinsics in Polkadot.js or other tools.
These challenges underscored the need for a streamlined, user-friendly application to lower barriers and improve accessibility.
Introducing the Bounty Manager
The Bounty Manager is a lightweight, serverless dApp designed to simplify bounty management on Polkadot. It eliminates technical complexity for curators while providing beneficiaries with a centralized platform to interact with the bounty system. Launched in November 2024, the Bounty Manager is open-source and accessible to the Polkadot community.
Objectives of the Bounty Manager
- Ease of Use: Simplify interactions with the blockchain for curators and beneficiaries.
- Transparency: Centralize communication channels and provide clear workflows for managing funds.
- Flexibility: Ensure compatibility with mobile and desktop devices for broader accessibility.
- Speed: Deliver a functional product within three months, leveraging efficient development practices.
Technical Architecture of the Bounty Manager
Serverless Design
The Bounty Manager adopts a serverless architecture, using the blockchain as its backend. This design choice minimizes infrastructure overhead while ensuring transparency and decentralization.
- Framework: Built with Svelte, a lightweight JavaScript framework, to avoid the complexities of heavier frameworks like React.
- Blockchain Integration:
- Data is fetched directly from Polkadot’s blockchain, bypassing the need for an external indexer.
- Curator communication channels are stored on-chain using Polkadot’s remark functionality.
- Wallet Integration:
- Supports popular Polkadot wallets, including Nova, Talisman, and Polkadot.js.
- Enables proxy account management via WalletConnect for enhanced security and usability.
Data Sourcing
While the blockchain serves as the primary data source, off-chain details like descriptions and multisignatories are retrieved through Subsquare’s API. This integration bridges the gap between on-chain data and user-friendly interfaces.
UX Innovations
To enhance usability, the application incorporates:
- Role-Based Interfaces: Displays only relevant information and actions for the logged-in user.
- One-Click Operations: Abstracts complex extrinsics into simple buttons with clear labels.
- Color-Coded UI: Improves visual clarity, especially when managing multiple child bounties.
- Batch Operations: Allows curators to execute multiple actions in a single transaction, significantly reducing complexity.
Demonstration of Core Features
Logging In
Curators and sub-curators log in using their wallet addresses. Upon login, the interface updates to display their assigned bounties and relevant actions.
Managing Bounties
- Child Bounty Management:
- Create Child Bounties: Input the child bounty’s value and description.
- Award Funds: Assign a beneficiary address and sign the transaction.
- Batch Actions: Propose, accept, and award bounties in a single step, simplifying workflows.
- Extending Expiration:
- Extend the lifespan of a parent bounty with a single click, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
Future Enhancements
The Bounty Manager roadmap includes:
- Public Bounty View Page: A space for beneficiaries to discover bounties and communicate with curators.
- Self-Reporting Functionality: Allow curators to submit progress reports directly through the platform.
- New dApp Concepts: Extend the serverless architecture to other domains, such as developer tools for Polkadot’s parachains.
Why Serverless dApps Matter
The serverless approach exemplified by the Bounty Manager aligns with the decentralized ethos of blockchain technology. By relying solely on the blockchain and lightweight frontend tools, serverless dApps:
- Reduce Costs: Eliminate the need for backend infrastructure.
- Enhance Security: Minimize attack vectors by storing data on-chain.
- Promote Open Innovation: Facilitate rapid prototyping and iteration.
Polkadot’s flexibility as a multichain platform enables the seamless integration of such applications, paving the way for scalable, user-centric solutions.
Conclusion
The Bounty Manager is a testament to the potential of serverless dApps in simplifying complex blockchain operations. By lowering technical barriers and centralizing communication, it empowers curators and beneficiaries to engage more effectively with Polkadot’s bounty system. As the ecosystem evolves, projects like the Bounty Manager will play a pivotal role in driving adoption and innovation within the Polkadot ecosystem.
Through initiatives like sub0 Reset 2024, the community continues to explore new paradigms for decentralized applications, showcasing Polkadot’s leadership in the blockchain space. Whether you’re a developer, curator, or beneficiary, the Bounty Manager offers a glimpse into the future of accessible, efficient dApp solutions.