Without wallets there is no user interaction with the blockchain ledger, so it is necessary to have a diversity and quantity of wallets. It is the most important basic tool in the blockchain ecosystem.
The variety of products allows each user to choose the most appropriate interface, and even use more than one for different functions. Also for security reasons, as the popular phrase goes, don’t keep all your eggs in one basket. Once again, the concept of decentralization is present.
In Cardano, currently, there is only Daedalus as a node-wallet, which, unlike the light wallets, contains and synchronizes the entire blockchain in the device in which it is installed. As lightweight wallets do not have all the records downloaded, to operate they must connect to servers that intermediate the user with the blockchain. Synchronizing the blockchain is an intensive operation, because it is a constantly growing registry.
The main problem for a thin client is to extract only a certain part of the information from the network. In this sense IOHK is developing Mithril: Stake-based Threshold Multisignatures, a cryptographic construction that allows thin clients (such as non-node wallets), to obtain data from the blockchain, without downloading all its content.
So far, all the wallets that have been proposed in the Catalyst Project are web thin clients, some with browser extension enhancements, but no mobile app versions.
You can see in AdaPulse other proposals for this segment.
Although the proposal I will tell you about is also a lightweight wallet, it promises to be a game changer.
The Game-changing Proposal
GameChanger is a wallet with a gamified approach, thus committed to lowering the barrier of entry for adoption. The main goal is to enable people to have a user-friendly experience, without suffering from language complexities and high-level coding skill requirements.
The current key features of GameChanger are:
- Lightweight, non-custodial progressive web app (PWA) portfolio, ready to use on any device without installation.
- Mainnet, and Testnet wallet also to allow developers and students to test without spending real value.
- Gamified interface, where the balance is like a game inventory, and moving assets (colored cards) as if they were tangible objects, allowing to make from the simplest transaction to even multi-asset and multi-product transactions with the same intuitive interface.
- Without manual settings of fees and minimum ADA values, the wallet calculates all of this. It makes it easy to send a single token, you choose the asset and the wallet adjusts the rest.
- Native support for NFT and tokens with visual representation. Token avatars help identify the same minting policies to quickly discover fake tokens, and visually respect the similarities of NFT collections. Token registration verification.
- Strict audit stage for any transaction submission request, allowing the user to review their actions before submitting.
- Built-in NFT creator, drag and drop any file type, (not just images) to mint a single NFT, or even a professional collection in an automated way.
- URL-based DApp connector, allowing social networks, blog sites, landing pages, even emails and electronic messaging to carry payment links, donation buttons, metadata, tokens and NFT minting links on Cardano Blockchain. Try it in this “mining tweet“.
- Builtin Playground (IDE): DApp connector editor and HTML and URL generator. GameChanger script editor, a JSON-based DApp connector scheme that has already been successfully coded by non-developers, demonstrating the simplification of coding languages and tools. Users can start coding these scripts by editing all the demos already integrated in the editor. Implement payments, NFT drops and complex transactions quickly ending up with an integration of ready-to-use dynamic HTML DApps or a static copy-and-paste URL.
- The eUTxO model is visually exposed, for developers and students to audit and learn how Cardano works. This Playground bonus embodies the commitment to students and junior developers.
- Code based on Emurgo’s cardano-serialization-lib, the core of Yoroi Wallet.
- Private key isolation within Web Workers, read-only mode, among other functionalities.
- Open source, community-driven API backend, using IOHK’s cardano-graphql and relying on Dandelion APIs.
The developer proposes the following scheme of work:
- Support feedback loops that arise in conversations with communities such as Gimbalabs, offering support and adding new, frequently requested features.
- Add smart contract capabilities.
- Improve the wallet in general, fixing bugs, refactoring.
- Add more demos to Playground.
- Docs, tutorials.
- Add a DApp Discovery Hub or Marketplace to make all existing DApps available inside the wallet.
- Prepare the code for internationalization.
- Grow the user base by reaching out to potential users/startups and try to cover their needs.
- Cover for 1 year our own infrastructure costs while contributing to Dandelion APIs to power a feedback loop, and incorporate more developers with open source APIs.
- Lead, Fullstack Developer + support for DApp teams [400hs x USD 40] USD 16,000.
- System Administration (external collaboration and internal role) [200hs x USD 30] USD 6,000.
- Landing Website Front End (demos, tutorials, docs, maintenance) [200hs x USD 30] USD 6,000.
- Marketing efforts ( explanatory videos, campaigns, talks, events ) USD 3,000.
- Graphic design USD 2,000
- Dandelion’s own infrastructure (mainnet + testnet) [12 months x USD 600] USD 7,200.
- Shared infrastructure in collaboration with Dandelion and backup (mainnet + testnet) [12 months x $600 ] USD 7,200.
Funds requested: USD 47,400
Metrics
Metadata can be used to have some usage metrics, but always preserving user privacy, running a query, which already exists and shows real GameChanger DApps transactions on testnet.
Also with the DApp Discovery Hub, which records the number of DApps implementing GameChanger.
Social networks for interaction with users and their feedback, and weekly reports.
The developer sets success goals for his proposal, if chosen, which he details as follows:
- Day zero, BC (Before Catalyst): the wallet is now operational. Some other features and enhancements will be implemented prior to funding if the proposal is selected, as they have been requested by the DApp teams.
- After 3 months: The proposed development will have already started, the configuration of the own and shared infrastructure will be online, and the orchestration with the Dandelion network (IAN network) will start. DApps will be integrated using what is available to them, helping the Cardano development ecosystem to grow, easing the learning/development curve on tasks such as payments, NFTs deliveries, token issuance, metadata, marketplaces payments, Cardano-powered passwordless logins, etc.
- After 6 months, AC (After Catalyst): proposed development will be finished, some new features implemented to enable better DApps integrations, all backend infrastructure will be online, many DApps will already be using GameChanger. Smart contracts will be added to the feature list.
- After 12 months: DApp Discovery Hub will have real use cases in Cardano, a user base will be formed and the ecosystem will have months of growth, moving towards new ideas and challenges to make it grow.
The Dev
Adriano Fiorenza, is an Argentinian Senior full stack developer. Co-founder, and CTO of iParking, a powerful private and state-run parking payment and management solution built over a multipurpose wallet.
He has been in the crypto ecosystem since 2014. He has other active proposals in FUND6, two related to this proposal, GameChanger: IPS Program, and Meta-data financial real use case and another with smart contracts, Contract Labeling & Transparency.
Cardano Project Catalyst After Town Hall – GameChanger Wallet Demo by Adriano: video
The platform: https://gamechanger.finance/
You can see the original proposal at Catalyst
Editor’s note: always do your own research on developments (DYOR). The wallet is the most important user tool in the crypto industry.
