Polkadot Smart Contract Development and Deployment: A Comprehensive Guide (2024)

The evolution within the realm of blockchain technology is crucial to deliver enhanced, use case-specific blockchain networks to users. While many second-generation blockchains such as Ethereum have successfully tackled the obstacles posed by their first-generation counterparts, the issue of interoperability remains a substantial hurdle.

Polkadot comes to the rescue, providing a solution to this interoperability conundrum with its capacity to link various distinct blockchains, which are developed as Parachains. Moreover, Polkadot bridges facilitate interoperability not only between Parachains but also with external chains like Ethereum.

In addition to enabling connectivity between Parachains and external blockchains, Polkadot bridges serve as a connective layer allowing businesses to engage with and access real-world databases, even those that don’t operate on blockchain.

This ability to facilitate a diverse range of decentralized application (dApp) and blockchain ecosystem development is one of Polkadot’s distinct advantages. Now, let’s explore the role of polkadot smart contracts, which are crucial in governing a blockchain or a dApp, and understand their development and deployment on the Polkadot network.

What is Polkadot?

Polkadot is an innovative blockchain protocol focused on enhancing blockchain interoperability and scalability. It’s positioned itself as a formidable competitor against Ethereum, attracting a considerable amount of interest from investors, developers, and crypto-enthusiasts alike.

Founded by prominent figures like Dr. Gavin Wood, Robert Habermeier, and Peter Czaban under the Web3 Foundation, Polkadot has become an influential player in the blockchain space. Wood, in particular, has a substantial reputation due to his role as an Ethereum co-founder, the creator of the Solidity coding language, and the founder of Parity Technologies.

Polkadot’s vision involves creating a unified ecosystem where projects can benefit from the established security without having to start from zero. This is achieved through a system composed of a relay chain, parachains (shards), parathreads, and bridges, all working together to enhance blockchain interoperability, speed, and scalability.

What are Polkadot Bridges?

The primary relay chain in Polkadot ensures consensus across the platform while facilitating cross-chain transactions.

Parachains facilitate parallel transactions, contributing to horizontal scalability. Within these parachains, state machines help in creating dedicated blockchains with globally coherent data structures that are verified by relay chain validators.

Parathreads operate similarly to parachains but on a pay-per-use basis. They are given access to certain parachain slots, and through a fee auction system, the winning parathread can have their block candidate placed in slots that are not associated with an existing parachain.

Bridges serve as vital adaptors establishing consensus with external chains, fostering compatibility between the Polkadot ecosystem and other blockchains such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tezos.

DOT, the native token of Polkadot, facilitates governance, incentivizes the Nominate-Proof-of-Stake consensus protocol, and handles transaction fees. In the future, DOT will continue to play three key roles: governing the network, operating the network, and bonding to create parachains.

What are Polkadot Smart Contracts?

Polkadot smart contracts are self-executing contracts with predetermined rules and conditions. These contracts are typically written in the Rust programming language using the Substrate framework, purpose-built for developing parachains and custom blockchains within the Polkadot ecosystem.

Smart contracts enable developers to create decentralized applications (dApps) and execute programmable logic on the network. They cater to a wide range of functions such as token transfers, decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, governance mechanisms, and more.

Developers can leverage these smart contracts to bring their unique ideas to life, interact with the broader Polkadot ecosystem, and take advantage of its interoperability and shared security model. It’s important to note, however, that the Polkadot relay chain, as a layer 0 blockchain, doesn’t natively support smart contracts. Yet, the Polkadot ecosystem provides layer 1 blockchains, or parachains, specifically designed to support smart contract functionality.

Advantages of Polkadot for Smart Contract Development

As a next-generation blockchain protocol, Polkadot provides unmatched interoperability among a diverse range of blockchains. When developing a dApp on a Polkadot parachain, it inherently becomes interoperable with other parachains in the network, effectively revolutionizing the traditionally isolated blockchain approach.

Polkadot offers several more advantages:

Power of Polkadot

Developers can tap into the underlying strengths of the Polkadot relay chain, which includes shared security, governance, consensus mechanisms, and scalability.

Flexibility and Optimization

Polkadot provides high flexibility and allows developers to create the Parachain itself, eliminating the challenges associated with optimizing diverse use cases.

Seamless Upgrades

Developers can easily perform periodic upgrades on smart contracts to keep them current with the latest technologies, ensuring their uninterrupted functionality.

Enhanced Security

Smart contracts built on Parachains receive strong security from the underlying blockchain, eliminating the need to establish a network of miners or validators.

Essential Tools for Creating a Smart Contract on Polkadot

Polkadot provides a variety of tools, SDKs, PDKs, testnets, and blockchain frameworks to aid in the development of sophisticated Web3 solutions and dApps. Some essential tools commonly used for development purposes include:

• Substrate – This is your go-to blockchain development platform, coded in Rust. Interestingly, Polkadot’s Host was constructed with this platform.
• Substrate Docs – If you’re seeking thorough guides and tutorials for blockchain creation via Substrate, look no further. This resource has you covered.
• Substrate VSCode Plugin – Enhance your coding prowess in Visual Studio Code with this plugin, custom-designed for Substrate projects.
• Substrate Debug Kit – This kit houses an array of debugging tools and libraries for Substrate chains. It’s packed with features, including offline NPoS election calculations, disk usage trackers, state-testing templates, and more.
• Diener – Changing dependency versions of Polkadot or Substrate becomes a cakewalk with this tool. It simplifies your project’s dependency management and updates.
• Polkadot Launch – An easy-to-use tool that lets you kick-start custom local versions of Polkadot with parachain functionality. Experiment and test your heart out with different Polkadot network configurations.
• Halva – Truffle-inspired local development setting for Substrate. It offers a comfortable setting for developing and examining Substrate-based projects.
• Fork-off Substrate – This tool lets you clone an existing chain’s state to create a local version. You can experiment and alter the cloned chain without disturbing the original network.
• SRtool – A crucial tool for verifying runtime versions against proposal hashes on the chain. This ensures a smooth transition when you upgrade Substrate runtimes.
• Sub-bench – A Substrate benchmarking tool that lets you assess your node’s performance by bombarding it with transactions. It’s a great way to check the scalability and efficiency of your Substrate-based blockchain.
• Substrate-devhub-utils – A set of JavaScript utilities crafted to make Substrate development more convenient. These utilities offer handy functions and tools to streamline your Substrate-related tasks.

Polkadot also supports smart contract development in various languages such as Rust, Ink!, Go, C++, Python, Java, and others via Bridges, making it a flexible and comprehensive platform for smart contract creation.

Why Choose Polkadot for Smart Contract Development?

Wondering why Polkadot should be your go-to choice for creating smart contracts? Polkadot, a cutting-edge blockchain protocol, gives developers numerous compelling incentives to select it as their preferred platform for smart contract development. Here’s the lowdown:

1. Embrace Interoperability with Polkadot’s Parachains

One of the prime benefits of Polkadot is its knack for promoting cross-chain interoperability.

When you craft a decentralized application (dApp) as a Parachain in the Polkadot ecosystem, it can seamlessly interact with other Parachains in the network.

It effectively dismantles the isolated framework typical of conventional blockchains, facilitating effortless cross-chain collaboration and communication.

When working on Polkadot, developers can tap into the advantages offered by Polkadot’s native relay chain. This encompasses aspects like shared security, scalable consensus mechanisms, and governance.

By employing Polkadot for smart contract creation, you gain access to a solid and secure foundation, eliminating the need to build a miner or validator network from the ground up.

3. Flexibility and Optimization Opportunities

Polkadot hands developers the reins by providing immense flexibility and the capability to design their Parachains. This empowers them to fine-tune their use cases to cater to their specific needs.

By customizing the blockchain to their requirements, developers can assure highly optimized, secure services with negligible downtime.

4. Stay Future-Ready with Upgradability

With Polkadot, upgrading your smart contracts becomes a breeze. Regular updates ensure your contracts stay operative, compatible with the latest advancements, and adaptable to evolving business environments.

Developers can stay on top of their game and continually improve their smart contracts with minimal interruptions.

5. Enjoy a Hassle-Free Security Model

Polkadot’s Parachains are designed to bequeath strong security from the underlying blockchain to the smart contracts.

This eliminates the need to create a separate miner or validator network, thereby reducing operational complications and overheads.

This smooth security model offers developers a sense of assurance, as they know their smart contracts rest on a secure and dependable infrastructure.

Understanding Smart Contract Development on Polkadot

At the heart of regulating a blockchain or a dApp lies the smart contract. These self-executing contracts play a crucial role in automating processes, ensuring transparency, and facilitating secure interactions between participants. Now, let’s delve into the process of developing and deploying smart contracts on the Polkadot Network.

1. Setting up the Development Environment

To get started, you’ll need to set up your development environment for Polkadot smart contract development.

This involves installing the necessary software tools, such as the Polkadot runtime environment, and familiarizing yourself with the available programming languages for smart contract development on Polkadot.

2. Choosing the Right Programming Language

Polkadot offers developers a variety of programming languages to choose from for smart contract development. Currently, the most widely used languages include Solidity, Rust, and Ink!.

Solidity: A popular language primarily associated with Ethereum, Solidity allows developers to write smart contracts that can be deployed on both Ethereum and Polkadot.

Rust: Known for its robustness and efficiency, Rust is a powerful language supported by the Substrate framework, which is the underlying technology powering Polkadot.

Ink!: Specifically designed for developing smart contracts on Polkadot, Ink! is a high-level language that simplifies the contract development process with its user-friendly syntax.

3. Writing and Testing Smart Contracts

Once you’ve selected your preferred programming language, you can start writing your smart contracts. Leverage the features and capabilities of the chosen language to define the contract’s logic, functions, and desired behaviors.

It’s crucial to thoroughly test your smart contracts to ensure they function as intended and are free from vulnerabilities.

4. Deploying Smart Contracts on Polkadot

To deploy your smart contracts on the Polkadot Network, you’ll need to interact with the Polkadot ecosystem and utilize the available tools and frameworks.

This typically involves compiling your smart contract code into WebAssembly (Wasm) bytecode, which can be executed on the Polkadot runtime environment.

5. Interacting with Smart Contracts

Once your smart contract is deployed, you can interact with it using various methods, such as sending transactions to invoke contract functions, reading contract state, and monitoring events emitted by the contract.

These interactions allow users to leverage the functionalities provided by your smart contract within the Polkadot ecosystem.

How to Develop and Deploy Smart Contracts on Polkadot

Creating and implementing smart contracts on Polkadot may seem daunting, but it’s more accessible than you might think. The Relay chain, while not directly supporting smart contracts, ties the Parachains together. Parachains can be used to create a blockchain or dApp, which can then connect with the main Polkadot Network via the Relay chain.

Polkadot employs Substrate, blockchain Software Development Kits (SDKs) that include various components such as network logic, transaction queue, a web assembly interpreter, and the likes.

Currently, Substrate facilitates smart contract development in two ways: through Frontier EVM contracts and Substrate contracts. We’ll focus on the Substrate blockchain framework in this guide.

1. Getting Your Computer Ready for Substrate Development

To begin with, you’ll need to install some prerequisites on your computer. This process includes two steps: setting up your computer for Substrate development and getting started with the Rust programming language.

1. For Debian/Ubuntu Users

If you’re using Debian/Ubuntu, open your terminal shell and run the following commands:

bash

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y git clang curl libssl-dev llvm libudev-dev

These commands will fetch the latest updates and install crucial tools like git, clang, curl, libssl-dev, llvm, and libudev-dev.

2. For Arch Linux Users

If you’re an Arch Linux user, execute the following command in your terminal:

bash

pacman -Syu –needed –noconfirm curl git clang

This will install essential tools like curl, git, and clang on your system.

3. For Fedora Users

Fedora users should update their system and install necessary tools by running the following commands:

bash

sudo dnf update

sudo dnf install clang curl git openssl-devel

4. For OpenSUSE Users

On OpenSUSE, the following commands will install the necessary tools:

bash

sudo zypper install clang curl git openssl-devel llvm-devel libudev-devel

5. For macOS Users

MacOS users will need to install Homebrew first. If it’s already installed, they can update it and install openssl using the following commands:

bash

/bin/bash -c “$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)”

brew update

brew install openssl

6. For Windows Users

Windows users will also need to install Homebrew first. After that, they can update it and install openssl as follows:

bash

/bin/bash -c “$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)”

brew update

brew install openssl

Setting up the Rust Developer Environment

Once we have the necessary tools installed, we need to set up the Rust developer environment. This setup requires using the rustup tool for managing the Rust toolchain. To install and configure rustup, use the following commands:

bash

curl –proto ‘=https’ –tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

source ~/.cargo/env

Now, let’s configure the Rust toolchain to the latest stable version, add nightly wasm target and nightly:

bash

rustup default stable

rustup update

rustup update nightly

rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown –toolchain nightly

Verifying Your Setup

Next, let’s check if everything’s set up correctly. We need to ensure our machine is fully prepared for Substrate development.

Installing the Substrate Contracts Node

Substrate development needs built-in contract pallets. We’ll use a pre-configured Substrate node in this guide. To install it, run the following command:

bash

cargo install contracts-node –git https://github.com/paritytech/substrate-contracts–node.git –tag v0.10.0 –force –locked

2. Setting Up Ink! CLI

After configuring our machine and setting up the Rust developer environment, we’re just one step away from being ready for Substrate development. That last step involves installing the ink! Command-line interface (CLI). This tool is a must-have for smooth sailing through Substrate smart contracts creation.

Firstly, we’ll need to ensure that our contract’s WebAssembly bytecode is optimized. Then, we can move forward with the ink! installation.

1. For Ubuntu or Debian Users

If you’re operating on Ubuntu or Debian, open your terminal shell and install binaryen by executing the following command:

bash

sudo apt install binaryen

2. For MacOS Users

MacOS users can install binaryen through Homebrew with this command:

bash

brew install binaryen

Installing the Ink! Package

After installing binaryen, we’re ready to install the ink! package. To do so, run the following command:

bash

cargo install cargo-contract –vers ^1.0 –force –locked

Navigating the Ink! CLI

With the ink! package successfully installed, you can access all the commands it offers. Simply run the following:

bash

cargo contract –help

3. Kickstarting Your Ink! Project

It’s time to put our Ink! CLI to use and start creating files vital for our Substrate smart contract project. Here’s how to do it:

From your working directory, initiate the creation of a new Ink! project by running:

bash

cargo contract new flipper

This will birth a new folder, “flipper”, that will house key components of our project. Let’s take a closer look:

bash

cd flipper/

Upon entering the ‘flipper’ directory, we encounter a few crucial elements:

• lib.rs: Here, you’ll find the source code of your contract.
• Cargo.toml: This file includes all the Rust dependencies and configurations for Ink!
• .gitignore: Any files you don’t want Git to track are listed here.

Crafting the Source Code

Ink! CLI conveniently creates the source code for a simple smart contract called “Flipper”. This contract consists of a boolean that flips between true and false with the help of the flip() function.

This basic example will serve as a useful stepping stone before we dive into more complex contract development scenarios.

Validating Your Contract Code

Our source code includes some basic test cases towards the end. These tests help ensure our smart contract is functioning as expected.

You can run these tests within the Ink! off-chain test environment, like so:

bash

cargo +nightly test

Once the tests run successfully, you’ll see a message similar to this:

bash

running 2 tests

test flipper::tests::it_works … ok

test flipper::tests::default_works … ok

test result: ok. 2 passed; 0 failed; 0 ignored; 0 measured; 0 filtered out

This confirmation assures us that our smart contract is in good shape and ready for the next step: compilation to WebAssembly (Wasm).

Compiling your Contract

Now that our contract’s health has been verified, we can compile it to Wasm. Navigate back to the project directory and execute the following:

bash

cargo +nightly contract build

This process will compile your Ink! project into a Wasm binary, a metadata file, and a .contract file that fuses both. The .contract file will be crucial when deploying the contract on-chain.

If all goes well, you’ll find a ‘target’ folder with these components:

• flipper.contract
• flipper.wasm
• metadata.json

The metadata.json file outlines every interface you’ll need for interacting with your contract:

• ‘types’ offer custom data applicable throughout the JSON.
• ‘storage’ shows the items your contract manages and lets you access them.
• ‘spec’ provides details about the functions users can utilize to engage with your contract (like constructors and messages), along with helpful context like the contract’s events or documents.

4. Launching a Substrate Smart Contract Node

Following a successful installation of the substrate-contracts-node, it’s time to kickstart a local development node. Simply execute the following:

bash

substrate-contracts-node –dev

Once you’ve run this command, you’ll begin to notice the blocks being produced right in your terminal. That’s your smart contract node, buzzing with activity!

5. Activating Your Contract

Contract deployment in Substrate is a two-step process:

• Uploading your contract to the blockchain
• Creating instances of your contract

Uploading your Contract to the Blockchain

Think of this like deploying a blueprint like the ERC20 standard to the blockchain. You only need to do it once, but you can create as many instances as you like. Uploading the same blueprint multiple times just takes up unnecessary space on the blockchain.

Here’s how you can upload your contract code and create an instance on the blockchain:

• In the sidebar, click on the “Add New Contract” button.
• Navigate to the “Add New Contract Page” and click on the “Upload New Contract” button.
• Select the account for instantiation, for instance, ALICE.
• Give your contract a meaningful name, like ‘Flipper Contract’.
• Drag and drop the ‘flipper. Contract’ file into the designated area. This file contains the Wasm blob and metadata. The interface will parse the metadata and enable the button to move you to the next step.
• Click on the “Next button” to proceed.

Instantiating Your Contract on the Blockchain

Your smart contract now exists on the blockchain as an extension of an account. Creating an instance of this contract will create an AccountId that houses the balances managed by the contract, enabling users to interact with it.

To instantiate the smart contract, follow these steps:

• Accept the default parameters of the contract Deployment Constructor.
• Set the maximum gas limit to 200000, which is the default setting.
• Click on ‘Next’.

After this, your transactions will be lined up. Review the details and click on “Upload and Instantiate”, or go back to adjust the inputs.

Once you click on “Upload and Instantiate”, you will observe the ‘instantiateWithCode’ extrinsic being processed. A notification will pop up showing the creation of a new account (‘system.new account’) and the instantiation of the contract (‘contracts.Instantiated’). You’ll be redirected to a new page where you can instantly interact with your fresh contract.

Polkadot Development Services at Webisoft

In our commitment to craft groundbreaking and functional blockchain solutions for a wide array of businesses, our team at Webisoft is eager to harness the power of the newest blockchain technologies. With a focus on the Polkadot Network, we provide the following range of services:

Harnessing Smart Contracts

We make the most of Polkadot’s remarkable interoperability capabilities to create smart contracts tailor-made for your projects. These contracts not only govern your Parachains but also extend support for cross-chain compatibility.

Bridging Between Chains

Our team of experts boasts a wealth of experience in crafting Polkadot bridges. These bridges are designed to facilitate seamless cross-chain transitions between Polkadot and a host of other blockchain ecosystems.

Building NFT Marketplaces

We tap into the power of the interoperability inherent to the Polkadot ecosystem to build NFT marketplaces. These platforms are designed with cross-chain capabilities to make trading NFTs a smooth and hassle-free experience.

Developing dApps

We specialize in creating a wide range of interoperable decentralized applications on the Polkadot network or as a Parachain. These dApps are versatile, ensuring compatibility with a variety of both public and private blockchains.

Crafting Parachains and Parathreads

We guide you through the process of developing Parachains and Parathreads on the Polkadot Network. These elements are provided with the shared security, governance, and scalability features inherent to the Relay chain.

Custom Wallet Development

We assist you in designing and integrating personalized wallets on the Polkadot network. These wallets cater to your needs, whether for your decentralized exchange platform, NFT marketplace, or cross-chain exchanges.

Wrapping Up

In the world of blockchain technology, interoperability is currently taking center stage, and Polkadot is making quite a splash. It enables connected Parachains to not only interact but also freely share data and tokens. Even for non-Parachains, Polkadot facilitates interoperability by leveraging cross-chain bridges.

Two primary objectives drive Polkadot: offering shared security to the Parachains and enabling seamless interaction among all the connected chains. Moreover, it streamlines the process for developers aiming to create and deploy a new chain. With the aid of Parachain Development Kits (PDKs), launching a new Parachain can be done in mere weeks or even days!

So, if you’re looking to amplify the cross-chain capabilities of your blockchain solutions or wish to explore interoperable blockchain applications, look no further! Get in touch with us at Webisoft, and we’ll guide you to the perfect solution with Polkadot.

Polkadot Smart Contract FAQs

How is smart contract development on Polkadot different from Ethereum?

Polkadot’s multichain environment differs significantly from Ethereum’s single blockchain architecture. This offers more flexibility for developers as they can build on any connected blockchain, or “parachain”, using a language that suits their needs, unlike Ethereum, which primarily uses Solidity.

Can I write a Polkadot smart contract using Solidity?

Yes, the Polkadot ecosystem supports Solidity through the Substrate EVM pallet and the Moonbeam project. However, to fully leverage Substrate’s flexibility, it might be beneficial to learn Rust and Ink!.

Can Polkadot smart contracts interact with other blockchains?

Yes, through Polkadot’s cross-chain interoperability, smart contracts on one parachain can interact with contracts on another parachain or even with external blockchains such as Ethereum, as long as they are connected to the Polkadot network.

What is the role of gas in Polkadot smart contracts?

Similar to Ethereum, gas in Polkadot is a measure of computational effort. Each operation in a contract costs a certain amount of gas. It’s a way of metering the resources used by the smart contract to prevent spamming and abuse of the network.

What is Ink! in the context of Polkadot smart contracts?

Ink! is a Rust-based domain-specific language developed by Parity Technologies for writing smart contracts on Substrate and Polkadot. It provides developers with a safe and efficient environment to write, test, and deploy their smart contracts.

How are Polkadot smart contracts tested?

Polkadot smart contracts can be tested using off-chain testing provided by Ink!. This allows developers to verify the functionality of their smart contract before deploying it onto the blockchain.

Can I migrate my Ethereum smart contracts to Polkadot?

Yes, it’s possible to migrate Ethereum smart contracts to Polkadot, particularly with the help of the Moonbeam network, which provides full compatibility with Ethereum’s tools, languages, and standards such as Solidity and the EVM.

What is a parachain in the context of Polkadot smart contracts?

A parachain in the Polkadot network is essentially a distinct blockchain with its own tokens, consensus mechanism, and behavior. Each parachain is fully customizable, allowing developers to tailor their smart contracts for specific applications and performances.