Smart Contract Development Platform

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Target System

The Smart Contract Development Platform on QF Network Testnet - an environment that enables developers to build, deploy and interact with contracts using familiar development patterns while accessing QF's unique blockchain advantages. This platform serves as the foundation for dApp ecosystem growth and developer adoption ahead of Mainnet launch.

Problem Statement

The success of the QF network depends on launching with a thriving decentralized application (dApp) ecosystem that demonstrates its unique advantages over existing blockchain platforms. However, developers are currently unable to build or test applications on the QF network, creating a vicious cycle where the network launches without proven applications, limiting adoption and preventing QF’s competitive advantages from being tested in real-world use cases.
The Rust SDK will enable smart contract development for a broader circle of Rust developers, unlike the current low-level API in Revive that primarily interests only Revive platform developers for testing purposes. The simplification, focus on business logic, and hiding of unnecessary low-level details is what we need for native Rust development.

Current Agent Experience

Developers interested in building on QF Network cannot deploy or test smart contracts, limiting ecosystem development and preventing early dApp validation. Existing Rust developers face complex low-level APIs that require deep platform knowledge rather than focusing on application logic. dApp frontend developers cannot access unique QF features through smart contracts, preventing them from creating innovative user experiences that demonstrate QF's advantages.

Desired Agent Experience

Developers can efficiently build, deploy, and test smart contracts on QF Network Testnet using familiar development patterns and simplified tools. They access QF-specific features through ergonomic APIs, along with tools and documentation, making it possible to build and validate dApps before the Mainnet launch. The platform provides ergonomic developer experience comparable to leading blockchain platforms while offering distinctive QF advantages.

Value Proposition

Enables QF Network to launch Mainnet with an emerging dApps ecosystem by providing developers and early adopters the tools and capabilities needed to build innovative applications that showcase QF's unique value propositions, driving network adoption and validating QF's competitive advantages in real-world usage.

Agent Analysis

Agent Priority Overview: Primary: 60% Native Rust Developers - QF's unique value proposition audience; Secondary: 30% dApp Frontend Developers - Key ecosystem builders who create user-facing applications; Tertiary: 10% QF Internal Developers - Enable external developer success through platform validation and reference implementations.

Native Rust Smart Contracts Developers (60% - Primary)

• Agent Type: Human Agent - Rust developers interested in smart contracts development who prefer using familiar language patterns
• Current Pain Points: Limited ergonomic API for smart contracts development in Revive platform; only low-level APIs of the platform is available; cannot focus on business logic due to platform complexity; lack of Rust-native development patterns
• Desired Outcomes: Build smart contracts using familiar Rust patterns; focus on business logic rather than platform technical details; create innovative applications leveraging Rust's capabilities
• Agent Journey: Explores QF → Tests native Rust SDK for smart contracts → Builds prototype contract → Demonstrates unique Rust-powered features → Builds production-ready application
• Success Metrics: Completes first contract successfully; increases business logic percentage in a typical contracts; reports focusing on application logic rather than platform complexity
• Integration Requirements: Simplified development tools hiding platform complexity; familiar Rust development patterns; business logic-focused interfaces

dApp Frontend Developers (30% - Secondary)

• Agent Type: Human Agent - Frontend developers building user-facing applications who need smart contracts exposing QF's unique capabilities
• Current Pain Points: Cannot access unique QF features through smart contracts; limited to generic blockchain functionality; cannot create user experiences showcasing QF's fast finality; dependent on core blockchain developers for feature access
• Desired Outcomes: Create user experiences demonstrating QF's speed advantages; demonstrate QF superiority through user-facing features; integrate smart contract data seamlessly; collaborate effectively with smart contract developers
• Agent Journey: Identifies desired QF features for user experience → Collaborates with smart contract developers → Integrates QF-specific smart contract functionality → Builds innovative frontend experiences → Demonstrates QF advantages to users → Drives user adoption
• Success Metrics: Successfully integrates smart contract data outputs; builds applications demonstrating QF's fast inclusion through real-time updates
• Integration Requirements: Smart contracts exposing QF features through clear interfaces; frontend-friendly contract APIs; comprehensive examples of QF feature integration; collaborative development tools

QF Internal Developers (10% - Tertiary)

• Agent Type: Human Agent - QF team members building internal tools, testing platform capabilities, and creating reference implementations
• Current Pain Points: Cannot validate platform completeness; lack comprehensive examples for external developers; need to ensure platform readiness before external adoption; require tools for demonstrating QF capabilities
• Desired Outcomes: Validate platform readiness through comprehensive testing; create compelling reference implementations; build internal tools efficiently; gather feedback for platform improvements before wider adoption
• Agent Journey: Implements platform features → Tests with complex real-world contracts → Identifies platform gaps → Builds reference applications → Gathers external developer feedback → Iterates platform improvements → Validates readiness metrics
• Success Metrics: Successfully deploys 2+ reference applications demonstrating different platform capabilities; identifies and resolves the majority of platform issues before external adoption; creates examples enabling external developer success; validates platform readiness against success criteria
• Integration Requirements: Full platform access including debugging capabilities; comprehensive testing tools; performance analysis capabilities; feedback collection systems

Expected Agent Experience & Acceptance

Agent Acceptance Scenarios

Scenario 1: Native Rust Innovation (Primary Happy Path)

• Given a Rust developer wants to build smart contracts focusing on business logic rather than platform technical details
• When they use the native Rust SDK to build contracts
• Then they create functional applications while focusing on business logic and data structures (e.g. Student, Product, Order) instead of low-level key-value operations
• And they demonstrate applications leveraging QF Network's advantages impossible on other blockchains

Acceptance Criteria:

• It is possible to implement smart contracts in Rust for QF Network
• SDK provides missing entities making possible to compile smart contract outside of the Polkadot SDK code base
• Developers create functional smart contracts using composite data structures instead of primitive key-value operations (demonstrated through side-by-side code comparison)

Scenario 2: Frontend Developer QF Feature Integration (Secondary Happy Path)

• Given a frontend developer wants to create user experiences showcasing QF Network's unique capabilities
• When they integrate smart contract data into user interfaces
• Then they build applications demonstrating QF Network's fast inclusion through real-time updates
• And they achieve measurably better user engagement compared to equivalent applications on other platforms

Acceptance Criteria:

• Frontend developers display smart contract data in user interfaces within 30 minutes
• dApps demonstrate QF Network's fast inclusion through real-time data updates

Scenario 3: Platform Validation by Internal Teams (Alternative Path)

• Given QF Network internal developers need to validate platform completeness and create comprehensive examples
• When they build reference applications testing major platform capabilities
• Then they confirm platform readiness for external developers and create examples enabling external developer success
• And they demonstrate QF Network's advantages through compelling reference implementations

Acceptance Criteria:

• Internal team deploy 2+ reference smart contracts covering all major platform capabilities
• Platform validation identifies and resolves the majority of issues before external developer adoption
• Reference implementations enable external developers to build and run functional smart contracts
• Platform readiness is validated against all defined success metrics

Scenario 4: Error Handling and Developer Support (Error/Edge Case)

• Given developers encounter deployment failures, contract bugs, or platform limitations
• When they access error messages and support resources
• Then they can quickly identify and resolve issues without requiring direct support
• And they maintain confidence in platform reliability and development productivity

Acceptance Criteria:

• The majority of development issues resolved through clear error messages and self-service documentation

System Context & Boundaries

Target System Scope

In Scope:

• Smart contract deployment and execution environment using Revive project
• Native Rust SDK providing ergonomic APIs for contract development
• Reference applications demonstrating QF advantages
• Reference documentation and error handling systems

Out of Scope:

• Frontend development tools and Web SDK for interacting with smart contracts via RPC
• Developer portal and educational documentation (covered in Developer Portal case)
• Node operation and infrastructure management (covered in infrastructure cases)
• Mainnet deployment and production support
• Advanced IDE integrations and tooling ecosystem
• Comprehensive precompiles set (governance, utility pallets, XCM, oracles, randomness)
• Solidity contract support through Revive compiler with platform migration tools
• Developer tools for testing, debugging, and performance analysis

Technical Interfaces:

• pallet-revive extrinsics and state getters
• Smart Contracts Rust SDK public API

Constraints & Dependencies

Dependencies:

• QF Network Testnet infrastructure and SPIN consensus block production implementation
• Revive project development and PolkaVM integration
• Polkadot SDK framework for blockchain functionality

Technical Constraints:

• Must provide native Rust development experience
• Must integrate with existing QF Network architecture without major modifications

Business Constraints:

• Platform must be ready before Mainnet launch to ensure ecosystem availability
• Development resources focused on QF Network-specific advantages rather than generic blockchain features
• Must attract developers from established ecosystems while providing unique value

Risks Assessment

Developer Adoption Lower Than Expected

Impact: High
Probability: Medium
Mitigation Strategy: Test carefully, thoroughly and completely with real developers; focus on unique QF advantages; provide compelling reference applications; ensure superior developer experience through comprehensive user testing
Owner: Product Team

Rust SDK Complexity Remains Too High

Impact: High
Probability: Medium
Mitigation Strategy: Extensive user testing with target developers; iterative design based on business logic focus; comprehensive examples and documentation; fallback to incremental API improvements
Owner: Developer Experience Team

Revive Project Integration Challenges

Impact: High
Probability: Medium
Mitigation Strategy: Close collaboration with Parity team; phased integration approach; comprehensive testing; fallback plans for integration issues
Owner: Technical Team

Reference Applications Insufficient for Ecosystem Launch

Impact: High
Probability: Medium
Mitigation Strategy: Build 5+ compelling reference applications; validate with external developers; ensure applications demonstrate clear QF advantages; provide comprehensive tutorials and examples
Owner: Internal Development Team

Decision Log

• 2025-08-20: Removed precompile development from scope due to expected breaking changes in Revive EVM compatibility - Focus on core platform readiness
• ADR #0011: Revive Project-Based Smart Contracts Platform #444 Adopted Revive Project over in-house smart contracts platform - Reduces development complexity while providing mature foundation
• ADR #0012: Initial Precompiles #446 - WIP to select initial precompile set focusing on governance, utility, and oracle functionality - Enables unique QF capabilities while managing scope
• ADR #0013: Native Rust SDK for Smart Contracts #453 - WIP to commit to native Rust SDK development with ergonomic APIs - Differentiates QF while serving Rust developer community

Learning Outcomes

[To be filled in during and after the case has been completed]

What we learned:

Key insights gained:
Assumptions validated/invalidated:
Unexpected discoveries:

What we would do differently:

Process improvements:
Technical approach changes:

Notes