Local Ethereum Development Environment

This project provides a streamlined local Ethereum development environment with integrated block explorer support. It automates the setup and deployment process for local development and testing.

Features

• Automated Devnet Setup: One-command setup of a local Ethereum network
• Integrated Block Explorer: Built-in Ethernal block explorer integration
• Smart Contract Deployment: Automated deployment of contracts using Hardhat Ignition
• Port Management: Automatic detection and handling of port conflicts
• Environment Management: Secure handling of API keys and environment variables
• Clean Shutdown: Graceful stopping of the development network

Tools Used

• Hardhat: Ethereum development environment
• Ethernal: Block explorer for local development
• Hardhat Ignition: Declarative deployment system
• Hardhat Ethernal Plugin: Integration with Ethernal block explorer

Scripts

Setup and Deployment (devnet_setup_and_deploy.sh)

This script automates the entire development workflow:

1. Port Management:

   • Checks if port 8545 is available
   • Offers to kill any process using the port

2. Environment Setup:

   • Creates/updates .env file
   • Manages Ethernal API token
   • Validates token length and format

3. Network Initialization:

   • Starts local Ethereum network
   • Configures 5-second block mining interval
   • Sets up network parameters

4. Contract Deployment:

   • Compiles smart contracts
   • Deploys contracts using Hardhat Ignition
   • Logs deployment process

Network Shutdown (devnet_stop.sh)

This script provides a clean way to stop the development network:

1. Process Detection:

   • Identifies processes running on port 8545
   • Shows detailed process information

2. Graceful Shutdown:

   • Offers to kill the process
   • Provides feedback on shutdown status
   • Allows manual intervention if needed

Usage

You can use either the shell scripts directly or the npm shortcuts:

Using NPM Scripts

1. Start the development environment:

   npm run devnet:start

2. Stop the development environment:

   npm run devnet:stop

Using Shell Scripts

1. Start the development environment:

   ./scripts/devnet_setup_and_deploy.sh

2. Stop the development environment:

   ./scripts/devnet_stop.sh

Setup Process

1. Follow the prompts after running the script to:

   • Set up Ethernal account (first time only)
   • Configure API token
   • Deploy contracts

2. Access the block explorer at:

   https://app.tryethernal.com/explorer/localhost
   

Notes

• The network state resets each time you run the setup script. This can be reconfigured by removing the workspace and resetOnStart properties from the ethernal section of the hardhat.config.js file
• The block time is set to 5 seconds, this can also be adjusted in the hardhat.config.js file
• All transactions and blocks are automatically synced to the block explorer
• The scripts handle port conflicts and environment setup automatically
• Use the stop script to cleanly shut down the development network