We know that writing code is never easy and doing it in a new language like Chialisp doesn’t make it easier, so we’re releasing beta versions of additional tools to support developers. Included in this release are three separate developer tool betas to make building in the Chia ecosystem simpler and more accessible.
The New Tools!
Whether for simulation, complex testing, or increasing the scale of your application’s operations, these tools will save developers and NFT creators time and money.
If you are developing in Chialisp or a wallet solution, you can now use a blockchain simulator, which allows you to test your code in a controlled and isolated environment. The tool spins up a full node in simulation mode and allows you to control the blockchain’s progression for testing purposes. The simulator also comes with a lightweight installation that can be bundled with other tools.
Coding in Chialisp just got a bit easier – The language server provides syntax highlighting, auto-completion, code navigation and basic diagnostics for developing Chialisp puzzles in Visual Studio Code. It also allows you to jump straight to a function’s definition, even if it’s in an external library.
The language server also enables developers to make extensions for other editors. We encourage you to add (and share) your own improvements to the development experience, and look forward to showcasing some of these extensions to the developer community for you. We’ve also included the extension on the repo release page.
Chialisp and the coin set model of accounting have enabled us to release the industry’s best NFT standard, but with some initial usability tradeoffs. For example, minting more than a handful of NFTs at a time has been cumbersome – until now!
Chia’s bulk minting tool automates the process of creating groups of NFTs. You can now mint a 10,000 profile picture (PFP) collection in just a few hours. Additionally, if you know who the recipients will be, you have the option of airdropping each NFT to a target address upon being minted. Otherwise, you can create offer files as part of the minting process automatically to sell the NFTs individually, on your preferred marketplace.
The development ecosystem for the Chia blockchain is integral to the continued growth and adoption of Chia, and we know that you need an accessible development environment with parity of tools to other blockchains. These tools are a start; we’ve more planned. Your work is important and demonstrates the strengths of the Chia technology, so we will continue building more ways to support you and the applications you’re developing.
