How to Build a DApp on Celo

Introduction and Overview

In this workshop, the speaker introduces the topic of building a DApp (Decentralized Application) on Celo. He mentions that the session is being recorded and will be available on YouTube. He encourages participants to ask questions in the chat or Q&A section. Josh Kreitz, from the C Labs developer relations team, gives a brief introduction about himself and his role in educating and supporting developers on Celo. The speaker outlines the topics to be covered, including types of projects that can be built, important blockchain concepts, learning resources, and a Q&A session.

Overview of Celo and its Vision

The speaker explains that Celo aims to empower and meet the financial needs of all people by providing an open and permissionless platform accessible through mobile phones. He mentions the vision of banking the unbanked, which has not yet been fully realized. He highlights the importance of stable value currencies, as Bitcoin and Ethereum are highly volatile. Celo addresses this by introducing stable assets, such as Celo Dollars and upcoming Celo Euros, which can be used for transactions and fees. The speaker emphasizes the focus on accessibility and building an inclusive financial system.

Projects and Opportunities on Celo

The speaker explores the current projects being built on Celo and mentions governance and protocol contract integration as common themes. He acknowledges the need to improve user experience and accessibility, as some of the existing tools are not user-friendly. He mentions command line tools and custom JavaScript scripts as examples of current development practices.

Difference between Web2 and Web3 App Architecture

The speaker briefly explains the difference between application architecture in Web2 (traditional web applications) and Web3 (blockchain-based applications). He mentions that both share similar front-end client interactions but highlights the key architectural differences due to blockchain’s public data nature. In Web3, data is public, and cryptography and private keys manage state changes. The speaker emphasizes the need for caution when handling private key information.

Tools for Building on Celo

The speaker introduces various tools to assist developers in building on Celo. He mentions the Celo Block Explorer, which provides information about blocks, transactions, and smart contracts. He highlights the Celo Extension Wallet, a browser extension for interacting with Celo applications, and recommends using it in combination with the Remix plug-in for deploying contracts. He also mentions Celo Developer Wallets, native mobile wallets for testing and development purposes.

DApp Development with DappKit

The speaker introduces DappKit, a tool that simplifies DApp development on Celo. He explains how DappKit allows developers to interact with Celo accounts, sign transactions, and access phone number mapping for user registration. He demonstrates a simple example of deploying a contract and connecting to it using DappKit.

Resources for Further Learning

The speaker concludes by providing a list of resources for further learning, including documentation, tools, and tutorials related to the topics discussed in the workshop. He encourages participants to explore these resources to dive deeper into Celo development.