Guide to Scalable dApps on Arbitrum with Stylus

Introduction

Welcome to this tutorial where you’ll learn how to create a scalable dApp on Arbitrum using Stylus, a powerful language designed to optimize the developer experience. In this guide, we’ll cover:

Setting up a development environment.
Deploying a smart contract on Arbitrum.
Building a user interface to interact with your dApp.

Step 1: Setting Up the Project

Prerequisites:

Node.js (v14 or later)
NPM or Yarn
Hardhat
Metamask

Create a Hardhat Project
Open your terminal and run:
```
 mkdir my-arbitrum-dapp  
 cd my-arbitrum-dapp  
 npx hardhat
```
Select "Create a basic sample project" and install the dependencies.
Install Stylus and Arbitrum SDK
Add Stylus and necessary tools:
```
 npm install --save-dev @arbitrum/sdk stylus
```

Configure the Arbitrum Network
Update your hardhat.config.js file:

 module.exports = {  
   networks: {  
     arbitrum: {  
       url: "https://arb-goerli.g.alchemy.com/v2/YOUR_ALCHEMY_API_KEY",  
       accounts: ["YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY"]  
     }  
   },  
   solidity: "0.8.17",  
 };

Step 2: Writing the Smart Contract

Create a Stylus Contract
Create a contracts/MyContract.styl file:

 pragma solidity ^0.8.28;  

 contract MyContract {  
     uint256 public count;  

     function increment() public {  
         count += 1;  
     }  
 }

Compile the Contract
Compile your contract:
```
 npx hardhat compile
```

Deploy to Arbitrum
Create a deployment script in scripts/deploy.js:

 async function main() {  
   const MyContract = await ethers.getContractFactory("MyContract");  
   const contract = await MyContract.deploy();  
   console.log("Contract deployed to:", contract.address);  
 }  

 main()  
   .then(() => process.exit(0))  
   .catch((error) => {  
     console.error(error);  
     process.exit(1);  
   });

Deploy it on the test network:

 npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js --network arbitrum

Step 3: Building the User Interface

Initialize a React Project
Create a React app:

 npx create-react-app my-arbitrum-dapp-ui  
 cd my-arbitrum-dapp-ui

Install Web3.js
Add Web3.js to interact with the contract:
```
 npm install web3
```

Connect the Interface to the Contract
In src/App.js, set up the connection to your contract:

 import Web3 from 'web3';  

 const web3 = new Web3(Web3.givenProvider);  
 const contractAddress = "YOUR_CONTRACT_ADDRESS";  
 const abi = [ /* Contract ABI */ ];  

 const myContract = new web3.eth.Contract(abi, contractAddress);  

 const increment = async () => {  
   const accounts = await web3.eth.requestAccounts();  
   await myContract.methods.increment().send({ from: accounts[0] });  
 };  

 function App() {  
   return (  
     <div>  
       <h1>Arbitrum dApp</h1>  
       <button onClick={increment}>Increment</button>  
     </div>  
   );  
 }  

 export default App;

Step 4: Testing and Optimizing

Test on Arbitrum Testnet
Deploy your contract to the Arbitrum Goerli testnet and interact with it using your React interface.
Optimize the Contract
Reduce gas costs by optimizing functions and minimizing on-chain computations.

Conclusion

You now have a functional dApp deployed on Arbitrum, using Stylus for smart contracts. This guide provides a solid foundation for building more complex projects. Keep exploring Arbitrum and Stylus features to create even more powerful applications!

Have questions or ideas? Share them in the comments or reach out on social media!

#Arbitrum #Stylus #Web3 #DevRel #Blockchain

Building a Scalable dApp on Arbitrum with Stylus: A Complete Guide

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