Quick Steps to Developing on StarkNet for Developers

A new Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum called StarkNet has the potential to completely transform the decentralised application (DApp) space. With its remarkable scalability and cost-effectiveness, StarkNet—which is based on STARK technology—is an alluring platform for developers who want to build high-performance DApps. In this article, we will walk developers through the quick steps to get started with StarkNet development and take advantage of its massive potential.

1. SetUp your workspace for Development

You must set up your development environment before you can begin working with StarkNet. This is what you require: You need a development environment such as Remix, Truffle, or Hardhat, among other tools. Set up the required equipment. The following tools must be installed:

Cairo compiler
Starknet CLI
Starknet Remix plugin
A devnet (optional)
2. Write Your Smart Contracts

As with Solidity for Ethereum and other EVM blockchains, you will need to learn the Cairo Programming Language if you are not already proficient in writing programmes in Cairo. This is because smart contracts on Starknet are written in Cairo. The programming language Cairo is used for creating Starknet contracts. Although it is a low-level language, you can learn it with the aid of several resources. Here is where you may need to start: https://www.cairo-lang.org/

Here are some more pointers for Starknet development:

To learn more about the platform and how to utilise its capabilities, go to the Starknet documentation and tutorials.

To seek assistance from other developers, join the Starknet community on Telegram or Discord.

Participate in open-source Starknet projects to improve the platform for all users and get knowledge from other developers.

Here is a more detailed overview of each step:

Install the necessary tools

You can install the Cairo compiler and Starknet CLI using the following commands:

pip install cairo-lang

pip install starknet-cli

To install the Starknet Remix plugin, follow the instructions on the plugin’s GitHub page.

If you want to run a devnet, you can use the starknet-devnet tool. To install it, run the following command:

pip install starknet-devnet

Learn Cairo

There are many resources available to help you learn Cairo. Here are a few:

The Cairo documentation

The Cairo tutorial

The Starknet book

3. Testing Your Smart Contracts

It’s crucial to fully test your smart contracts before putting them on StarkNet’s testnet. Your StarkNet contracts may be tested locally using the Starknet CLI or the StarkWare Studio development environment. By doing this, you can make sure that your contracts function as intended while saving actual gas.

4. Implement your agreement

The testnet deployment of your smart contracts on StarkNet is a crucial stage in the development process. You will need to use the StarkNet developer console in order to

do this. Using the Starknet CLI, you can launch your contract by using the following command to build your contract:

cairo compile contract.cairo

This will generate a .starknet file. You can then deploy the contract using the following command:

starknet deploy contract.starknet

Interact with your contract

Once your contract is deployed, you can interact with it using the Starknet CLI or a wallet that supports Starknet.

For example, to call a function on your contract using the Starknet CLI, you can use the following command:

starknet call contract_address function_name arg1 arg2 …

You can also use a wallet that supports Starknet to interact with your contract. For example, the Argent wallet supports Starknet.

5. Troubleshooting and Optimisation

Debugging your smart contracts is made easy using StarkNet’s debugging tools. These tools allow you to examine transaction details and state changes. Optimising your smart contracts is also essential to guaranteeing economical mainnet functioning. You may evaluate the gas expenses of your contracts and perform the required optimisations with the aid of StarkNet’s gas metering technology.

6. Security Audits

When working on StarkNet, security is of utmost importance, much as with Ethereum smart contracts. Make sure that a reputable security company or a field authority has audited your code. Vulnerabilities are best discovered prior to your contract being put live on the mainnet.

7. Deploy to Mainnet

You may deploy your smart contracts to the StarkNet mainnet after you’ve successfully tested and deployed them on the testnet and made sure they’re safe and optimised. Users will be able to engage with your DApp as a result, and the cheap transaction costs and scalability of StarkNet will benefit your smart contracts.

8. Updating and Maintaining

Your StarkNet DApp is part of the dynamic world of DApps and blockchain. Maintain and update your DApp often to make sure it remains competitive.

The creation of scalable and affordable DApps is made possible for developers by working with StarkNet. You may embark on a path to develop creative and high-performing decentralised apps by quickly following these steps. You may use StarkNet’s skills to propel your DApp to new heights in the blockchain technology industry with a solid development environment, well-tested smart contracts, and an emphasis on security and optimisation.