Hydra Hexcore – A Convenient System for Deploying & Managing Multi-Hydra Parties

Hydra Hexcore is a user-friendly management and operations system designed to address the challenges developers face when deploying and managing Hydra nodes. It supports the simple, efficient, and scalable deployment and management of multiple Hydra Parties on a server. By automating complex tasks, Hydra Hexcore eliminates the need for manual command-line operations or reliance on tools like Docker images and Hydra TUI, enabling application developers to fully focus on building logic for Hydra-based applications instead of worrying about node infrastructure setup, Cardano account integration, or manual endpoint management.

Core functionalities of Hydra Hexcore include:

Cardano Wallet Management: Easily configure, add, and monitor wallet balances.

Hydra Party Initialization: Automatically set up multiple nodes (n nodes) and link them to selected wallet addresses.

Activation Condition Monitoring: Check network readiness, port availability, and Cardano balance before starting a party.

Hydra Party Closure: Flexibly manage party lifecycles, allowing stopping or closing as needed.

Operational Status Monitoring: View real-time status of parties, including number of participating nodes, resource consumption (memory, CPU), and transaction processing stats.

The final product will also include the Hexcore UI Dashboard — a graphical interface that allows users to interact with, monitor, and manage:

The list of Cardano wallets (add/edit/delete).

The list of Hydra nodes (add/edit/delete).

The list of running parties, with detailed information on their status, resource usage, and member nodes.

With this solution, developers can significantly reduce the time and effort required to set up and manage the node infrastructure for Hydra-based applications. At the same time, infrastructure providers can optimize their existing resources, transform their services to offer specialized node hosting, and enhance the scalability of their business model

Hydra Hexcore was developed to address the challenges developers face when deploying the infrastructure needed to run Hydra nodes for building Hydra-based applications. Currently, the available tools for node deployment include only the Docker image and Hydra TUI, but lack an automated deployment solution. As a result, developers are forced to manually deploy nodes via the command line or build their own supporting tools to integrate with their applications, leading to delays in development and increased effort

Hydra Hexcore is a system designed to simplify and accelerate the application-layer development process. With Hydra Hexcore, developers can fully focus on building their applications without having to worry about managing infrastructure or using complex server-side command line tools. This significantly improves development efficiency, providing a more convenient and optimized experience for developers.

In addition, Hydra Hexcore offers practical benefits for server infrastructure providers. Within the Hydra ecosystem, infrastructure providers play a key role in supplying the resources needed to maintain node operations. Hydra Hexcore enables them to leverage their existing infrastructure to contribute Hydra nodes to other parties, such as application developers or businesses that require node resources. This not only allows them to expand their service offerings from standard hosting to providing specialized solutions for Hydra-based applications but also creates added value, enhancing their competitive advantage and increasing revenue.

Thus, Hydra Hexcore is not only a powerful support tool for application developers but also helps infrastructure providers maximize their potential, contributing to the strong and sustainable growth of the Cardano ecosystem through Hydra technology

Phase 1 – Core System Development: Complete the core functionalities: Cardano wallet management, Hydra Party creation and closure, and real-time status monitoring. Outcome: A functioning backend system capable of successfully initializing Head IDs and endpoints for at least one Hydra Party.

Phase 2 – Hexcore UI Dashboard Implementation: Develop a user interface with the following modules: wallet management, node management, and party management. Outcome: Users can manage the entire system through an intuitive interface instead of using the command line.

Phase 3 – Testing and Real-World Deployment: Test the system with at least 10 Hydra Parties running concurrently in a real-world environment. Outcome: The system operates stably, documentation is published, and the community can begin using it.

A. Personnel Costs: Estimated Monthly Salary (USD) Personnel cost by role (USD/month):

Backend Developer Quantity: 2 Salary per person: $1,500/month Total: $3,000/month

Frontend Developer Quantity: 2 Salary per person: $1,500/month Total: $3,000/month

UI/UX Designer Quantity: 1 Salary per person: $1,200/month Total: $1,200/month

DevOps Engineer Quantity: 1 Salary per person: $2,000/month Total: $2,000/month

QA/Tester Quantity: 1 Salary per person: $1,200/month Total: $1,200/month

Project Manager (PM) Quantity: 1 Salary per person: $2,000/month Total: $2,000/month

Total for 8 people: $12,400/month

Phase 1 – Core System Development (2–4 weeks) Scope:

Complete backend core functionalities: wallet management, Hydra Party creation/closure, logic handling with Cardano node.

Set up basic infrastructure (CI/CD, Docker configuration, pipelines).

Initial UI/UX design.

Key team members:

2 Backend Developers, 1 DevOps, 1 QA, 1 PM (full-time)

1–2 Frontend Developers and 1 UI/UX Designer (part-time for initial interface design)

Timeline: 0.5 – 1 month Estimated cost: ~$12,400

Phase 2 – Hexcore UI Dashboard Implementation (8–12 weeks) Scope:

Develop full UI Dashboard (modules for wallet, node, and party management), while continuing backend development.

Integrate and test Hydra Party creation/closure functionality and Cardano connectivity.

Key team members:

2 Backend Developers (continue)

2 Frontend Developers (main contributors during this phase)

1 UI/UX Designer (actively involved to refine user experience)

1 DevOps, 1 QA, 1 PM (ongoing support)

Timeline: 2 – 3 months Estimated cost: ~$37,200

Phase 3 – Testing & Real-World Deployment (4–6 weeks) Scope:

Testing, bug fixing, and performance optimization

Real-world testing with at least 10 concurrent Hydra Parties

Prepare documentation and release official MVP

Key team members:

Entire team involved

Focus shifts to QA/Tester, DevOps, and PM for test coordination

Frontend/Backend Developers assist in bug fixing and optimization

UI/UX Designer updates final version based on feedback

Timeline: 1 – 1.5 months Estimated cost: ~$18,600

4. Total Estimated Implementation Cost Based on the phases:

Phase 1 (1 month) + Phase 2 (3 months) + Phase 3 (1.5 months)

1 + 3 + 1.5 ≈ 5.5 months → ~$68,200

B. Infrastructure & Tools Cost Scope:

Servers for Development, Staging, and Production (running Cardano nodes, Hydra nodes, backend services, etc.)

Testing devices

Duration: 1 year Estimated cost: ~$15,000

C. Long-term Maintenance & Updates Scope:

Bug fixes: Addressing issues arising from real-world community usage

Compatibility updates: For Hydra protocol, Cardano node, or library upgrades

Technical support: Answering questions, assisting users in resolving deployment issues

Minor upgrades: Small feature additions, UI refinements, or performance improvements based on feedback

Estimated cost: ~$25,000

Total Estimated Cost (A + B + C): $68,200 + ~$15,000 + $25,000 = $110,000 → ~160,000 ADA (Exchange rate: 1 ADA = $0.70)

Team Size:

Backend Developers (2): Responsible for building the core system and integrating Hydra and Cardano nodes.

Frontend Developers (2): Implement the Hexcore UI Dashboard.

UI/UX Designer (1): Optimize the user interface design for the Hexcore UI Dashboard.

DevOps Engineer (1): Manage server infrastructure, deploy Docker containers, and optimize performance.

QA/Tester (1): Ensure quality through integration and system testing.

Project Manager (1): Coordinate the team, plan tasks, and report progress.

Total: 8 people (initial estimate).

Implementation Timeline:

Research & Design: 2–4 weeks (concept development, infrastructure architecture, UI/UX design).

Core Feature Development: 8–12 weeks (wallet management, party creation/closure, activation condition monitoring).

UI Dashboard Development: 4–6 weeks (in parallel with backend development).

Testing & Refinement: 4–6 weeks (automated testing, security testing, UI/UX adjustments).

MVP Deployment: Approximately 4–5 months in total

We are a software outsourcing company based in Vietnam with over 10 years of experience in developing enterprise software solutions such as ERP, CRM, and more. You can verify more information about our company at: https://vtechcom.org/

We have recently started exploring and developing experimental products within the Cardano ecosystem, including:

Bobugo App – A mobile application that helps investors manage their assets, receive alerts on asset fluctuations, and track token prices and project information in the Cardano ecosystem. The app is currently available on both CHPlay and App Store: https://bobugo.com/

With Hydra technology, we successfully developed a lightweight wallet project using Hydra, integrated as a mini-app running on Telegram. This was created to demonstrate the utility of Hydra and explore new use cases, helping developers easily build potential projects using Hydra: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/12/cardano-open-developers/open-source-for-hydra-wallet-integrated-into-telegram

All personnel participating in our projects are formally trained in their respective roles, having graduated from prestigious universities in Vietnam. Each team member has at least 2 years of experience working in similar roles.

For this project, we commit the following key personnel:

1. Project Manager Name: Nguyen Viet Thanh LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nguyenvietthanh/ Role: Oversee the entire project, manage timelines, control costs, and allocate resources effectively. Ensure all tasks are completed on time and meet quality standards. Experience: CEO of Vtechcom (https://vtechcom.org/), IT engineer, and Bachelor in E-commerce Business Administration. Over 10 years of experience in software outsourcing project management. Proficient in project methodologies like Agile/Scrum and Waterfall. Skilled in requirements analysis, planning, team and financial management, and change control.

2. Backend Developer Name: Pham Van Hai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phamhai99/ Experience: 3+ years of experience in Vue.js, Nuxt 3, TypeScript, and JavaScript. Skilled in backend frameworks like NestJS and ExpressJS, with experience in UI development using Tailwind CSS. Currently a Frontend Web Developer at tabtab.me – a real estate platform powered by AI. Graduated from Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Thermal Engineering).

3. Backend Developer Name: Bui The Do LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bui-the-do-142385ba/ Experience: Over 10 years of experience as a developer, with 5 years in technical management. Expertise in technologies such as Chrome (Browser – C++), Odoo (ERP – Python & PostgreSQL), Django (Web – Python & PostgreSQL/MySQL), and WordPress (PHP & MySQL). Former project manager at BKAV, responsible for the BOS operating system on Bphone devices.

4. Backend Developer Name: Do Trung Nhan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nhantd292/ Experience: IT engineer with 10+ years of experience in complex software projects with high user traffic. 2 years of hands-on experience in Cardano smart contract development using Plutus, Aiken, and Haskell. Skilled in smart contract development, testing, and blockchain transaction integration.

5. Frontend Developer Name: Nguyen Van Thang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thang-nguyen-b396171a9/ Experience: 5 years of experience in backend (Node.js) and mobile app development. Worked at Viettel Post, BnK Solution, and Heligate as a full-time Mobile Developer. Proficient in JavaScript, React Native, Node.js, C#, and DevOps practices.

6. UX/UI Designer Name: Dang Xuan Hoang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangxuanhoang/ Role: Responsible for designing the user interface. Experience: 3+ years in UX/UI design for mobile apps and games, with a strong focus on dApp user experience. Skilled in wireframing, user research, prototyping, and building interactive UI.

7. QA Specialist Name: Hong Quyen Role: Perform feature testing to ensure system stability and bug-free operations. Experience: 8+ years in software testing. Experienced in test design, manual testing, and scripting with Java (Serenity BDD, IntelliJ) and TypeScript (Playwright, Visual Studio). Proficient in API testing, bug reporting, and working within Agile/Scrum workflows.

During the project implementation, if additional human resources are needed to ensure progress and quality, we are fully prepared to allocate more personnel from within our company

The development team will continuously monitor updates from the Hydra protocol and the Cardano network to ensure that Hydra Hexcore remains compatible. Bug fixes and feature enhancements will be released on a regular basis.

Community Support: A dedicated Discord support channel will be established where users can report bugs, suggest new features, and receive technical assistance.

Documentation: Comprehensive documentation and user guides will be provided so the community can independently operate or contribute to the project.

https://forum.cardano.org/t/introducing-hydra-hexcore-an-automated-deployment-management-tool-for-multi-hydra-party/144578

The project depends on:

The stability and documentation of the Hydra protocol provided by the Cardano development team (IOG). Any major changes to the protocol may affect the deployment process of Hydra Hexcore.

Development tools: Related libraries and frameworks (such as Docker and the Cardano API) need to be actively maintained and regularly updated.

Requirements to initiate or complete the project:

A solid understanding of Cardano, Hydra, and DevOps practices.

The ability to design infrastructure management solutions as well as user interfaces