PyCardano is a lightweight Python library that enables developers to interact seamlessly with the Cardano blockchain. It facilitates the creation and signing of transactions without reliance on external serialization tools, thereby simplifying the development process and broadening accessibility for Python developers. Given the dynamic nature of blockchain technology, particularly with Cardano's ongoing protocol upgrades and hard forks, it is imperative to maintain and update PyCardano to ensure continuous compatibility and functionality.​

This proposal aims to:

Ensure Compatibility: Regularly update PyCardano to align with the latest Cardano ledger rules and protocol changes, including upcoming hard forks in 2025.​

Enhance Reliability: Promptly identify and resolve bugs within PyCardano to maintain a robust and dependable library for developers for 12 months since the proposal is funded.​

Foster Community Engagement: Collaborate with the Cardano developer community to gather feedback, address issues, and implement improvements effectively.

The Cardano ecosystem primarily offers development tools and libraries in Haskell and JavaScript, creating a significant barrier for Python developers who wish to engage with the platform. This limitation hinders the growth and diversification of the developer community within the Cardano ecosystem. Furthermore, existing tools often depend on external serialization libraries, complicating the development process and potentially introducing additional points of failure. The absence of a native Python library that seamlessly integrates with Cardano's infrastructure restricts the ability of developers to build and deploy applications efficiently.

​PyCardano is a Python library designed to facilitate interaction with the Cardano blockchain by enabling users to create and sign transactions without relying on third-party serialization tools. This independence makes PyCardano lightweight and easy to set up across various environments. ​

Developing PyCardano addresses the challenges mentioned above by providing a native Python library tailored for the Cardano blockchain. This initiative aims to lower the entry barrier for Python developers, fostering a more inclusive and diverse developer community. By eliminating the need for third-party serialization tools, PyCardano simplifies the development workflow, enhancing both efficiency and reliability. This project not only broadens the accessibility of Cardano to a wider range of developers but also encourages innovation and the creation of new applications within the ecosystem.​

By implementing this proposal, we anticipate the following outcomes:

Sustained Compatibility: PyCardano will remain compatible with the latest Cardano protocol versions, enabling developers to build and maintain applications without disruption.​ Although there isn't a clearly specified roadmap or hardfork for Cardano in the next 12 months, we know it is likely that there will be Leios and Midnight integration. These integration and changes will more or less require corresponding updates in PyCardano.

https://iohk.io/en/research/library/papers/ouroboros-leios-design-goals-and-concepts/

https://midnight.network/

Improved Stability: Ongoing maintenance and prompt bug fixes will enhance the library's stability and reliability.​

Enhanced Developer Experience: Up-to-date documentation and community support will provide a more accessible and user-friendly experience for developers.​

Community Growth: Active engagement with the developer community will foster collaboration, innovation, and the broader adoption of PyCardano.

To ensure the ongoing maintenance and timely updates of PyCardano, we propose the engagement of a senior software engineer. The cost estimation is as follows:​

Hourly Rate: $100​ Weekly Commitment: 40 hours​ Annual Duration: 50 weeks

This results in an estimated annual cost of $200,000.​ Equivalent in ADA: 302,000 ADA in an exchange rate of $0.662/ADA.

Team size: 1 full time engineer

Jerry, the creator of PyCardano, will lead this project. His deep understanding of both the library and Cardano's ecosystem makes him uniquely qualified to oversee this upgrade. Jerry's experience as a blockchain developer ensures that the technical challenges of aligning with the Chang hardfork can be effectively addressed.

Track Record: The success of PyCardano, with over 170 dependent projects on GitHub and 7,000+ monthly downloads, demonstrates our team's ability to create and maintain critical infrastructure for the Cardano ecosystem. The active Discord community (100+ members) shows our ongoing engagement with users and our ability to address their needs.

Technical Expertise:

Our team's familiarity with Cardano's protocol, combined with expertise in Python development, positions us to efficiently implement the necessary upgrades. We have a history of successfully adapting PyCardano to previous Cardano updates, showcasing our ability to respond to network changes.

The initial development of PyCardano has been completed. This proposal of of regular maintenance and support.

PyCardano has garnered notable recognition and endorsement within the Cardano community, underscoring its value and utility as a Python library for blockchain interactions.​

The library is featured in the "A list of community-built developer tools on Cardano," highlighting its role in enabling users to create and sign transactions without relying on third-party serialization tools. https://www.essentialcardano.io/article/a-list-of-community-built-developer-tools-on-cardano

PyCardano's integration with other projects further demonstrates its community support. For instance, the opshin programming language, used for developing smart contracts on Cardano, interacts closely with PyCardano, leveraging its data types for seamless on-chain and off-chain code integration. https://developers.cardano.org/docs/smart-contracts/opshin

Educational initiatives have adopted PyCardano to facilitate learning and development. The PyCardano Starter Kit offers tutorials on using the library with Ogmios for tasks like generating addresses and submitting transactions, reflecting its practical applicability and community-driven support. https://demeter.run/starter-kits/pycardano-tutorial

SteelSwap, a decentralized exchange aggregator, has built its platform on PyCardano, demonstrating the library's robustness and reliability in real-world applications. The project's announcement highlights PyCardano's contribution to SteelSwap's development. https://x.com/SteelSwap/status/1866299242962133236

Over 170 GitHub repositories list PyCardano as a dependency, reflecting its extensive adoption and the trust placed in it by the developer community for building diverse applications within the Cardano ecosystem. These instances collectively demonstrate the broad community support and validation of PyCardano as an essential tool for Python developers working with Cardano. https://github.com/Python-Cardano/pycardano/network/dependents

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