Guides

Deploy Smart Contracts

Learn how smart contracts are automatically deployed to devnet for testing, then deployed to mainnet for production

CodeNut streamlines smart contract deployment with automatic devnet deployment for testing and seamless mainnet deployment for production. This guide covers the entire deployment workflow from development to production.

Smart Contract Development Workflow

1. AI Contract Generation

Simply describe what you want to build and CodeNut's AI will handle everything:

"Create an ERC-721 NFT contract with minting functionality"
"Build a DeFi yield farming contract with staking rewards"
"Make a simple voting contract for DAO governance"

What happens automatically:

AI generates complete Solidity contract code
Follows security best practices and standards
Includes comprehensive comments and documentation
Compiles automatically with optimized settings
Deploys instantly to CodeNut Devnet
Contract address and details displayed in chat

2. Automatic Devnet Deployment

Every smart contract is automatically deployed to CodeNut's development network:

Instant Deployment: No waiting, no setup required
Zero Cost: No gas fees for devnet deployment
No Signing: Contracts deploy without wallet interaction
Immediate Testing: Start interacting with your contract right away

Contract Information & Metadata

Deployment Information

After your contract is generated and deployed to devnet, you'll see:

Contract Address: Your devnet contract address
Transaction Hash: Deployment transaction details
Network Info: CodeNut Devnet details
ABI: Application Binary Interface for frontend integration

Metadata Storage

All deployment information is automatically saved to your project:

// contracts/metadata.json
{
  "devnet": {
    "MyNFTContract": {
      "address": "0x1234567890abcdef...",
      "deploymentTx": "0xabcdef1234567890...",
      "abi": [...],
      "deployedAt": "2024-08-15T10:30:00Z"
    }
  }
}

Frontend Integration

The AI automatically uses this metadata to:

Connect your frontend to the deployed contracts
Generate appropriate contract interaction code
Handle contract calls and transactions
Update frontend logic when contracts change

Testing Your Smart Contracts

Interactive Testing on Devnet

The best way to test your smart contracts is by using your DApp:

Through the Preview Interface:

Real User Testing: Interact with your DApp as users would
Instant Feedback: See results immediately on devnet
Easy Debugging: Ask the AI to fix issues you discover
Unlimited Resources: Use the devnet faucet for testing assets

Example Testing Flow:

You: "Test the NFT minting function"
→ Use the preview interface to mint NFTs
→ Check if metadata displays correctly
→ Test different wallet interactions

You: "The minting seems to fail with large quantities"
AI: Analyzes the issue and fixes the contract
→ Redeploys automatically to devnet
→ You test again with the fix

What to Test

Core Functionality: All main features of your contract
Edge Cases: Boundary conditions and error scenarios
User Workflows: Complete user journeys through your DApp
Integration: How contracts work together in your system

Mainnet Deployment

Supported EVM-Compatible Networks

When you're ready for production, deploy to these mainnets:

Layer 1 Networks

Ethereum: The original and most secure smart contract platform
Binance Smart Chain (BSC): High throughput with low fees
Avalanche: High-performance blockchain with fast finality

Layer 2 Networks

Polygon: Low-cost Ethereum Layer 2 solution
Arbitrum: Ethereum Layer 2 with full EVM compatibility
Optimism: Optimistic rollup scaling solution
Base: Coinbase's Layer 2 network built on Optimism

Choosing the Right Network

Consider these factors:

Gas Costs: Layer 2s typically have much lower fees
Security: Ethereum mainnet offers the highest security
Speed: Layer 2s provide faster transaction confirmation
Ecosystem: Choose networks where your users are active
Liquidity: Consider available tokens and DeFi protocols

Mainnet Deployment Process

1. Development & Testing (Devnet)

This happens automatically when you create contracts:

AI generates and deploys contracts to devnet instantly
Test thoroughly using the preview interface
Iterate and fix issues with AI assistance
Use devnet faucet for unlimited testing assets

2. Ready for Production

When you're satisfied with your devnet testing, use the Publish dialog to deploy:

Click the Publish Button: Located in the top toolbar (rocket icon)
Open Publish Dialog: A dialog opens showing two main options:
- Website Publishing (for your frontend)
- Contract Deployment (for mainnet deployment)

3. Contract Deployment Process

Using the Contract Deploy Card:

Select Target Network: Choose from supported mainnets:
- Ethereum Mainnet
- Polygon
- Binance Smart Chain (BSC)
- Arbitrum
- Base
- Other EVM-compatible networks
Review Deployment Details:
- See which contracts will be deployed
- Review gas cost estimates
- Verify deployment settings
Connect Wallet: Ensure your wallet is connected and has sufficient funds
Deploy Contracts: Click deploy to initiate the process
- Sign the deployment transaction in your wallet
- Pay the required gas fees
- Wait for deployment confirmation
Verification: Contracts are automatically verified on the selected network's block explorer

After Mainnet Deployment

Updated Project Configuration

Once deployed to mainnet, your project automatically updates:

Metadata Updated: contracts/metadata.json includes mainnet addresses
Frontend Integration: Published DApp uses mainnet contract addresses
Dual Environment: Preview continues using devnet, published version uses mainnet