Create and build smart contracts with JS SDK

[volovyks]

In this discussion, we want to decide on what is the best way to create and build a JS smart contract in NEAR.
In the end, we want to get a contract.base64 file that will be ready to be deployed to JSVM contract on any network.

Currently, you need to follow the next steps:

• mkdir my-awesome-project && cd my-awesome-project <-- create a project dir.
• npm init -y <-- initialize a default npm project
• npm install --save near-sdk-js <-- add near-sdk-js as a dependency
• add the build command to your package.json with the near-sdk build script
• mkdir src && cd src && touch index.js <-- create contract file
• in the root of the project, add babel.config.json with the following content:

{
  "plugins": [
    "near-sdk-js/src/build-tools/near-bindgen-exporter",
    ["@babel/plugin-proposal-decorators", {"version": "legacy"}]
  ]
}

• npm install <-- to install the dependencies
• write your code in src/index.js
• yarn build to build your JS code and get the build/contact.base64 contract file

You are done! Try to integrate Workspaces JS to test your contract or deploy and call it with near-api-js or near-cli

As an alternative, we can have a CLI command, that will be able to generate a similar project. It will be a bit faster, but at the same time, some important detail will be hidden behind this magic.

FAQ:

• What is near-sdk build?

near-sdk-js has a small CLI built into it. It's stored in node_module/.bin directory of your project. Now it has only one command - build.

• Why do we need that Babel config file?

It is used in Rollup, during execution of near-sdk build command. We are trying to get rid of this step.

• Why do we have <>.base64 instead of <>.wasm file?

This is not a standard NEAR contract. It can be deployed only to the JSVM smart contract.

[volovyks]

Closing this discussion for now.
Feel free to create a more specific Discussion on this topic.

The current approach is to clone or use this Template. It automates everything described above.