No More Barriers: The Ultimate Dev Experience on PolkaVM is Here

Language: English

Author: Dustin

Level: Beginner

✅ Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed and running:

• Docker: Must be running on your system.
• Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows with WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) installed.
• VS Code Extension: The Dev Containers extension for Visual Studio Code.

🏁 Quickstart Guide

Follow these steps to get your environment up and running in minutes.

1. Create Your Project Directory

Open your terminal and create a new folder for your project.

mkdir polkavm-devcontainer
cd polkavm-devcontainer

2. Install the DevContainer Configuration

Run the following script to fetch and set up the DevContainer files in your project.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/paritytech/smart-contracts-devcontainer/main/.devcontainer/fetch-devcontainer.sh | bash -s --

3. Reopen in Container

Now, open the project folder in VS Code.

💡 Important: VS Code will automatically detect the .devcontainer folder and prompt you in the bottom-right corner. Click "Reopen in Container" to launch the development environment.

After the DevContainer finishes loading, a new terminal will appear, prompting you to choose and install either a Hardhat or Foundry starter project.

🛠️ Using the Environment (Hardhat Example)

Let's walk through setting up a Hardhat project. The process is fully automated.

1. Initialize the Hardhat Project

Follow the prompts in the VS Code terminal. The DevContainer will automatically:

• Create an npm project.
• Install @parity/hardhat-polkadot and the correct solc version.
• Install the @nomicfoundation/hardhat-toolbox.
• Download the necessary dev-node and eth-rpc binaries.
• Prompt you to import or generate a private key for deployment.

2. Run Common Commands

You can now use the built-in VS Code terminal to manage your project.

Compile the smart contracts:

npx hardhat compile

You'll see a success message once the Solidity files are compiled.

vscode ➜ /project $ npx hardhat compile
Downloading compiler 0.8.28
Downloading latest version of the resolc compiler
Compiling 12 Solidity files
Generating typings for: 14 artifacts in dir: typechain-types for target: ethers-v6
Successfully generated 52 typings!
Successfully compiled 12 Solidity files

Run the test suite:

npx hardhat test

The output will show a list of passing tests, confirming your setup is working correctly.

vscode ➜ /project $ npx hardhat test


  MyToken
    ✔ assigns initial supply to deployer
    ✔ allows minting by MINTER_ROLE (174ms)
    ✔ rejects minting by non-minters (51ms)
    ✔ allows burning (177ms)
    ✔ pauses transfers (221ms)
    ✔ rejects pause by non-pauser (42ms)
    ✔ unpauses transfers (545ms)
    ✔ assigns roles correctly


  8 passing (4s)

3. Deploy to Your Local Node

The DevContainer includes a local PolkaVM node for instant testing.

Start the local node:

Open a new VS Code terminal (Terminal > New Terminal) and run:

npx hardhat node

Deploy your contract:

Open a third terminal and run the deployment script.

npx hardhat ignition deploy ./ignition/modules/MyToken.ts --network localNode

After confirming, you'll see a success message with your newly deployed contract address:

✔ Confirm deploy to network localNode (420420420)? … yes
Hardhat Ignition 🚀

Deploying [ MyTokenModule ]

Batch #1
  Executed MyTokenModule#MyToken

[ MyTokenModule ] successfully deployed 🚀

Deployed Addresses

MyTokenModule#MyToken - 0xc01Ee7f10EA4aF4673cFff62710E1D7792aBa8f3

🎉 Conclusion: Your PolkaVM Launchpad

Congratulations! This DevContainer is your launchpad for building on PolkaVM.

• ✅ No More Setup: It removes complex configuration.
• ✅ All-in-One: Bundles a local node, RPC tools, and Hardhat/Foundry.
• ✅ Build Faster: Go directly from idea to deployment.

📚 Resources

For more information, check out the full resource repository: paritytech/smart-contracts-devcontainer