Next Step Microgrant: Blocks UI Protocol

[mattxyzeth]

1. What is your project? (max 100 words)

Blocks UI is an open protocol for building, hosting and monetizing UI software components called Blocks. Each Block is backed by an NFT to represent ownership and facilitate monetization through the Blocks UI Marketplace. Consumers can license Blocks from builders and generate an access token to allow them to render the Blocks on their website.

2. Project links

Repos: https://github.com/crcls/blocksui-app https://github.com/crcls/blocksui-network https://github.com/crcls/blocksui-contracts https://github.com/crcls/blocksui-blocks https://github.com/crcls/blocksui-sdk

Website: https://blocksui.xyz

License: MIT

3. How is IPFS, Filecoin, or related technology used in this project? (max 100 words)

IPFS is one of the core pieces of our infrastructure. All Blocks files and our server node configuration files are stored on IPFS. We also use IPFS for storing metadata files for the various NFTs that the protocol issues.

4. How will you improve your project with this grant? What steps will you take to meet this objective? (max 200 words)

We're currently using web3.storage to interact with Filecoin; we'd like to move to a more integrated system for more control over system availability, cost management, and content addressing.

Block NFTs use the IPFS v0 CID for indexing in the NFT contract. We chose this format because the v0 CIDs can fit into a bytes32 type in Solidity by removing the first two bytes, Qm. Web3.Storage uses the v1 CID, which cannot be stored in a bytes32 type in Solidity. We want to convert all usage of web3.storage to use Filecoin directly.

5. Do you agree to share grant reports upon request, including a final grant report at the end of the three-month period?

Yes

6. Does your proposal comply with our Community Code of Conduct?

Yes

7. Links and submissions

• If your project began at a hackathon, have you submitted it for the relevant Protocol Labs prizes? Include links here if available:

We built the POC of this protocol during the 1, 2, Web3 Hackathon with Moralis + Filecoin. Our project won the Polygon Developer Tooling 1st Prize.

Additional questions:

• For each team member(s), please list name, email, GitHub account, and role in the project. Matthew Grannary Email: [email protected] GitHub: https://github.com/mattxyzeth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgrannary/

  Karl Pawlowicz Email: [email protected] GitHub: https://github.com/karlpawlowicz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlpawlowicz/

• How did you learn about our microgrant program? Research on Web3 grants

• If your project was created as part of an event or hackathon:

We built the POC of this protocol during the 1, 2, Web3 Hackathon with Moralis + Filecoin. Our project won the Polygon Developer Tooling 1st Prize.