From Noodles to Nodes: Chopsticks Provides Essential Utility to the Polkadot Ecosystem

Published in

Acala

3 min readNov 16, 2023

Introduction

Blockchain technology has evolved rapidly, and Polkadot’s interconnected network of chains offers exciting opportunities for developers and network participants. Whether you’re a blockchain enthusiast, investor, or just curious, there’s a powerful tool at your disposal — “Chopsticks”. Developed by the Acala team, Chopsticks provides you with the ability to create your private blockchain playground, offering numerous possibilities beyond just development.

“Chopsticks is essentially a magic box that gives you your own private blockchain for playing, testing, and experimenting” — Bryan Chen, Co-Founder of Acala

Background

If you’ve ever worked on Ethereum, you’re likely familiar with the concept of forking the Ethereum mainnet to simulate transactions and test smart contracts. However, within the Polkadot ecosystem, this level of testing flexibility has been somewhat lacking. While there have been tools to simulate transactions and fork the mainnet into a testnet, creating an experience akin to Ethereum development tools remained elusive. This is why Chopsticks was developed; to provide users and developers the power to create a parallel reality of any Substrate-based network.

Unlocking the Potential

Chopsticks empowers you to explore, experiment, and understand the world of Polkadot without necessarily diving into the complexities. Here’s what you can do with Chopsticks:

Safe Exploration: Ever wondered about a mysterious “sign this transaction” request in a new or suspicious DApp? With Chopsticks, you can safely run it, knowing exactly what will happen. Whether it’s minting a new NFT or managing your wallet, Chopsticks helps you avoid phishing attempts and make knowledgeable decisions.

Enhanced Wallet Security: Taking Chopsticks into applications, wallets and browser extensions can inform you about the impact of the transactions you’re about to sign. This protects you from potential scams and acts as your shield against unwanted surprises.

Governance Testing: If you’re involved in governance decisions within the Polkadot ecosystem, Chopsticks allows you to dry run proposals. This means you can understand the effects of the proposal you’re endorsing by testing its execution, ensuring your decision is well-informed and aligned with your intended impact.

Development Boosts: If you’re a developer, you can boost your productivity and perform a multitude of tests, ensuring the quality and reliability of your blockchain applications. Whether you’re building the next generation of decentralized applications or fine-tuning your existing ones, Chopsticks empowers you to deliver high-quality solutions with confidence.

Chopsticks, much like the physical chopsticks, serves a wide range of purposes and offers endless possibilities. Consider the multitude of ideas and experiments you can undertake with Chopsticks as your dependable companion, regardless of technical expertise.

Getting Involved

If you’re enthusiastic about using Chopsticks and delving into its capabilities, you can visit our GitHub repository. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or provide feedback; our team is always ready to assist and collaborate. To read about a practical demonstration of Chopsticks and explore its potential for integration, you can read about a scenario of dry running a Kusama governance proposal by following this link.

Final Thoughts

Chopsticks provides you with the ability to create your private blockchain playground, offering numerous possibilities beyond just development. As Chopsticks continues to evolve and adapt to user needs, the future of blockchain exploration within the Polkadot ecosystem becomes more exciting and safe. Stay tuned for new features, improved performance, and a world of possibilities waiting for you to explore.