ChainShot Builder v0.1

First minor release of our Code Tutorial Builder IDE!

It’s been a quiet past few months for us at ChainShot. We’ve been working heads down on some exciting updates that we now cannot wait to share.

Among these new updates we are proud to announce the first minor release of our Code Tutorial IDE:

So, why did we build a Tutorial IDE?

A year ago we started ChainShot as a hackathon project at ETH Denver. We wanted to create Ethereum Coding Tutorials and Challenges to educate developers. So we did.

Next, we wanted to make all of our tutorials open-source so anyone can create tutorials and update them collaboratively in source control just like a regular codebase. So we did.

Finally, we wanted to share our tools with the world so other great developers can build tutorials and onboard the future generation of Ethereum Developers. So we did: enter ChainShot Builder.

What’s in this version?

New to this version of the ChainShot Builder are several exciting features:

1. Folders: Prior to this release, all files existed on the top-level of a stage. Now files are arranged in folders according to their exectuablePath.
2. Tabs: Now you can switch easily between files and stages! When you click on a file it will create and open a new tab. Right click on the tab to close others and close tabs to the right.
3. File Imports: Got a bunch of contracts you need to include in a stage? No problem. We’ve added an Import Files dialog, simply upload the contracts you need to the location you desire.
4. IFrame Stages: Need to show your own User Interface within the Tutorial? Great! Use the new IFrame Stage, which will embed your UI within the tutorial.
5. Stage-Specific Output: Compilation and Test Output is now specific to the stage you’re on. When you switch stages it will recall the previous output so when you return you can start right where you left off.

What’s Next?

For the Builder, there’s a number of new features coming. Many are features you’d expect in a regular IDE (drag & drop files/tabs, project search, shortcuts to switch between tabs quickly). Others are designed specifically to enhance the tutorial format that we’ve come up with (adding some new models, duplicating versions/code files).

If you’ve got an idea, be sure to log it on our Builder Issues!

And be sure to follow us on Twitter for news on the Builder IDE and more :)