Fostering the development of a cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem often requires an innovative approach. The ARK.io team aims to achieve this goal by launching a new incentive project backed by 1 million in ARK tokens.
Incentivizing Developers To Build Applications
Many coders around the globe are paying attention to the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. Aspiring developers are often looking for ways to get more acquainted with a specific ecosystem. When grants are issued to those coders, a mutually beneficial relationship can be created.
In the case of ARK.io, a rewards system was already in place for developers. Known as Tier 0, it provided developers with ideas to begin contributing to this ecosystem. That system is now upgraded to ARK Grants, giving coders an option to apply for funding to build a specific project of their choosing.
Kicking off such a new venture requires seed money and to this end, a total of 1 million ARK tokens have been contributed to the ARK Grants program. It goes some way to confirm the level of commitment by the ARK team is continuing its strong focus on technology development.
Applying For The Grant
Evolving the ARK ecosystem is the main order of business in 2020 and beyond. Developers aiming to partake in the ARK Grants project are advised to focus on the following ideas and concepts:
- Proofs-of-Concept: POCs serve a valuable purpose in educating developers through concrete examples.
- ARK Desktop Wallet Plugins. The recently upgraded Plugin Manager added a more intuitive interface that allows users to install, use, and update plugins. ARK Grant-funded projects include the Plugin Manager itself.
- Production Ready Solutions. The ARK Grants program can also be used to fund or help fund full-fledged blockchain solutions that utilize ARK technology. These projects would be complete and deployed for use with either the ARK Public Network or an ARK bridgechain.
- Custom Project Ideas. The scope of projects that could be considered by the ARK Grants program doesn’t end with these three types. If interested parties have an idea that doesn’t necessarily fit here, ARK will still welcome a proposal submission.
Aspiring developers will need to adhere to a few guidelines once their contribution is approved by the ARK.io development team. These guidelines act as preferences, all of which will benefit the ecosystem now and in the future. Keeping the following guidelines in mind is paramount:
- Typescript is the preferred language, but other programming languages may be considered, depending on the project.
- All approved projects must make use of ARK Smart Transactions, which is the process of using the Generic Transaction Interface and Core plugins to create application logic as needed.
- Focusing on using new Smart Transactions and custom bridgechains is mandatory, as the old vendorField is best avoided.
- Exploring the development of mobile ARK applications should be done with Ionic or Angular, depending on one’s personal preference.
- Paying close attention to core technologies such as NodeJS, VueJS, TailwindCSS, Laravel, and Electron is always advised.
Those looking to apply for ARK Grants will also need to provide proper identity information during the registration process. All grants are issued by ARK ECOSYSTEM, SCIC, an entity registered in France.
Every application must include a project description and information on the architecture, as well as milestones. The ARK Team assesses all applications and determines whether it is worthy of a grant. Funding will occur based on the milestones for the first 70%, with the rest to be distributed once the final review is completed.
Other Means To Earn ARK
Developers and enthusiasts who want to earn ARK can explore other options as well. Earning these tokens can be done through the following means:
- ARK Bounty and Security Program: The bounty program utilizes GitHub to track and manage activity, and bounties are paid out to community developers every month. ARK is also rewarded for reporting security vulnerabilities. Learn more at Bounty.ARK.io.
- Contests and Competitions. ARK.io holds contests and competitions for both developers and non-developers. Stay tuned on Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, and the ARK blog for updates. An upcoming contest is in the works, so be prepared!
- Forging Delegate Node. The ARK Public Network runs as a Delegated Proof-of-Stake blockchain, Launch a node, draft a proposal for the community, and campaign for votes. Participants could forge ARK that contribute to their development ideas and efforts. Learn more on the website’s delegate page and join the community to ask about becoming a delegate in the Slack.ARK.io #delegate channel. Many delegates are already there who can help with questions.
- ARK Community Fund (ACF). This is a community-operated, non-ARK.io-affiliated fund of ARK that is managed by five community-elected board members who cycle out every six months. The ACF considers not only development-based proposals, but also other types which may include outreach initiatives, sponsorships, content creation, and more. Learn more at ARKCommunity.Fund.
