@burnt-labs/xion-types

What is xion-types?

The xion-types repository is a type definition package that acts as a bridge between different programming languages and the Xion blockchain. Think of it as a "translator" that helps developers work with Xion blockchain data in their preferred programming language.

The Core Problem It Solves

Blockchains like Xion use a data format called Protocol Buffers (Protobuf) to define their data structures. However, most developers don't write code directly in Protobuf - they use languages like TypeScript, Swift, or Kotlin.

Without xion-types, developers would have to:

• Manually write type definitions for every blockchain data structure
• Risk making errors when handling blockchain data
• Spend time figuring out what fields exist and what types they should be

What It Provides

The repository generates type-safe definitions for multiple programming languages:

• TypeScript/JavaScript - For web apps and Node.js projects
• Swift - For iOS/macOS apps
• Kotlin - For Android apps

These type definitions ensure that when developers work with Xion blockchain data (like transactions, account information, or smart contract calls), they get:

• Autocomplete in their code editor
• Error checking if they try to use wrong data types
• Documentation of what fields are available

Benefits

1. Reduced Development Time - No need to manually write type definitions
2. Fewer Bugs - Type safety catches errors at compile time
3. Better Developer Experience - Autocomplete and IntelliSense support
4. Consistency - Same types across different languages and projects
5. Maintainability - Types automatically update when the blockchain protocol changes

Table of Contents

• @burnt-labs/xion-types
  • Table of Contents
  • Installation
  • Usage
  • Example
  • Development
  • License

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Installation

Install the @burnt-labs/xion-types package via npm or yarn:

# Using npm
npm install @burnt-labs/xion-types

# Using yarn
yarn add @burnt-labs/xion-types

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Usage

Once installed, you can import the type definitions in your TypeScript project. The types are generated from the Protobuf files used in the Xion project.

import { MyProtobufType } from '@burnt-labs/xion-types/types/filename';

const myData: MyProtobufType = {
  field1: 'value',
  field2: 42
};

Note: Replace filename with the appropriate file name where the type is defined.

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Example

Here is a full example of how you might use the @burnt-labs/xion-types package in a TypeScript project:

import { MyProtobufType } from '@burnt-labs/xion-types/types/filename';

function processData(data: MyProtobufType): void {
  console.log(`Field 1: ${data.field1}`);
  console.log(`Field 2: ${data.field2}`);
}

const sampleData: MyProtobufType = {
  field1: 'Hello, Xion!',
  field2: 100
};

processData(sampleData);

This simple example illustrates how you can work with the types generated from Xion's Protobuf definitions.

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Development

If you want to modify or regenerate the TypeScript definitions from Protobuf files, follow these steps:

1. Initialize and Update Submodules

   # Initialize and update all submodules
   make submodules
   
   # Alternatively, you can run these commands manually:
   git submodule init
   git submodule update --init

2. Build Docker Image

   # Build the Swift protobuf builder image
   make build-swiftbuilder-image
   
   # Alternatively, you can run these commands manually:
   cd docker && docker build . --tag swiftbuilder
   
   # You can verify the image was built successfully with:
   docker images | grep swiftbuilder

3. Install Dependencies

   npm install

4. Generate TypeScript Definitions

   npx protoc --plugin=protoc-gen-ts=./node_modules/.bin/protoc-gen-ts \
     --ts_out=./generated \
     --proto_path=./proto \
     $(find ./proto -name '*.proto')

5. Compile TypeScript Files

   tsc --noEmit

These steps will generate the TypeScript definitions from the Protobuf files located in the proto directory.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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For more information, check out Xion's GitHub repository.