Deploying a Counter Contract with Hardhat

This guide will walk you through deploying a counter contract using Hardhat, a popular JavaScript-based development environment for Ethereum.

1. Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

Node.js installed (v12 or later)
npm (comes with Node.js)
A code editor (e.g., VS Code)
(Optional) MetaMask wallet and testnet tokens for deployment

2. Install Hardhat

Open your terminal and create a new project directory:

mkdir counter-project
cd counter-project

Initialize a new npm project:

npm init -y

Install Hardhat and required dependencies:

npm install --save-dev hardhat @nomicfoundation/hardhat-toolbox dotenv

npm install --save-dev @nomicfoundation/hardhat-ignition

3. Create a New Hardhat Project

Run the Hardhat setup wizard:

npx hardhat init

Choose "Create a JavaScript project" when prompted.

This will create a project structure like:

contracts/ - for Solidity contracts
igntion/ - for deployment scripts
test/ - for tests
hardhat.config.js - configuration file

4. Write Your Smart Contract

Create a new file in the contracts directory, Counter.sol:

// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;

contract Counter {
    uint256 private count;

    function increment() public {
        count += 1;
    }

    function decrement() public {
        count -= 1;
    }

    function getCount() public view returns (uint256) {
        return count;
    }
}

5. Compile the Smart Contract

Compile your contracts with:

npx hardhat compile

You should see a success message if there are no errors.

6. Write a Deployment Script

Create a new file in the ignition directory, Counter.js:

const { buildModule } = require("@nomicfoundation/hardhat-ignition/modules");

module.exports = buildModule("CounterModule", (m) => {
  const counter = m.contract("Counter");

  return { counter };
});

7. Configure Network Settings

Create a .env file in your project root:

PRIVATE_KEY=your_private_key_here

Edit hardhat.config.js:

require("@nomicfoundation/hardhat-toolbox");
require("dotenv").config();

module.exports = {
  solidity: "0.8.28",
  networks: {
    hardhat: {
      chainId: 31337,
    },
    hyperion: {
      url: "https://hyperion-testnet.metisdevops.link",
      chainId: 133717,
      accounts: [process.env.PRIVATE_KEY],
    },
  },
};

For Hyperion testnet, use these details:

Parameter	Value
Chain ID	133717
Currency Symbol	tMETIS
RPC URL	https://hyperion-testnet.metisdevops.link
Block Explorer	https://hyperion-testnet-explorer.metisdevops.link
Faucet	Telegram Bot, Website

8. Deploy Your Contract

Local Deployment (Optional)

Start the Hardhat local node in a separate terminal:

npx hardhat node

Deploy to local network:

npx hardhat ignition deploy ignition/modules/Counter.js --network localhost

Deploy to Hyperion Testnet

Make sure to:

Get testnet tokens from the faucet
Add your private key to the .env file
Never share your private key

Deploy to Hyperion:

npx hardhat ignition deploy ignition/modules/Counter.js --network hyperion
```

## Testing

### Test Setup

Create `test/Counter.js`:

```javascript
const { expect } = require("chai");

describe("Counter", function () {
  it("Should increment the counter", async function () {
    const Counter = await ethers.getContractFactory("Counter");
    const counter = await Counter.deploy();
    await counter.deployed();

    await counter.increment();
    expect(await counter.getCount()).to.equal(1);
  });
});

Running Tests

npx hardhat test

Next Steps

Add more complex functionality to your counter contract
Implement events for better tracking
Add access control mechanisms
Set up continuous integration
Add more comprehensive tests

Hardhat

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