@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

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

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.

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.

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.

License

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

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