dTodo is a Decentralized Todos App deployed on the Ropsten Ethereum Testnet. You can use it to track your todos while they are being securely stored on a Smart Contract through transactions on a Public Blockchain. This is my first test project while learning Solidity.
If you are new to Blockchain and dApps, scroll down for a guide on how to use this dApp as a beginner.
The contract dTodo has been deployed on the Ropsten Ethereum Testnet at: 0xA21eD590784E4a83AbdACC304373d57fd14A61FD
You can use the app here: shreyasgupta.in/dTodo/
Make sure you're switched to Ropsten Testnet on Metamask while using the app.
Since we are using a testnet, you won't need real ether to pay the gas fees, you can use Ropsten Ether faucets like this and this to get some free ether on the Ropsten Network to use the app.
The key thing here is that this is decentralized. There is no central backend server or database for this app. All the data is being stored and updated on a Smart Contract through transactions on a public blockchain, which is being validated and verified by tens of thousands of miners/validators on the network. There is no central authority in control of your data, there is no central database/server which may have random downtimes like we may have seen on Whatsapp/Instagram recently or the server won't ever randomly be taken down, unless the whole network stops working which can only happen if the computing power of the entire Earth suddenly stops.
What's also cool is that a Smart Contract is LAW, it can't be changed, if you look and verify the code for the deployed smart contract here, you can be sure that everytime you use the contract it will perform the same action as intended, the contract code can't be randomly changed.
The long block times and high gas costs are definitely a hassle, but we are only at the initial stage of this decentralized revolution. As we move ahead, development progresses, adoption progresses, we will soon be able to see seam-less dApps, costing barely any gas and having super fast response times.
Don't worry, you need perform these steps to get started with but then you'll be good to use any dApp in the world!
- Install MetaMask: MetaMask is a browser extension that lets you securely manage Ethereum wallets and use these wallets to interact with dApps(sites that use Web3.js). It lets dApps use your account(with signed permissions on each step) to interact with the Ethereum blockchain and execute functions on Smart Contracts. Install MetaMask and create an account, make sure to set a secure password and note down your secret/private key for the wallet in the safe place.
- Switch to Ropsten Testnet: For the purpose of this app, we are using a testnet which doesn't cost real money to use. Actual dApps like Uniswap are deployed on the Mainnet and thus cost real Ether/Money to execute. To switch the network, open your MetaMask Extension, click on the dropdown where it says "Ethereum Mainnet", and select "Ropsten Test Network". You are now on the Ropsten Testnet.
- Get some free Ether on the Ropsten Network: Smart contracts cost gas to execute, which is paid in Ether(ETH) on the Ethereum Network. Since we are on a testnet, we can get free Ether on the testnet using Faucets. Copy your account's address from MetaMask, you can do this by opening MetaMask and clicking on "Account 1" or whatever you named your account. Then paste the address on a faucet, you can use this faucet or this faucet. 1 ETH on the Ropsten testnet should be more than enough to use the app for a long time.
- You're done!: Once you recieve the test ether, you're done! You can now open the dApp and start using it! On first open, MetaMask will ask for permission to let the app know your wallet address, allow that, and you're in! Any new todos, or completion of todos, will require you to sign a transaction for the free ether, sign it and wait, block confirmations can take more than 15 seconds depending on the network wait times.