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Papi Simulator: Developer Tool and Playground for Polkadot
Treasury OpenGov Proposal - Medium Spender Track
📋 Executive Summary
Project: Interactive PAPI Console - Developer Experience Platform
Team: aipop.fun (Fred - @codingsh | GitHub: @developerfred)
Requested Amount: $75,000 USD (≈ 21.92K DOT)
Track: Medium Spender
Duration: 10 weeks
Immediate Payment: $15,000 (marketing + infrastructure)
Platform: https://papi-simulator.aipop.fun
Code: https://github.com/developerfred/papi-simulator
The Real Problem
Facts:
- 73% of developers cite setup complexity as the main barrier
- Average onboarding time: 4-8 weeks vs 2-4 hours in other ecosystems
Polkadot Hub arrives Q3 2025. Ethereum developers need to migrate. Where are the tools?
Our Solution (Already Working)
PAPI Simulator vs Existing Tools
| PAPI Simulator | Substrate Playground | Polkadot-JS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Visual UX for PAPI | Substrate learning | Advanced tooling |
| Target | Web2→Web3 migration | Substrate learners | Expert users |
| Approach | Complementary + UI layer | Educational focus | Technical interface |
| Templates | ✅ Community library | ❌ Basic examples | ❌ None |
Positioning: We build on top of existing tools, we don't compete.
Track Record: 2 Fast Grants Delivered
Result: Platform online, active users, positive feedback.
🛠 What We'll Build (10 weeks)
Milestone 0: PAPI Launch & Growth Acceleration ($15,000)
Why immediate payment? Polkadot Hub Q3 2025 = critical marketing window.
- Targeted Marketing: $9,000 for developer acquisition
- Premium Infrastructure: $3,000 to scale platform
- Development: $3,000 to accelerate features
Milestone 1: PAPI Simulator 2.0 - Hub Integration (4 weeks - $24,000)
- EVM Templates: For Ethereum→Polkadot Hub migration
- PolkaVM Support: Next-generation architecture
- Visual XCM Builder: Simple cross-chain development
- Hot Reload: Development with instant feedback
Milestone 2: PAPI Simulator Pro - Production Toolchain (3 weeks - $18,000)
- Universal Export: Next.js, Vite, Create React App
- Component Library: Reusable NPM package
- Performance Tools: Automatic bundle optimization
- Enterprise Ready: Cross-browser testing, CI/CD
Milestone 3: PAPI Ecosystem - Community & Growth (3 weeks - $18,000)
- "Zero to Hero" Course: Web2 devs → Polkadot pros
- Parachain Templates: Acala, Moonbeam, Astar specific
- Community Platform: Showcase + peer review
- Growth Analytics: Ecosystem impact dashboard
💰 Efficient & Complementary Budget
Ecosystem Investment:
- Polkadot-API: $327,000 (fundamental infrastructure - excellent!)
- PAPI Simulator: $75,000 (developer experience layer)
- Synergy: We use Polkadot-API as base, add UX/UI
Our proposal complements existing investments:
- Polkadot-API: Robust library ✅
- PAPI Simulator: Visual interface that makes it accessible ✅
- Result: Developers use both = greater adoption
Allocation:
- Development: $48,000 (64%)
- Marketing: $23,000 (30.7%)
- Infrastructure: $4,000 (5.3%)
Treasury ROI: Complementary tools maximize impact of previous investments.
📊 Why Approve Now?
Perfect Timing
- Polkadot Hub Q3 2025: Ethereum migration needs tools
- JAM Upgrade: Preparation for new architecture
- Competition: Other ecosystems investing heavily in DX
Proven Track Record
- 100% delivery rate Fast Grants
- Working platform: https://papi-simulator.aipop.fun
- Community feedback: Positive in testing
Unique Opportunity
- Zero setup time: Developers start in minutes, not hours
- Production ready: Direct export for deployment
- Community driven: Templates shared between devs
- Visual tools: Visual XCM, easy to use
👥 Team & Execution
Fred (@developerfred)
- 8+ years React/TypeScript
- 4+ years Polkadot ecosystem
- Track record: 2/2 Fast Grants delivered
Contractor Network Strategy
- Senior React Dev: Full-time with Polkadot-API experience
- DevOps Specialist: Infrastructure and CI/CD
- UX/UI Designer: Interface and experience
- Technical Writer: Docs and tutorials
Quality: Code reviews, community testing, security audits.
Growth Strategy
Partnerships & Validation
Fast Grants Curators (Already Supporting PAPI Simulator):
- Otar Shakarishvili: Project Advisor and Governance Specialist at JUST Open Source, ex-Parity Project Manager
- Sacha Lansky: Developer Relations at WebZero, ex-Parity Engineering
- Phil Kwok: Co-Founder of EasyA and the EasyA x Polkadot University
Future Strategic Partnerships:
- Universities: Curriculum integration
- Hackathons: Tooling for Polkadot events
Content & Events
- Weekly tutorials: YouTube + live coding
- Conference presence: Sub0, Decoded, meetups
- Developer workshops: Hands-on sessions
- Community challenges: Template competitions
🎯 Success Metrics
6 months:
- 500+ Active Developers using monthly
- 100+ Templates in community library
- 50+ Production Apps deployed via console
- 10+ Parachain Integrations specific
Impact:
- Onboarding time: 4-8 weeks → 2-4 hours
- Developer satisfaction: Polkadot as preferred blockchain for development
- Ecosystem growth: More DApps, more users, more engagement
🔄 Sustainability
Open Source First
- Core always free
- Community governance
- Transparent development
Revenue Model (future)
- Enterprise features: Advanced templates, support
- Training & Certification: Paid courses
- Partnerships: White-label solutions
💡 Bottom Line
Web3 only wins when developers build apps that real users adopt.
Polkadot has the best technology. The tools are missing.
PAPI Console solves this. Now.
Investment: $75,000 (0.3% of annual dev budget)
Timeline: 10 weeks
Risk: Very low (proven track record)
Upside: Developer experience that actually works
🗳️ YES for tools developers will actually use
🗳️ YES for Polkadot Hub success
🗳️ YES for a more accessible ecosystem
"The future of Web3 will be built by developers creating solutions that real users will utilize. Let's give them the tools to make it happen."
Links:
- 🌐 PAPI Simulator: https://papi-simulator.aipop.fun
- 💻 GitHub: https://github.com/developerfred/papi-simulator
- 📋 Deliveries: M1 | M2
Point of contact
Comments (8)
Comments are restricted to accounts with an on-chain verified identity.
Requested
Proposal Failed
OG Tracker Rating 2/3
Clear display of deliverables✅
Clear display of a valid direct point of contact ❌
Clear display of proposal’s duration✅
OGT Rating aims to help voters make better informed decisions and direct proposers towards certain common-good practices. We are providing feedback based on 3 simple yet crucial criteria which we believe should be included in every OpenGov referenda.
PolkaWorld votes NAY
The PAPI tool has already been developed. This proposal is meant to adapt it for Polkadot. The funding requested covers a 10-week period, but what are the plans afterward—especially regarding the marketing component? Marketing takes time to build momentum. What happens after these two months of activity?
We suggest that proposals like this apply for Treasury funding only after a prototype is built or the tool is fully launched and adopted. Right now, we see many similar tools aimed at “lowering the barrier for developers,” but how many are actually being used?
In this case, with just one person on the team and plans to hire a developer, plus expecting the engineer to also handle promotion, we have doubts about both execution and outreach. Therefore, we’re voting NAY.
We recommend applying for retroactive funding once there is real adoption.
You can view our full feedback here.