Learn Ethereum, Strapi and Xstate

**Developers aren’t the only ones working on sites.** 

Marketers, copywriters, designers, and other non-coding roles all need to be able to make content changes. If you don't want to be bothered to open a PR every time a typo needs fixed, you *need* a CMS. 

And Strapi is an *amazing* CMS option.  

Strapi helps you quickly build a robust content API. You can host it yourself, it supports both RESTful and GraphQL, handles your authentication, lets you bring team members and it's highly customizable with plugins and extensions. 

You can take those gains even further by adding **Next.js 13 to the stack.** 

Next.js is fast, supports both server and client-side rendering, and features dynamic routes. Once you are generating dynamic pages from your CMS you’ll see just how powerful the combination of Strapi and Next.js is!

**In this course you will do the following:** 

- Building Content Models with Strapi
- Fetching Data from your Headless CMS
- Using React Server Components
- Using the Next.js App directory
- Setting up pagination in Strapi and Next.js
- Parsing and rendering content in your Next.js application
- Connecting external services to your Headless CMS (like Cloudinary for Media Management)
- Deploying your Next.js and Strapi Applications to a production environment
- Setting up and using Strapi Plugins
Transferring data between your Strapi environments

By the end of this course you’ll be building pages and managing your content like a pro!

strapi

Modern CMS Driven Web Applications with Strapi and Next 13

There is a lot of extra functionality that you can import into your Strapi application through Strapi plugins. 

To demonstrate how easy this is, we'll install the `strapi-todo-plugin` and add a To-Do feature to our Strapi application that will help manage our content.

Install and Use a Strapi Plugin

Inviting users to your Strapi application is simple. First, we'll create a role for editors so they can't publish or delete content then we'll add the user and fill out name and email. This gives us a URL that we can send to the new collaborator and they can set their password and log in to the Strapi dashboard.

Invite a New User to Your Strapi App

When a new Strapi version is available, you'll see a notification in your admin panel. You can also check the [Strapi GitHub releases page](https://github.com/strapi/strapi/releases) that is linked in the notification to see what's new in the latest version and take note of the latest version number. 

Once we upgrade the Strapi dependencies and install again, you'll notice the notification is gone and when you check settings the version number has been updated. To update production, you push your changes to GitHub and run `git push heroku HEAD:main`.

Upgrade a Strapi App in Development and Production

There are times that when deploying your Strapi application you'll want the data and settings you developed with to be transferred to your production environment. To do this we can use Strapi's data transfer feature. 

To start the data transfer we will need to log into the production environment and create a transfer token. When the token is created we will just need to run `yarn strapi transfer --to :heroku-url` and paste the transfer token when prompted. You'll notice that all the data is present in your production enviroment as well as the roles you set up in development.

Transfer Data Between Environments with Strapi Data Transfer

Now that we've got a functioning application it's time to deploy. For Strapi, we'll use Heroku to deploy for production. To do so we will need to create a production environment file for `database.js` and `server.js`, then we log into Heroku and created a new app. Once logged in we will set all the environment variables in Heroku. Finally, we pushed our code to Heroku and saw our application running live on the web.

Deploy a Strapi Application to Heroku

cloudinary

We'll learn how to integrate Cloudinary into our Strapi application so that we can upload image assets in our Strapi dashboard and the resulting image will be stored in Cloudinary and ready for use in our application.

We'll create a `config/plugins.js` file and paste in some config code that sets Cloudinary as the provider with `cloud_name`, `api_key`, and `api_secret`.

Then we'll install the Cloudinary provider plugin with `npm install @strapi/provider-upload-cloudinary`, add the middleware security that lets us use Cloudinary, and finally add Cloudinary credentials to our `.env` file.

Install and Add the Cloudinary Provider to a Strapi Application

We'll cover the basics of building a new page in Next.js, specifically an "About Us" page. If you've used Next before, this will feel very similar to creating a new page in the `pages` directory. 

While doing this we will also be introduced to some of the components that come with the template, such as the `PageContainer`, `Main`, `Title`, and `Description` components which you can check out [in more detail here](https://github.com/malgamves/next-13-website-template/tree/main/components).


Create an About Us Page inside the Next.js 13 App Directory

GraphQL is a powerful technology that lets you query the exact data that you need when you need it on your front end. Strapi allows for GraphQL integration through a plugin.

You can install GraphQL with the following command:

```bash
yarn strapi install graphql
```
You'll notice this adds GraphQL in your plugins tab within Strapi. 

When that is installed you can navigate to `/graphql` in your Strapi project and query the data you have. 

Install and Query GraphQL API in Strapi

We have a problem right now in that if you were to try and fetch these posts from the API, you would get a 403 error. And that's because we haven't set up the end user permissions for the API to be able to access this content. So let's go ahead and do that now.

We'll modify the User permissions for the `Post` role and give public access to `find` and `findOne`.

Set up API End User Permissions to Make REST Queries in Strapi

The first thing we want to do is model the content that will be presented on our website. To do this we'll create a Post content type that will have several fields with types including text, rich text, date, and UID. 

After we create the content type you'll see how to manually create posts through the Strapi dashboard.

Create a Collection Type for a Post in Strapi

We'll start with the basics of creating a new Strapi project, naming the project API, and setting up the project to use an SQLite database.

Creating a New Strapi Project for Development with npx

Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain with smart contract functionality. 

ethereum

Welcome to Noah's course on Introduction to Smart Contracts with Ethereum and Solidity. 

Introduction to Introduction to Smart Contracts with Ethereum and Solidity

Web3 is a paradigm shift in how applications are interacted with, ran, and built. 

It’s not just a Pump-and-Dump scheme on cryptocurrencies or Bored Ape NFT profile pictures you can put on Twitter.

A fundamental tenet of Web3 is bringing ownership back to the user. You no longer have to trust that your data is being properly handled on someone else’s server (although, currently Web3 ecosystem mainly depends on centralized infrastructure such as GitHub).  

This ownership is achieved through blockchain, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and smart contracts.

A great example of this type of ownership is through how you exchange money in Web3. There is no intermediary like Stripe, or PayPal to process your transactions. You can even build your own smart contracts that receive crypto (e.g. Ethereum or ‘eth’ for short) and then process that eth how you’d like.

Building this type of smart contract is exactly what Matías is going to show you how to do right now.

Matías builds out a Web3 application that allows you to receive tips in the form of eth in a tip jar on your website. This means your application will be backed by a smart contract that’s accepts eth, stores data, and emits Solidity events.

The frontend application uses SvelteKit which you’ll see how easy it is to get up and be productive with in minutes. A huge benefit here is that the JavaScript you write is just that, JavaScript. You’ll be able to take what you learn and implement it into any framework of your choosing.

While you build this application you will learn how to:

- Write a smart contract using Solidity language
- Test the smart contract using just JavaScript through the waffle framework
- Communicate and interact with the smart contract using ethers.js in a SvelteKit application
- Deploy your smart contract to make it public and accessible to anyone

Solidity is an object-oriented, high-level language for implementing smart contracts.

solidity

Full Stack Web3 and Blockchain Development on Ethereum with SvelteKit

There are several Ethereum test networks like Ropsten, Rinkeby and Kovan that you can use to deploy your contract to have it publicly available without having to use the mainnet and real ETH.
In this course you'll deploy to Rinkeby netwok (but, the process is the same for the other networks).

The first step will be update your Metamask Wallet to connect to the Rinkeby network.

Next, you'll need some test/fake Ethere to use for testing the Dapp in the network, for that you'll need to use a [faucet like this one](https://www.rinkebyfaucet.com/). Just visit that faucet and add your wallet address.

You will also deploy your web application to vercel to see your project live on the internet!

Deploy your Smart Contract to Goerli Test Network and App to Vercel

The magical disappearing UI framework

 - The web's JavaScript bloat crisis, solved. Svelte turns your templates into tiny, framework-less vanilla JavaScript.
 - Simple and familiar. Build apps out of composable, easy-to-write blocks using languages you already know.
 - Super fast, rock solid. Compile-time static analysis ensures the browser does no more work than it needs to.

svelte

Now that we have an application that is accepting tips to the smart contract that was defined, we need to be able to withdraw the funds that are sent to the contract. The smart contract function for this is already defined so we will just need to call the function from the front end.

To do this we will create a new route to display the contract information. We will then check if the current user is the contract owner and if so allow that user to withdraw the contract funds by clicking a button that we wire up to call the withdraw function from the smart contract.

## Important

SvelteKit is still in beta. Expect bugs! Read more here, and track progress towards 1.0 here. 

This lesson was recorded before the latest breaking changes, the content is still valid but it sometimes references a file that does not exists anymore.

Now: 
`src/routes/index.svelte` is called `src/routes/+page.svelte`

`src/routes/__layout.svelte` is called `src/routes/+layout.svelte`


Everything else is 100% valid. This particular content will be updated when Sveltekit reaches 1.0.0 stable.

Withdraw eth from a Smart Contract in a Svelte Application

It is time to interact with the contract, let's send some eth!

For this you'll need a form that is rendered only when the wallet is connected.
This form use the `sendTip` function and gather some required information. On submit, it will read the `sendingTip` loading state variable and disable or enable the button.

## Important

SvelteKit is still in beta. Expect bugs! Read more here, and track progress towards 1.0 here. 

This lesson was recorded before the latest breaking changes, the content is still valid but it sometimes references a file that does not exists anymore.

Now: 
`src/routes/index.svelte` is called `src/routes/+page.svelte`

`src/routes/__layout.svelte` is called `src/routes/+layout.svelte`


Everything else is 100% valid. This particular content will be updated when Sveltekit reaches 1.0.0 stable.

Create a Form in Svelte and Send a Tip to an Solidity Smart Contract

Now is time to setup the client to talk with the contract, for that you will need to store and access the contract ABI (this is a file generated by the contract compilation) as well as use ethers to set up a connection to the contract. 

Once set up is complete, we will listen to any tip events that come in from the contract and display tip information in the application.

## Important

SvelteKit is still in beta. Expect bugs! Read more here, and track progress towards 1.0 here. 

This lesson was recorded before the latest breaking changes, the content is still valid but it sometimes references a file that does not exists anymore.

Now: 
`src/routes/index.svelte` is called `src/routes/+page.svelte`

`src/routes/__layout.svelte` is called `src/routes/+layout.svelte`


Everything else is 100% valid. This particular content will be updated when Sveltekit reaches 1.0.0 stable.

Interact with a Solidity Smart Contract Using Ethers and the Contract ABI in SvetleKit

Now the UI is capable to connect to the Ethereum network by using the wallet, but we need two more things to continue.

1. Avoid re-connecting every time the browser is refreshed
2. Get more information about the user and the network.

For the first, let's run a little function every time the component is mounted.

Then, let's read and display some more information:

- The user balance
- The network that the user is currently connected

## Important

SvelteKit is still in beta. Expect bugs! Read more here, and track progress towards 1.0 here. 

This lesson was recorded before the latest breaking changes, the content is still valid but it sometimes references a file that does not exists anymore.

Now: 
`src/routes/index.svelte` is called `src/routes/+page.svelte`

`src/routes/__layout.svelte` is called `src/routes/+layout.svelte`


Everything else is 100% valid. This particular content will be updated when Sveltekit reaches 1.0.0 stable.


Retrieve Ethereum Network and Account information on Mount and Display it in Svelte

The first step in this part of the journey, will be to setup a simple UI that allow you to connect the current user to the blockchain through it's wallet.

To do this, let's write some code.

Sveltekit applications works by using a file system routing method, meaning that you need to create files under the `src/routes/` folder and those will be then reflected as routes (urls) in your app. Let's keep ti simple and just use the default route here, open `src/routes/index.svelte` and delete the content of it.

You're first step will be create a button that allow the user to "sing-in" to your new dapp and allow the UI to react to that showing a different content if the authorization process was successful.


Connect a Metamask Account to a Svelte Application

Before jumping into the Dapp code you need to setup an Ethereum wallet.
There are bunch of wallet applications and types outher, but for this project we're going to use Metamask.

### What is an ethereum Wallet

A wallet is an application that let's you interact with your Ethereum account. You're wallet is the one that works as a gate between the Dapp and your data, through it the applications can read your balance, send transactions, etc.

You can swap wallet providers at any time or manage multiple accounts in one application. This is because the wallet are non-custodial, meaning that they don't hold your assets, you do.

Just to set some concepts down:

- An Ethereum account is an "entity" that can send transactions and store some assets, it "lives" inside the blockchain.
- The accout have an address (like your profile URL of some social app or your email address) that can be used to send or receive funds.
- A wallt is an application that allow you to interact with the Ethereum account.

There are different types of Wallets:

- Hardware wallets that hold your crypto assets offline - The most secure of all
- Mobile apps, like Argent.
- Web wallets, that let you interact through the browser: Like Metamask.
- Desktp apps

Set up a Metamask Wallet with your local Ethereum Network

I've been using Cursor for a very long time and their "Agent" feature in Composer is fairly new, so I'm still getting used to it. But since Windsurf recently got onto the stage with their Cascade agent, they've slowly been gaining the mind share on the UX for coding agents. I decided to put them to the test by putting Windsurf and Cursor on the exact same screen side by side trying to accomplish the same task and to see which workflow I would prefer. I've been a diehard Cursor user for over a year now, so it's going to take a lot for me to switch to a different IDE. But I just have to say, even from this simple demo, Windsurf is looking pretty nice.

This lesson is just going to walk through creating a CLI using both tools to print out inspirational quotes and to explore how they approach the step-by-step of installing packages and running commands and setting up all the files we need to get this running.

Windsurf Cascade vs. Cursor Composer Agent Side-by-Side Comparison

This TypeScript tutorial explains how to use generics, allowing for different types to be passed as arguments. It discusses the use of shorthand syntax in generics and illustrates with examples. This method is useful for library creation, providing type safety and control to the user.

```typescript
interface PhotoMetadata<T> {
  title: string;
  takenAt: Date;
  customData: T;
}

// Function that processes a photo with custom metadata
function processPhoto<T>(photo: PhotoMetadata<T>): {
  processedTitle: string;
  daysSinceCapture: number;
  customDataSummary: T;
} {
  const today = new Date();
  const daysSinceCapture = Math.floor(
    (today.getTime() - photo.takenAt.getTime()) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)
  );

  return {
    processedTitle: photo.title.toUpperCase(),
    daysSinceCapture,
    customDataSummary: photo.customData
  };
}

// Example usage with different custom data shapes
type CameraSettings = {
  iso: number;
  aperture: string;
  shutterSpeed: string;
}

type LocationData = {
  latitude: number;
  longitude: number;
  locationName: string;
}

// Using with camera settings
const photoWithCamera: PhotoMetadata<CameraSettings> = {
  title: "Sunset at beach",
  takenAt: new Date('2024-01-15'),
  customData: {
    iso: 100,
    aperture: "f/2.8",
    shutterSpeed: "1/1000"
  }
};

// Using with location data
const photoWithLocation: PhotoMetadata<LocationData> = {
  title: "Mountain vista",
  takenAt: new Date('2024-02-01'),
  customData: {
    latitude: 45.5231,
    longitude: -122.6765,
    locationName: "Mount Hood"
  }
};

const processedCameraPhoto = processPhoto(photoWithCamera);
const processedLocationPhoto = processPhoto(photoWithLocation);

processedCameraPhoto.customDataSummary.iso
processedLocationPhoto.customDataSummary.longitude

```

Basic Explanation of Typescript Generics

A very basic explanation of generic function arguments

I've been using Cursor as my primary editor for over a year now, but recently I've heard wonderful things about Windsurf AI Agent features. I decided to record myself building out something I've always wanted to make, but never made the time for.

In this lesson, I demonstrate how to leverage Windsurf's powerful agent process to create a fun word-guessing game inspired by Heads Up. Watch as I build an interactive application featuring category selection and word navigation, complete with data hosting on GitHub Gists and deployment to GitHub Pages - all in under 30 minutes (before editing the lesson down to 12 minutes)!

What makes this project particularly exciting is how Windsurf eliminates the typical friction points of development. While this game was always on my project wishlist, the overhead of setup, configuration, and deployment made it hard to justify the time investment. Windsurf's agent process handles all these pain points seamlessly, from managing URLs to orchestrating deployment.

This lesson perfectly showcases how AI agents can help developers bring their backlog of project ideas to life, transforming what would typically be time-consuming tasks into efficient, enjoyable development experiences.

Build a Word Game with Windsurf's Cascade AI Agent



Discover how to harness the power of Cursor IDE's Composer Agent feature to optimize your code. In this lesson, you'll witness an AI agent doing all the work to generate test suites, implement performance benchmarks, and create optimized function variations - all without writing a single line of code. You'll learn how to validate performance improvements through data-driven benchmarking, ensuring that optimizations are backed by concrete metrics rather than speculation. This hands-on demonstration showcases a groundbreaking approach to automated function development that combines the precision of test-driven development with the efficiency of AI-powered optimization.


Agent-Driven Development in Cursor: Testing, Benchmarking, and Optimizing Functions

This course is aimed for using `zod` effectively in projects based on TypeScript (both browser and node.js). The benefits you gain with this course is not just simply coding, but also understanding when/why/how should you perform runtime validation.

`zod` is the missing piece to TypeScript's capabilities, which can guarantee type-safety only in compile-time.

`zod` can be used whenever the compiler cannot guarantee what happens in runtime. And... it's a very frequent usecase, such as HTTP calls, websockets, etc.

In this course you get quickly up and running by:
1. using `zod` with primitives and objects
2. adapting `zod` quickly to existing projects thanks to automatic generators
3. changing the strategy frm type-first to schema-first
4. using error-throwing `parse` or non-error-throwing `safeParse` basing on your needs
5. applying `zod` to the most common usecase - validating API responses
6. handling errors the most convenient way (out of many!)

Take advantage of runtime validation with `zod`. Take advantage of the detailed lessons in this course 🔥

Effective Runtime Type Checks with Zod


Cursor can now automatically run commands in the terminal and walk step-by-step towards building out your entire project. You give it a goal, then it will suggest the commands you need to run and the files that you need to create and you can work with it to achieve what you're building. This lesson does a quick walkthough of using a Cursor Agent to build a project from scratch and guide it along the way. Cursor Agents definitely feel like a sneak peek at the future of programming!

Cursor Agents Initial Impressions - Allow an AI to Build Your Entire Project

Mock Service Worker is an API mocking library that allows you to write client-agnostic mocks and reuse them across any frameworks, tools, and environments.



Mocking WebSocket APIs with Mock Service Worker


While using anonymous functions might seem convenient, they can create difficulties when trying to identify performance bottlenecks during profiling. This lesson will demonstrate how named functions make it easier to pinpoint and address performance issues, ultimately leading to more efficient and debuggable code. Learning this practice will greatly improve your ability to locate and fix performance issues in complex projects.

Always Name Functions in JavaScript


When attempting to load the same module twice in JavaScript you'll hit a cache and code won't re-run. In scenarios where you actually do want to have state in your modules, you'll have to use a cache-busting technique by passing a query parameter to a dynamic import. This lesson walks through how to add a query parameter, how to add the appropriate types for loading dynamic modules in TypeScript, and when these techniques are valuable.

Import the Same JavaScript Module Multiple Times with Cache Busting



The include keyword in GitHub Actions empowers you to add custom variables to your matrix strategy, providing flexibility beyond standard configurations. In this video, we'll explore how include allows you to define specific combinations of variables, enhancing control over your workflow runs. You'll see how this feature enables you to tailor jobs for unique environments or scenarios not covered by the default matrix options. By leveraging include, you can efficiently manage complex build processes with greater precision. This technique helps you streamline your CI/CD pipeline, making it more adaptable to your project's evolving needs.

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