MetaCert

An application for securely issuing, storing, and verifying tamper-proof digital credentials. By leveraging IPFS and Soulbound Tokens (SBTs), MetaCert ensures trust and authenticity empowering users to manage credentials with unmatched security and transparency.

Features

• 🔒 Secure Credential Issuance: Issue cryptographically secured credentials.
• 🌐 IPFS Storage: Store credentials in a decentralized, immutable manner.
• 🎓 Soulbound Tokens (SBTs): Credentials are tokenized as non-transferable SBTs, ensuring authenticity and ownership.
• ✅ Easy Verification: Verify credentials seamlessly with blockchain-backed proof.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• npm package manager
• A compatible crypto wallet (e.g., MetaMask/Phantom)

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/Aswinr24/MetaCert.git

Navigate to the project directory:

cd MetaCert

Install dependencies:

npm i

Environment Setup

Create a .env file in the root directory and configure the following variables:

NEXT_PUBLIC_OPENSEA_API_KEY=<OPENSEA_API_KEY>
NEXT_PUBLIC_SMART_CONTRACT_ADDRESS=<CONTRACT_ADDRESS>
JWT_SECRET=<PINATA_IPFS_SECRET_KEY>

Run Locally

Start the development server for UI:

npm run dev

Build for Production

Build the application for production:

npm run build
npm start

Smart Contracts Deployment

The contracts directory is included as a Git submodule.

Navigate to the Contracts Directory

After cloning the repository with submodules, navigate to the contracts submodule:

cd contracts 

Install Dependencies for Hardhat

npm i

Environment Setup for Smart Contracts

Create a .env file in the contracts directory and configure the following variables:

NEXT_PUBLIC_ALCHEMY_SEPOLIA_API=<YOUR_ALCHEMY_SEPOLIA_API_KEY>
NEXT_PUBLIC_ACCOUNT_PRIVATE_KEY=<YOUR_WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY>

Compile Smart Contracts

Compile the smart contracts using Hardhat:

npx hardhat compile

Deploy Smart Contracts

Deploy the contracts to the Sepolia test network:

npx hardhat run scripts/deploy-sepolia.js --network sepolia

Update Contract Address

After deploying the smart contract, note the contract address and update the NEXT_PUBLIC_SMART_CONTRACT_ADDRESS variable in the .env file of the MetaCert UI directory.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you find any bugs or have suggestions for improvements, please open an issue or clone the repository and submit a pull request on GitHub.