Papi Simulator: Developer Tool and Playground for Polkadot
Beneficiary: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)
Confirmation Period
3
of 3Decision Period
28 / 28 days
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0 / 4 days
Summary
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Aye (11)0.0 DOT
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Nay (46)0.0 DOT
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✅ Why vote YES
• Real pain point, real solution: Onboarding time drops from 4–8 weeks to under 4 hours.
• Already live: Working platform, active users, 2/2 Fast Grants delivered.
• Strategic timing: Polkadot Hub Q3 launch needs Ethereum dev onboarding tools.
• Clear deliverables: 10-week roadmap, EVM templates, Visual XCM, production export.
• Community-driven growth: Template sharing, “Zero to Hero” course, live workshops.
• Cost-effective impact: $75K = just 0.3% of dev budget for major DX improvement.
❌ Why vote NO
• Relies on one key dev: High dependence on Fred could be a risk.
• Centralized platform (initially): Open source and decentralization are planned, not immediate.
• Limited usage data shared: No clear public metrics on real user adoption.
• Unclear marketing KPIs: $9K for dev acquisition with few concrete details.
• Potential overlap: May duplicate existing tools like Substrate Playground or Polkadot-JS.
🎯 Structured and timely proposal aligned with Polkadot Hub needs – but some may prefer more decentralization or clearer adoption metrics first.
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.