Stellar by Example: Web2 to Web3 Beginner Guide.

This is a submission for the Build Better on Stellar: Smart Contract Challenge: Create a Tutorial

I have created a comprehensive tutorial designed to guide developers who are familiar with Web2 technologies into the world of Web3, specifically using Stellar's Soroban smart contracts. The guide covers fundamental concepts, practical code examples, and deployment strategies, aiming to bridge the knowledge gap and make the transition smoother. It also includes a walkthrough on using Okashi, a Remix alternative IDE for Soroban, to enhance the coding experience.

You can view the complete tutorial here.

What I Created

The Stellar by Example: Web2 to Web3 Beginner Guide is a detailed documentation site that breaks down the key aspects of developing on Stellar using Soroban smart contracts. My motivation for creating this guide came from the challenges I faced during a previous Stellar hackathon, where outdated or inconsistent documentation and a lack of clear direction hindered my progress.

This guide is designed to address those pain points by providing:

1. Clear Explanations: Each concept is broken down with beginner-friendly explanations, ensuring that even those new to blockchain can follow along.
2. Practical Examples: The guide includes numerous code snippets and real-world applications, from simple "Hello World" contracts to more complex dApps like Crowdfunding platforms.
3. Tools and Resources: Links to useful tools, such as Okashi, are provided to streamline the development process. This ensures developers can immediately apply what they learn in a practical environment.

The guide is structured to be a living document that evolves with the Stellar ecosystem, ensuring developers always have access to the latest information.

Journey

My journey creating this submission started with reflecting on the obstacles I encountered during the last Stellar hackathon. One major issue was the inconsistency in the documentation, where examples often referenced outdated SDK versions or lacked sufficient detail, making it difficult to execute even straightforward tasks.

I spent considerable time researching and testing different approaches to ensure the guide I created would avoid these pitfalls. I focused on making the content clear, concise, and, most importantly, up to date with the current state of the Soroban SDK. Through this process, I deepened my understanding of the Stellar ecosystem and discovered new tools like Okashi, which significantly improve the development experience.

I am particularly proud of how the guide simplifies complex concepts without diluting the technical depth, making it accessible to a wide range of developers. Moving forward, I hope to continue refining the guide, adding more advanced topics, and perhaps even integrating video walkthroughs to further support the Stellar developer community.