Building a Metamask-Compatible Chain for a Rust Blockchain Project
As you continue to work on your Rust-based blockchain project, you may want to add a layer of compatibility with existing Metamask wallets and tools. In this article, we’ll walk you through how to make your chain compatible with Metamask.
What is Metamask?
Metamask is an extension for MetaMask, a popular browser wallet that allows users to store, send, receive, and manage cryptocurrencies. It provides a way to interact with decentralized applications (dApps) on the Ethereum blockchain without installing the full dApp runtime.
Why are you trying to make your chain compatible with Metamask?
Before we dive into the solution, let’s quickly discuss why this is important:
- Integration with Existing Wallets
: A Metamask-compatible chain allows users to seamlessly switch between their preferred wallet and blockchain platform.
- EVM Support on Live Testnet: By making your chain compatible with Metamask, you can enable EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) support on your live testnet, which is essential for testing and development purposes.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure that:
- You have a basic understanding of the Rust programming language.
- Your project is now configured with a CLI wallet, network, RPC API, and EVM support (if not already done).
- You are familiar with the concepts of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and WebAssembly (WASM).
Step-by-step Guide
Here is a step-by-step guide to creating a Metamask-compatible chain for your Rust blockchain project:
Step 1. Update the Cargo.toml file
Open the Cargo.toml file and update the “dependencies” section with the following lines:
[dependencies]
ethereum = "0.8.11"
This will enable Ethereum-related dependencies.
Step 2. Add a new plugin “metamask-adapter”.
Create a new directory for your Metamask adapter plugins and add a file Cargo.toml with the following content:
[dependencies]
ethereum = "0.8.11"
Then, in the same directory, create a new file called “metamask-adapters.toml” and paste the following code:
metascan package;
#[cfg(windows)]
pub mod windows;
#[cfg(unix)]
pub mod unix;
This defines two plugins for Windows and Unix.
Step 3. Create the metamask adapter
Create a new file called “metamask.rs” in the same directory as your Rust project. This will contain the implementation of the Metamask adapter:
use std::fs;
use std::path::PathBuf;
pub struct MetamaskAdapter {
pub key_path: string,
}
impl MetamaskAdapter {
pub fn new(key_path: &str) -> Self {
Self { key_path }
}
pub async fn create_chain(
&self,
account: &str,
network_name: &str,
chain_id: u64,
) -> Result<(), string> {
// Create a new metamask adapter instance
let mut file_path = PathBuf::from("./metamask-adapters.toml");
fs::create_dir_all(&file_path)?;
// Write Metamask adapter configuration to file
write_to_file(&self.key_path, &network_name)?;
ok(())
}
pub async fn connect(
&self,
account: &str,
network_name: &str,
chain_id: u64,
) -> Result<(), string> {
// Read metamask adapter configuration from file
let key_path = read_file(&self.key_path)?;
// Connect to MetaMask using the created adapter
connect_to_meta_mask(account, network_name, chain_id, &key_path)?;
ok(())
}
}
This implementation provides a basic framework for creating and connecting to Metamask.
Step 4. Use the Metamask adapter in your Rust project
Update your job title.
