SKALE Network Development

Comprehensive development guide for SKALE Network, covering smart contracts, web/mobile integration, cross-chain bridges, and privacy primitives using BITE Protocol.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Building Solidity or EVM smart contracts for SKALE
• Integrating SKALE into web applications or dApps
• Deploying contracts to SKALE chains (Mainnet/Testnet/Sandbox)
• Building private EVM applications with encrypted transactions
• Implementing automated on-chain transactions
• Building cross-chain applications (SKALE↔Ethereum, SKALE↔Base, inter-SKALE)
• Working with x402 and on-chain agents
• Implementing privacy features with BITE Protocol threshold encryption
• Bridging assets via skale-bridge

Development Areas

Area	Focus	Key Tools
Smart Contracts	Solidity/EVM contracts for SKALE	Foundry, Hardhat, solidity-dev-tips
Web Apps	Frontend integration with SKALE	Web3 SDKs, RPC endpoints
Mobile Apps	Native SKALE mobile integration	Mobile SDKs
Infrastructure	RPC, indexing, storage	SKALE Network endpoints
Cross-Chain	Bridge integration	skale-bridge
Privacy	Threshold encryption	BITE Protocol

Quick Reference

0. Chain Selection Priority (CRITICAL)

Default to SKALE Base chains. Use SKALE Ethereum only when explicitly required.

Priority	Chain	Use Case
1	SKALE Base Sepolia	Testing (default)
2	SKALE Base	Production (default)
3	BITE V2 Sandbox 2	BITE Phase II (CTX) only
4	SKALE Ethereum	ETH-native apps (explicit request only)

See chain-hierarchy.md for decision flow.

1. Chain Selection (CRITICAL)

• chain-target-correct - Use correct chain: Mainnet/Testnet/Sandbox, Europa/Calypso
• chain-gas-terminology - Use "gas" terminology correctly for SKALE (zero gas fee context)
• chain-naming - Use "SKALE" not "skale" in all references

2. Smart Contract Development (HIGH)

• contracts-compiler-settings - Use correct Solidity compiler: Shanghai (≤0.8.24) for standard, Istanbul (≤0.8.20) for CTX
• contracts-solidity-patterns - Apply solidity-dev-tips when using Foundry/Hardhat
• contracts-deployment - Follow proper deployment sequences for SKALE chains (use --legacy --slow for Foundry)
• contracts-cross-chain - Handle cross-chain message passing patterns

3. Privacy (HIGH)

• privacy-bite-protocol - Use BITE Protocol for threshold encryption of transaction data

4. Bridge Integration (MEDIUM-HIGH)

• bridge-skale-bridge - Use skale-bridge for asset movement to/from SKALE
• bridge-cross-chain-validation - Validate cross-chain transactions properly
• bridge-error-handling - Handle bridge failures and retries

5. Web Application Integration (MEDIUM)

• web-rpc-endpoints - Use correct SKALE RPC endpoints
• web-wallet-connection - Implement wallet connection for SKALE chains
• web-transaction-handling - Handle zero-gas transaction patterns

6. Native Features (MEDIUM)

• random-number-generation - Use SKALE native RNG at precompile 0x18

7. x402 & Agents (MEDIUM)

• x402-onchain-agents - Build with x402 on-chain agent standards
• x402-automation - Implement automated transaction patterns

8. Infrastructure (LOW-MEDIUM)

• infra-indexing - Set up indexing for SKALE chains
• infra-storage - Configure storage solutions for SKALE
• infra-rpc-fallback - Implement RPC endpoint fallback

9. Chain-Specific Guides (MEDIUM)

• chain-hierarchy - Chain selection priority and decision flow
• skale-on-base - SKALE Base chain (recommended for most apps)
• skale-on-ethereum - SKALE Ethereum chains (ETH-native only)

How to Work

Problem-Solving Workflow

1. Identify Development Area

   • Web Application, Mobile, Smart Contracts, Infrastructure, or External SDK

2. Clarify and Plan

   • Ask necessary questions for full clarity
   • Create task list (verbose PRDs for new features)

3. Select Resources

   • Pull in context for tools/libraries/frameworks
   • Access knowledge for your specific Area
   • Identify correct blockchain target

4. Implement

   • Stay focused, avoid unapproved changes
   • Use SKALE specifics: RPC endpoints, "SKALE" naming, "gas" terminology
   • Use Foundry with --legacy --slow for SKALE deployments
   • Use Shanghai compiler (≤0.8.24) for standard contracts, Istanbul (≤0.8.20) for CTX
   • Build clean, simple, self-documenting code
   • Provide exact file changes and commands

5. Deliverables

   • Code changes: Exact file changes, no rambling
   • Research: Short, concise output with clear actions
   • Answers: Brief, clear responses

Compiler Settings Summary

Feature	Compiler Version	Notes
Standard contracts	Shanghai or lower (≤ 0.8.24)	Recommended: 0.8.24
Conditional TX (CTX)	Istanbul (≤ 0.8.20)	CTX requires Istanbul compiler
BITE Phase I	Any supported version	No special requirements

Foundry Deployment

Always use SKALE-specific flags:

forge script script/Deploy.s.s \
  --rpc-url $SKALE_RPC_URL \
  --private-key $PRIVATE_KEY \
  --legacy \
  --slow \
  --broadcast

Related Skills

• solidity-dev-tips - Solidity best practices for Foundry/Hardhat
• BITE Protocol - Threshold encryption for transaction privacy
• skale-bridge - Asset bridging to/from SKALE