⛓️Challenges

Challenges Faced During Development

The journey to developing StableStore was fraught with numerous challenges, particularly when it came to handling transaction data, deal deployment, and stable coin conversions. Here’s a detailed look at the obstacles we encountered and how we navigated them.

1. Retrieving Transaction Data for a Provider-ID

• Challenge: Our first major hurdle was obtaining a list of transactions for a specific provider-ID. Despite leveraging various tools within the Lotus ecosystem, we were unable to retrieve any meaningful data.

• Solution Attempted: We tried different methods and tools to access this data but ultimately found them ineffective for our requirements.

2. Calibration Net Deployment Issues

• Challenge: Deploying storage deals on the calibration net as clients was problematic. The deals were not being accepted, and the value field in the transactions continuously displayed 0.

• Solution Attempted: We made several attempts to diagnose and resolve the issue but faced persistent failures in getting the calibration net to function as expected.

3. Stable Coin Conversion Challenges

• Challenge: Converting payments to stable coins via the Squid Router presented significant issues due to low liquidity on the testnet. This resulted in our inability to test and demonstrate the functionality effectively.

  • Specific Issues:

    • The testnet lacked sufficient liquidity, making it impossible to process conversions reliably.

    • tFIL (testnet Filecoin) was not supported on the Squid Router’s testnet.

• Solution Attempted:

  • We attempted to use Axelar for cross-chain transfers. However, Axelar only supports the FIL mainnet and, like Squid, could not facilitate testnet transactions.

  • We explored using Cellar as an alternative, but it also only supports the mainnet.

4. Limited to Mainnet Operations

• Outcome: After exhausting our options with various cross-chain and stable coin conversion tools, we were left with no choice but to limit our implementation to the Filecoin mainnet. This meant that while our code works for the testnet in theory, practical demonstrations and testing could only be conducted on the mainnet.

Conclusion

Despite these challenges, we successfully developed a robust solution for Filecoin storage providers on the mainnet. While testnet limitations prevented comprehensive testing in a simulated environment, the mainnet deployment ensures StableStore operates efficiently and effectively for real-world use cases. We continue to explore potential solutions for broader testnet support and remain committed to enhancing the platform’s capabilities.