My experience of the TON Bootcamp in Gurugram 2024
Telegram MiniApps and TON Blockchain
Introduction
I was working on a project to build a Telegram bot that could fetch data from multiple paid APIs about various crypto tokens, parse it using a Large Language Model (LLM), and then provide the results to users. As I delved deeper into the documentation for Telegram bots, I stumbled upon a recently launched feature called “Telegram MiniApps”. This new feature caught my attention and seemed like a perfect addition to our project. Intrigued by the possibilities, we decided to pivot our project to include a MiniApp alongside our bot.
This discovery led me to explore more about Telegram’s latest developments, and that’s when I learned about their blockchain initiative, TON (The Open Network). It’s evident that Telegram has been working on quite a few things behind the scenes, and TON is gaining a lot of traction. To promote the adoption of TON and attract developers, the team behind it has been organizing events and hackathons. These initiatives aim to foster a thriving community around their blockchain.
One such event was the TON Bootcamp in Gurugram, which I had the opportunity to attend. This blog is a reflection of my experiences and insights from those three days.
What is Telegram MiniApps?
Telegram MiniApps are like small web-based apps that you can use directly inside the Telegram app. Think of them as a built-in browser that can interact with Telegram itself. These MiniApps can send and receive information, such as login details or custom data, making it easy for users to get or share the information they need without ever leaving their chat.
What is TON?
The unique aspect of TON (The Open Network) lies in its focus on scalability, speed, and affordability. It is designed to handle millions of transactions per second, which sets it apart from many other blockchains. TON aims to integrate seamlessly into everyday applications, making blockchain technology accessible and user-friendly. Its multi-blockchain architecture allows it to scale efficiently and support a variety of services such as payments, smart contracts, and decentralized storage. Additionally, TON focuses on maintaining constant and low GAS fees for transactions, making it more practical and attractive for widespread use within the vast Telegram ecosystem.
TON Bootcamp Overview
While trying to delve deeper into the Telegram ecosystem, I came across TON Bootcamp to be hosted in Gurugram from 7th to 9th June 2024. Organized by the TON Foundation, this bootcamp was one of the first major events organized to promote and educate developers about the TON ecosystem.
This bootcamp was a 3-Day event. The primary goal of the bootcamp was to prepare participants for The Open League Hackathon, a global event with a prize pool of $2 million, designed to encourage developers to build projects using the TON blockchain. Each bootcamp had its own prize pool of $5,000 for winners, and all attendees received a stipend worth 40 USDT in TON tokens, underscoring the organizers’ commitment to fostering innovation and participation.
Link to the event page: https://lu.ma/TONIndbootcamp
Bootcamp Experience
Day 1
- Introduction to TON: The event began with an overview of TON’s unique features, including its very low and consistently stable GAS fees.
- TON Virtual Machine (TVM): Explained as the EVM equivalent for the TON blockchain.
- Development Language: Anton Trunov, TACT Compiler Lead at TON Foundation, introduced Tact, the programming language required for TON development.
- Hackathon Instructions: Provided details on submitting projects to the DoraHacks platform and tips on preparing ideas.
Personal Note: Although I was learning about new tech, I struggled to see how it would fit into my project. Later, after discussing with friends, we brainstormed and decided to pivot our idea to build a Paper Trading platform on Telegram, tapping into the popularity of game-based engagement.
Day 2
- New Project Idea: My team and I pivoted to developing a casino-based game for Telegram, similar to Stake, and named it “TankCasino.”
- Technical Planning: We outlined the technical architecture and planned the development phases.
- Design Focus: Given the time constraints, we chose to create Figma designs for the UI and wireframes instead of building the entire MiniApp.
Personal Note: I spent the night designing the UI and wireframes using Figma, which we later used to record a demo video for the Bootcamp presentation. This deep dive into the design process helped refine our project.
Day 3 and Afterparty
- Presentation Submission: We completed and submitted our project presentations. Although we didn’t win, the feedback was positive, and the project idea showed promise for future development.
- Afterparty: The event concluded with a lively afterparty at The Big Pitchers in Gurugram, where we relaxed and connected with other participants.
Conclusion
The TON Bootcamp in Gurugram was a fantastic opportunity to dive into the Telegram ecosystem. Although our project, TankCasino, didn’t win, the experience was invaluable. The insights gained, along with the feedback and connections made, have set the stage for future innovations.
As I look back, the bootcamp was not just about the competition but about exploring new horizons and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. I’m eager to continue developing my ideas and leveraging the knowledge gained to create something truly impactful. Networking with amazing folks have opened new doors for future such events.
