Nx/Hardhat Plugin

[thachp]

I would like to request the development of an Nx/Hardhat plugin that integrates Hardhat into Nx workspaces. This plugin should offer commands and functionalities similar to existing Nx plugins (nx-next/nx-nest), streamlining the process of creating, building, testing, and deploying smart contracts within an Nx workspace.

Acceptance Criteria

• Command Initialization
  • The plugin should provide a command to initialize a new Hardhat project within an Nx workspace.
  • The command should scaffold a basic Hardhat project structure including configurations, scripts, and directories.
  • Example: nx generate hardhat:init

• Smart Contract Management
  • The plugin should allow the creation of new smart contract files with boilerplate code.
  • Example: nx generate hardhat:contract

• Compilation
  • The plugin should provide a command to compile smart contracts.
  • The command should output the compiled artifacts in a specified directory within the workspace.
  • Example: nx run :compile

• Testing
  • The plugin should offer commands to run Hardhat tests.
  • It should support both unit tests and integration tests for smart contracts.
  • Example: nx run :test

• Deployment
  • The plugin should include commands for deploying smart contracts to various Ethereum networks (e.g., local, testnet, mainnet).
  • Example: nx run :deploy --network

• Configuration
  • The plugin should allow configuration of Hardhat settings within the Nx workspace (e.g., networks, compiler settings).
  • Example: nx run :configure

• Documentation and Help
  • The plugin should provide detailed documentation and help commands for each functionality.
  • Example: nx run :help

• Integration with Existing Nx Functionality
  • The plugin should integrate with existing Nx workspace functionalities such as affected commands, caching, and parallel execution.
  • It should support the Nx project graph visualization, showing dependencies between Hardhat projects and other Nx projects.

[Praizleye]

"I'm interested in understanding what would be required to develop an Nx plugin for Hardhat integration. This seems like a valuable addition to the Nx ecosystem that could benefit many developers working with Ethereum smart contracts.
Currently, developers using Nx for monorepo management who want to incorporate Hardhat for their blockchain development workflow face integration challenges. An official Nx plugin for Hardhat would streamline this process and provide:

Seamless integration between Nx workspace management and Hardhat's development environment
Consistent tooling patterns across web2 and web3 projects within the same monorepo
Better developer experience for teams building full-stack dApps

I'm willing to contribute to this effort, whether through development, testing, or documentation. Could someone from the Nx team provide guidance on:

The technical requirements and scope for such a plugin
Any existing architectural considerations or constraints
The preferred approach for community contributions to new plugins

I'm also planning to create a formal issue to track this request and gather community interest. Would appreciate any feedback or collaboration from others who see value in this integration."