Add web3 features to the docs and add interactive blockchain-linked components

[nathanhleung]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

The docs on the website are great for a basic understanding of how Ethereum works, but actually interacting with smart contracts on the blockchain can make the concepts click in a way that's impossible with just text.

Describe the solution you'd like

Add web3 features to the Ethereum documentation site so users can deposit, withdraw, store data, etc. on a testnet blockchain as they read about how Ethereum works.

Describe alternatives you've considered

• The documentation site could link to faucets + testnet versions of popular dapps today that users can play with
• The documentation site could have interactive components that don't necessarily interact with a real blockchain to save on API fees

I think there is real, unique value in having genuine blockchain integration right inside the docs, though.

Additional context

I was part of a team that created a proof-of-concept for this in January called https://ether.university/ on the Goerli testnet.

If you have some Goerli ETH, try going through the Intro to ETH tutorial here: https://ether.university/c/ethereum101/

The app allows users to deposit/withdraw from a smart contract and store a string on the blockchain. When they answer a quiz correctly at the end of the tutorial, they get a testnet NFT minted viewable at https://ether.university/achievements/

Want to contribute?

I'd love to integrate some of Ether University's code into this repository, if there is interest from the ethereum-org-website team — see here for code: https://github.com/etheruniversity/etheruniversity

Once added, the site would need an Infura or Alchemy API key and a reliable source of Goerli (or any other testnet ETH) that users can get testnet ETH from to play with.

Let me know what you think!

[minimalsm]

Hey @nathanhleung

I really like this idea ❤️ I think it ties in well with a few ideas we've been floating around recently. My concern would be that if we done too much web3 in the docs we might alienate those who are just getting started in Ethereum/crypto-land. Definitely a great idea but depending on the scale of this I'm not sure we have the bandwidth right now (we probably will in the near-ish future?). Let me have a chat with the team about this idea and we'll keep you in the loop ✌️

[nathanhleung]

Hey @nathanhleung

I really like this idea ❤️ I think it ties in well with a few ideas we've been floating around recently. My concern would be that if we done too much web3 in the docs we might alienate those who are just getting started in Ethereum/crypto-land. Definitely a great idea but depending on the scale of this I'm not sure we have the bandwidth right now (we probably will in the near-ish future?). Let me have a chat with the team about this idea and we'll keep you in the loop ✌️

Sounds good, thanks! I'm currently being supported by a grant from the EF to work on stuff related to this, so happy to take greater ownership of this once you hear back from the team + get a better idea of where this may fit in.

[Gaphunt1980]

Great contribution

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue is stale because it has been open 45 days with no activity.

[corwintines]

Going to close this out in favor of the interactivity epic we are working on to add web3 features. Thank you for the suggestion @nathanhleung. If you want to follow up and contribute with us you can find out more in https://github.com/ethereum/ethereum-org-website/issues/10666, and collaborate with @konopkja who is leading this :)