MIDL Contract Deployment Skill

Overview

This Skill helps deploy Solidity smart contracts to MIDL staging network using either MCP (Claude Desktop) or Hardhat. MIDL is a Bitcoin-anchored EVM where deployments require both Bitcoin and EVM transactions.

When to Use This Skill

Apply this Skill whenever:

• •User wants to deploy a contract to MIDL
• •User is setting up MIDL deployment environment
• •User is troubleshooting deployment issues
• •User is choosing between MCP vs Hardhat deployment

Network Information

MIDL Staging Network:

• •RPC: https://rpc.staging.midl.xyz
• •Chain ID: 15001 (0x3a99)
• •Bitcoin Explorer: https://mempool.staging.midl.xyz
• •EVM Explorer: https://blockscout.staging.midl.xyz
• •Bitcoin Network: Regtest

Important: Use staging RPC, not regtest RPC (staging has system contracts deployed)

Deployment Methods

Method 1: MCP via Claude Desktop (Easiest)

Best for: Quick deployments, testing, non-developers

How it works:

1. •User provides Solidity code
2. •MCP compiles the contract
3. •MCP deploys to MIDL
4. •MCP auto-verifies on Blockscout
5. •Returns contract address and explorer links

Example prompt:

Deploy this contract to MIDL staging:

pragma solidity 0.8.28;

contract SimpleStorage {
    uint256 public value = 42;

    function setValue(uint256 _value) public {
        value = _value;
    }
}

Method 2: Hardhat (Recommended for Developers)

Best for: Complex projects, multiple contracts, CI/CD

Setup required:

1. •Configure hardhat.config.ts
2. •Create deployment scripts
3. •Deploy via CLI

Example:

npx hardhat deploy --network regtest --tags YourContract

Critical Configuration Requirements

1. Viem Override (MOST IMPORTANT!)

Required in package.json:

{
  "pnpm": {
    "overrides": {
      "viem": "npm:@midl/viem@2.21.39"
    }
  }
}

Why?

• •Standard viem lacks estimateGasMulti method
• •Without this, gas estimation fails/hangs
• •This is the #1 cause of deployment failures

2. Hardhat Configuration

import "@midl/hardhat-deploy";
import { MempoolSpaceProvider, MaestroSymphonyProvider } from "@midl/core";

const config: HardhatUserConfig = {
  networks: {
    regtest: {
      url: "https://rpc.staging.midl.xyz",  // Staging RPC!
      accounts: {
        mnemonic: process.env.MNEMONIC,
        path: "m/86'/1'/0'/0/0",
      },
      chainId: 15001,
    },
  },
  midl: {
    networks: {
      regtest: {
        mnemonic: process.env.MNEMONIC,
        confirmationsRequired: 1,
        btcConfirmationsRequired: 1,
        hardhatNetwork: "regtest",
        network: {
          explorerUrl: "https://mempool.staging.midl.xyz",
          id: "regtest",
          network: "regtest",
        },
        providerFactory: () =>
          new MempoolSpaceProvider({
            regtest: "https://mempool.staging.midl.xyz",
          }),
        runesProviderFactory: () =>
          new MaestroSymphonyProvider({
            regtest: "https://runes.staging.midl.xyz",
          }),
      },
    },
  },
  solidity: {
    compilers: [{
      version: "0.8.24",
      settings: {
        optimizer: { enabled: true, runs: 200 },
        evmVersion: "paris",  // Use paris for staging
      },
    }],
  },
};

3. MCP Configuration (Claude Desktop)

Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "midl-bitcoin": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "tsx", "/path/to/midl-mcp/src/index.ts"],
      "env": {
        "MIDL_NETWORK": "staging",
        "MIDL_MNEMONIC": "your twelve word mnemonic here"
      }
    }
  }
}

After updating: Fully quit Claude (Cmd+Q) and restart

Performance Expectations

Staging Network Timing:

• •⚡ Contract Deployment: 30 seconds - 2 minutes
• •⏳ Write Operations: 8-15 minutes per transaction
• •⚡ Read Operations: Instant

Important: Write operations appearing to "hang" for 10-15 minutes is NORMAL on staging!

What to do:

• •✅ Be patient - it's working
• •✅ Check Blockscout for transaction status
• •✅ Don't kill the process
• •⏳ Wait up to 15 minutes

Deployment Patterns

Simple Contract (No Constructor)

Contract:

pragma solidity 0.8.24;

contract SimpleStorage {
    uint256 public value;

    function setValue(uint256 _value) public {
        value = _value;
    }
}

Deploy Script:

export default async function deploy(hre: HardhatRuntimeEnvironment) {
  await hre.midl.initialize();
  await hre.midl.deploy('SimpleStorage', []);
  await hre.midl.execute();
}

deploy.tags = ['simple'];

Deploy:

npx hardhat deploy --network regtest --tags simple

Contract with Constructor

Contract:

pragma solidity 0.8.24;

contract Token {
    string public name;
    string public symbol;
    uint256 public totalSupply;

    constructor(string memory _name, string memory _symbol, uint256 _supply) {
        name = _name;
        symbol = _symbol;
        totalSupply = _supply;
    }
}

Deploy Script:

export default async function deploy(hre: HardhatRuntimeEnvironment) {
  await hre.midl.initialize();
  await hre.midl.deploy('Token', ['Test Token', 'TT', 1000000]);
  await hre.midl.execute();

  const deployment = await hre.midl.getDeployment('Token');
  console.log('Token deployed at:', deployment.address);
}

deploy.tags = ['token'];

Multiple Contracts

export default async function deploy(hre: HardhatRuntimeEnvironment) {
  await hre.midl.initialize();

  // Deploy Token
  await hre.midl.deploy('Token', ['Test', 'TT', 1000000]);
  await hre.midl.execute();

  // Deploy Exchange with Token address
  const token = await hre.midl.getDeployment('Token');
  await hre.midl.deploy('Exchange', [token.address]);
  await hre.midl.execute();

  // Call function on Token
  await hre.midl.write('Token', 'mint', [1000, hre.midl.evm.address]);
  await hre.midl.execute();
}

deploy.tags = ['main'];

Troubleshooting

Deployment Hangs Immediately

Symptom: Hangs at "Executing transaction..." right away

Cause: Missing viem override

Fix:

1. •Add viem override to package.json
2. •Delete node_modules and lockfile
3. •Reinstall: pnpm install
4. •Verify: npm list viem (should show @midl/viem)

Deployment Hangs for 10+ Minutes

Symptom: Long wait after "Executing transaction..."

Cause: This is NORMAL on staging!

Fix:

• •Wait patiently (up to 15 minutes)
• •Check Blockscout to see if transaction appeared
• •Don't kill the process

"btcFeeRate returned no data"

Symptom:

Error: The contract function "btcFeeRate" returned no data
Contract Call: address: 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000001006

Cause: Using regtest RPC instead of staging RPC

Fix: Change network URL to:

url: "https://rpc.staging.midl.xyz"  // Not rpc.regtest.midl.xyz

No Balance / Insufficient Funds

Fix:

1. •Check your address:
   bash

   npx hardhat midl:address 0 --network regtest
   

2. •Check balance:
   bash

   curl "https://mempool.staging.midl.xyz/api/address/YOUR_BTC_ADDRESS"
   

3. •Request testnet BTC from team or faucet

MCP Tool Not Appearing

Fix:

1. •Verify claude_desktop_config.json is correct
2. •Fully quit Claude (Cmd+Q)
3. •Restart Claude
4. •Check MCP is running (hammer icon should show)

Verification After Deployment

Contracts deployed via MCP are auto-verified.

For Hardhat deployments, verify using:

npx hardhat verify --network regtest <CONTRACT_ADDRESS> [constructor args...]

Important: Use exact pragma versions for verification:

pragma solidity 0.8.24;  // Not ^0.8.24

See the Contract Verification Skill for detailed verification help.

Successful Deployments (Proof of Concept)

All viewable on: https://blockscout.staging.midl.xyz

Best Practices

1. •Always use staging RPC (rpc.staging.midl.xyz)
2. •Always include viem override in package.json
3. •Be patient with write operations (10-15 min is normal)
4. •Verify immediately after deployment while settings are fresh
5. •Use exact pragma versions for verification
6. •Check Blockscout to monitor transaction status
7. •Document constructor args for future verification

Quick Commands

# Deploy
npx hardhat deploy --network regtest --tags your-tag

# Check address
npx hardhat midl:address 0 --network regtest

# Check balance
curl "https://mempool.staging.midl.xyz/api/address/YOUR_ADDRESS"

# Verify contract
npx hardhat verify --network regtest <ADDRESS> [args...]

How MIDL Deployment Works

MIDL is a Bitcoin-anchored EVM. Contract deployments require both a Bitcoin transaction and an EVM transaction:

1. •EVM Transaction: Standard contract deployment data
2. •Bitcoin Transaction: Anchors the EVM transaction to Bitcoin
3. •BIP322 Signature: Links the EVM transaction to the BTC transaction
4. •eth_sendBTCTransactions: Special RPC that submits both together

The MCP and Hardhat handle all of this automatically!

Resources

• •Deployment Guide: MIDL_DEPLOYMENT_GUIDE.md
• •MCP Guide: DEPLOY_AND_INTERACT.md
• •MCP Verification: MCP_DEPLOY_VERIFICATION.md
• •Verification Guide: CONTRACT_VERIFICATION_GUIDE.md