# Stellar Dev > End-to-end Stellar development playbook. Covers Soroban smart contracts (Rust SDK), Stellar CLI, JavaScript/Python/Go SDKs for client apps, Stellar RPC (preferred) and Horizon API (legacy), Stellar Assets vs Soroban tokens (SAC bridge), wallet integration (Freighter, Stellar Wallets Kit), smart accounts with passkeys, status-sensitive zero-knowledge proof patterns, testing strategies, security patterns, and common pitfalls. Optimized for payments, asset tokenization, DeFi, privacy-aware applications, and financial applications. Use when building on Stellar, Soroban, or working with XLM, Stellar Assets, trustlines, anchors, SEPs, ZK proofs, or the Stellar RPC/Horizon APIs. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/stellar-dev-2` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/stellar-dev-2` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/stellar-dev-2/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Security - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/stellar-dev-2 --- # Stellar Development Skill (Soroban-first) ## What this Skill is for Use this Skill when the user asks for: - Soroban smart contract development (Rust) - Stellar dApp frontend work (React / Next.js / Node.js) - Wallet connection + signing flows (Freighter, etc.) - Transaction building / sending / confirmation - Stellar Asset issuance and management - Client SDK usage (JavaScript, Python, Go, Rust) - Zero-knowledge proof verification (where supported by target network/protocol) - Privacy-preserving applications (privacy pools, confidential tokens) - Local testing and deployment - Security hardening and audit-style reviews - Agentic payments: paid APIs (x402) and AI agent payment clients (x402, MPP charge, MPP channel) ## What this Skill is NOT for - Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, or other non-Stellar blockchain development - Stellar node/validator operation (see [validators docs](https://developers.stellar.org/docs/validators)) - General Rust programming unrelated to Soroban - Stellar protocol governance or CAP authoring ## Default stack decisions (opinionated) ### 1. Smart Contracts: Soroban (Rust) - Use Soroban SDK (`soroban-sdk` crate) for all smart contract development - Contracts compile to WebAssembly (WASM) - Use `#![no_std]` - standard library not available - 64KB contract size limit - use release optimizations - Prefer Stellar Assets over custom token contracts when possible ### 2. Client SDK: stellar-sdk (JavaScript) first - Use `@stellar/stellar-sdk` for browser and Node.js applications - Supports both Stellar RPC and legacy Horizon API - Full transaction building, signing, and submission - Soroban contract deployment and invocation ### 3. API Access: Stellar RPC first (Horizon legacy-focused) - **Prefer Stellar RPC** for new projects (JSON-RPC, real-time state) - **Horizon API** remains available for legacy compatibility and historical-query workflows - RPC: 7-day history for most methods; `getLedgers` queries back to genesis (Infinite Scroll) - Use Hubble/Galexie for comprehensive historical data beyond RPC ### 4. Token Strategy: Stellar Assets first - **Prefer Stellar Assets** (classic issuance + trustlines) for fungible tokens - Built-in ecosystem support (wallets, exchanges, anchors) - Stellar Asset Contracts (SAC) provide Soroban interoperability - Use custom Soroban tokens only for complex logic requirements ### 5. Testing - **Local**: Use Stellar Quickstart Docker for local network - **Testnet**: Use Testnet with Friendbot for funding - **Unit tests**: Compile to native for fast iteration - **Integration tests**: Deploy to local/testnet ### 6. Wallet Integration - **Freighter** is the primary browser wallet - Use Stellar Wallets Kit for multi-wallet support - Wallet Standard for consistent connection patterns ### 7. Freshness policy - Verify volatile facts (protocol support, RPC endpoints, CAP/SEP status, SDK API changes) against official docs before asserting them as current. ## Operating procedure (how to execute tasks) ### 1. Classify the task layer - Smart contract layer (Soroban/Rust) - Client SDK/scripts layer (JS/Python/Go) - Frontend/wallet layer - Asset management layer (issuance, trustlines) - Testing/CI layer - Infrastructure (RPC/Horizon/indexing) ### Quick routing - Need custom on-chain logic? → [contracts-soroban.md](contracts-soroban.md) - Building a frontend/dApp? → [frontend-stellar-sdk.md](frontend-stellar-sdk.md) - Issuing or managing tokens? → [stellar-assets.md](stellar-assets.md) - Zero-knowledge proofs or privacy? → [zk-proofs.md](zk-proofs.md) - Setting up tests/CI? → [testing.md](testing.md) - Querying chain data or indexing? → [api-rpc-horizon.md](api-rpc-horizon.md) (also see [Data Docs](https://developers.stellar.org/docs/data)) - Security review? → [security.md](security.md) - Hit an error? → [common-pitfalls.md](common-pitfalls.md) - Need upgrade/factory/governance/DeFi architecture patterns? → [advanced-patterns.md](advanced-patterns.md) - Need SEP/CAP guidance and standards links? → [standards-reference.md](standards-reference.md) - Building a paid API or AI agent payment client? → [x402.md](x402.md) or [mpp.md](mpp.md) (see comparison below) ### Agentic payments: x402 vs MPP | | x402 | MPP Charge | MPP Channel | |--|------|------------|-------------| | Per-request on-chain tx? | Yes (via facilitator) | Yes (Soroban SAC) | No (off-chain commits) | | Needs facilitator? | Yes (OZ Channels) | No | No | | Client needs XLM? | No (fees sponsored) | Optional (`feePayer`) | Yes | | Setup complexity | Low | Low | Medium (deploy contract first) | | Best for | Quickest setup, fee-free clients | No third-party dep | High-frequency agents | - Selling an API, want zero-XLM clients → [x402.md](x402.md) Seller - Calling an x402 API from an agent → [x402.md](x402.md) Buyer - Selling an API, no facilitator dependency → [mpp.md](mpp.md) Charge mode - Agent making many requests per session → [mpp.md](mpp.md) Channel mode - Unsure → x402 (lowest friction to get started) All protocols use USDC (SEP-41 SAC) by default; `stellar:testnet` / `stellar:pubnet` CAIP-2 network IDs. ### 2. Pick the right building blocks - Contracts: Soroban Rust SDK + Stellar CLI - Frontend: stellar-sdk (JS) + Freighter/Wallets Kit - Backend: stellar-sdk (JS/Python/Go) + RPC - Assets: Classic operations or SAC for Soroban interop - Testing: Quickstart (local) or Testnet ### 3. Implement with Stellar-specific correctness Always be explicit about: - Network passphrase (Mainnet vs Testnet vs local) - Source account + sequence number - Fee + resource limits (for Soroban) - Authorization requirements - Trustline status for assets - Contract storage types (temporary vs persistent vs instance) ### 4. Add tests - Unit tests: Native compilation with `#[test]` - Integration tests: Local Quickstart or Testnet - Contract tests: Use `Env` from soroban-sdk - Frontend tests: Mock wallet/RPC interactions ### 5. Deliverables expectations When you implement changes, provide: - Exact files changed + diffs - Commands to install/build/test/deploy - Network configuration (passphrase, RPC endpoint) - Risk notes for signing/fees/storage/authorization ## Progressive disclosure (read when needed) - Smart contracts: [contracts-soroban.md](contracts-soroban.md) - Frontend + wallets: [frontend-stellar-sdk.md](frontend-stellar-sdk.md) - Testing strategy: [testing.md](testing.md) - Stellar Assets: [stellar-assets.md](stellar-assets.md) - Zero-knowledge proofs: [zk-proofs.md](zk-proofs.md) - API access (RPC/Horizon): [api-rpc-horizon.md](api-rpc-horizon.md) - Security checklist: [security.md](security.md) - Common pitfalls: [common-pitfalls.md](common-pitfalls.md) - Advanced architecture patterns: [advanced-patterns.md](advanced-patterns.md) - SEP/CAP standards map: [standards-reference.md](standards-reference.md) - Ecosystem projects: [ecosystem.md](ecosystem.md) - Reference links: [resources.md](resources.md) - x402 paid APIs + agent clients: [x402.md](x402.md) - MPP agentic payments (charge + channel): [mpp.md](mpp.md) ## Keywords stellar, soroban, xlm, smart contracts, rust, wasm, webassembly, rpc, horizon, freighter, stellar-sdk, soroban-sdk, stellar-cli, trustline, anchor, sep, passkey, smart wallet, sac, stellar asset contract, defi, token, nft, scaffold stellar, constructor, upgrade, factory, governance, standards, zero-knowledge, zk, zk-snark, groth16, bn254, poseidon, pairing, privacy, confidential, noir, risc zero, privacy pool, merkle tree, x402, mpp, machine payments protocol, agentic payments, paid api, payment channel, ai agent payments, usdc, sep-41, oz channels, openzeppelin relayer, http 402, per-request payments, soroban auth entries, fee sponsorship, payment middleware --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/stellar) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.