Before Pop CLI was a thing, I usually thought to myself: "We need a CLI to scaffold parachains". Developers are extremely used to using CLIs for creating projects. Web developers use them all the time, especially for frontends with javascript but also for backends with tools such as rails or django. If we want to make Polkadot more appealing to developers outside of Web3, if we want to make it easy for developers to build on Polkadot, then a CLI is a great way of doing so. Pop CLI filled that need and it did so with impressive features like `pop call` for interacting with chains and signing via the browser and scaffolding smart contracts as well.

The objectives mentioned in the proposal align with the vision of making Polkadot friendlier and more accessible to developers. Being able to spawn mock networks with the state from live chains already filled in will be a huge win for new developers wanting to test their project. Frontend templates make it very appealing as a "fullstack" CLI, pushing the adoption of the latest and greatest, like PAPI. I was initially intrigued by the usage of AI in the proposal but after reading it, I think it makes a lot of sense, as long as the user is prompted to accept the generated command before executing it :P

Pop CLI, PDP, chopsticks, zombie-byte, papi, polkavm, we really are witnessing a new generation of tools to build on Polkadot that make it easier than ever before.

Props to the team!

**OG Tracker Rating 2/3**

**Clear display of deliverables✅**
- Bootstrapping Local Networks with plain or live state
- Full-Stack Starter Kits & OmniNode integration
- State Lookup
- State Lookup
- AI integration
- Education, Growth and Alignment
- Maintenance

**Clear display of a valid direct point of contact ✅**

- Telegram: [https://t.me/onpopio](https://t.me/onpopio)
- Email: go@r0gue.io

**Clear display of proposal’s duration✅**
- The duration of this proposal is 6 months.


_OGT Rating aims to help voters make better informed decisions and direct proposers towards certain common-good practices. We are providing feedback based on 3 simple yet crucial criteria which we believe should be included in every OpenGov referenda._

PolkaWorld votes AYE

Most of our members recognize the necessity and importance of Pop CLI, as well as the growing trend of its adoption across the ecosystem.

Some members believe that based on previous deliveries, the project demonstrates a high level of completion. The proposed funding breakdown is relatively clear, and the upcoming feature roadmap is well-structured — therefore, they support the proposal.

A few members did express concern that the requested budget is on the higher side and that the breakdown could be more granular. They consulted developers to confirm whether the described scope justifies six months of work. The feedback confirmed the timeline is reasonable, and the hourly rates are in line with current standards.

Overall, this proposal has earned our support!

You can view the full discussion [here](https://southern-manicure-6ee.notion.site/1619-Pop-CLI-An-All-in-one-Tool-for-Polkadot-Development-215a3c644fba8070900adc92aef18421?source=copy_link).

__Big Aye__ from the Dedot Team

POP CLI has long been a crucial tool for Polkadot builder, supporting both new and experienced developers with reliable, well-designed tooling that simplifies the development process. This proposal marks an important step forward in strengthening the developer experience and providing much-needed improvements across the ecosystem.

We're looking forward to the potential collaboration with the R0GUE team, especially around frontend template development. We fully support this proposal and look forward to seeing POP CLI continue to evolve as a core piece of Polkadot’s developer infrastructure.

Dear Proposer,

Thank you for your proposal. Our **first** vote on this proposal is **ABSTAIN**.

The **Medium Spender** track requires **50% quorum (at least 5 aye votes) and simple majority of non-abstain votes** according to our [voting policy v0.2](https://docs.permanence.io/voting_policy/voting_policy_v0.2.html), and any referendum in which the **majority of members vote abstain receives an abstain vote**. This proposal has received **zero aye and zero nay** votes from **ten available members**, with **six members abstaining**. Below is a summary of our members' comments:

> Several voters chose to abstain from the referendum, expressing a desire for greater clarity regarding the user base and the specific applications of the proposal. They acknowledged the valuable efforts of the R0gue team but raised concerns about the justification of the associated costs and the overall adoption of the initiative. Many voters echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the need for further discussions before making a decision. Overall, there was a consensus on the importance of more information to inform their choices.

The full discussion can be found in our [internal voting](https://voting.opensquare.io/space/permanence/proposal/QmSJNwtmQzUiABZBRz34sWcp8AYvNWidh4MosVMj3ZD6zH).

Please feel free to contact us through the links below for further discussion.

Kind regards, Permanence DAO Decentralized Voices Cohort IV Delegate 📅 [Book Office Hours](https://cal.com/permanencedao/office-hours) 💬 [Public Telegram](https://t.me/permanencedao) 🌐️ [Web](https://permanence.io) 🐦 [Twitter](https://twitter.com/permanencedao) 🗳️ [Delegate](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/user/15ubZj6T7NUYyQw6j4XBkEMJ2vew5w9kqKEcN1QG7Z1weKDV/votes)

Santi from Parity here.

I just want to say that I truly believe in the work that the R0gue does, specially when it comes to POP-CLI. Personally I recently had the pleasure to work with them in integrating the Polkadot Deployment Portal (PDP) with the CLI and the entire project was managed professionally and with deep Polkadot knowledge by the R0gue team. 

This team has proved time and again that their passion for Polkadot is real, and they back this with very useful contributions!

I've been a frequent CLI user, and I think this proposal will help improve the developer experience. As an added bonus, I should mention that the POP team does a great job providing support for questions or issues.

Truth DAO votes AYE

The team has a strong track record of delivery and is highly reliable.
Pop CLI is already a core tool within the Polkadot ecosystem and continues to see growing adoption.
The budget is well-structured, with reasonable cost-efficiency.

Recommendation:
While the budget is on the higher side, we suggest publishing quarterly progress reports to ensure transparency and accountability.

Read all feedback [here](https://voting.opensquare.io/space/truthdao/proposal/QmU6axsoqxYCd5e2d9iCErTpmL2VLWQQQkbVQjhBDfyhPZ).

📖[Truth DAO Governance Statement](https://southern-manicure-6ee.notion.site/Truth-DAO-Manifesto-0-0-1-1e9a3c644fba807fb88ef3eb5adc711b?pvs=4)

💭 Contact: [Email](open@truthdao.cn), [Telegram](https://t.me/truthdao_public)

🗳️ [Delegate](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/user/13dVYCGL27HhTWaAby3gAVPQkSqbGAyHQfdeUxsttDZi6afh/posted/referenda)

✅ Why Vote YES

• Critical developer tool: Pop CLI is an all-in-one tool that simplifies the full development lifecycle on Polkadot — from scaffolding to deployment, for both chains and smart contracts.

• Proven adoption & ecosystem recognition:
	•	Used by ~10% of the Polkadot dev community (Electric Capital est.)
	•	Officially recommended in Polkadot’s own documentation
	•	Featured in major events like Polkadot Decoded, Sub0, and Substrate seminars

• Experienced team: Built by former Parity engineers with deep experience in Substrate, ink!, testnets, Polkadot SDK, and enterprise chains.

• Clear and strategic roadmap:
	•	Live state forking for local networks
	•	AI integration via prompt and conversational mode (MCP server)
	•	Verified contract publishing (ink! → Etherscan/Blockscout)
	•	Full-stack starter kits (frontend + OmniNode runtime templates)
	•	State lookup, continuous maintenance, education & DevRel support

• Improves developer experience (DX):
	•	Less boilerplate, seamless tooling integration
	•	Secure signing via browser
	•	Support for multi-chain testing, runtime upgrades, and benchmarking
	•	End-to-end workflows in one tool

• Future-ready & aligned with JAM vision:
	•	Integrates with Polkadot Deployment Platform (PDP), supports ink! v6
	•	Sets the foundation for JAM-native, cloud-style workflows

⸻

❌ Why Vote NO

• High funding request: $577,500 USDC (~530,000 EUR) for a single proposal, covering around 4,800 engineering hours over 6–12 months.

• Single team control: R0GUE leads the entire proposal; over-reliance on one group may centralize influence over core developer tooling.

• Still growing adoption: While early traction is strong, day-to-day usage and community contribution on GitHub remain limited compared to long-term goals.

• Pending audit for templates: Contract/chain templates included in the CLI are not yet audited. Audits are planned but not part of this budget scope.

• AI integration still experimental: The AI functionality is early-stage and not guaranteed to deliver immediate utility — potential overinvestment in a speculative feature.

⸻

🎯 Verdict:
Pop CLI is a high-impact, high-quality project that has already delivered strong results and is positioned to become the default developer tool in the Polkadot ecosystem. If you believe in accelerating developer adoption and reducing friction in building on Polkadot, this is a strategic proposal worth supporting — with justified cost and clear milestones.

**Past Performance**

- Referendum: [683 ](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/683)
- Status: [In Progress](https://app.ogtracker.io/mediumSpender/683?tab=progress)

**<ins>Delivered Tasks & PoW</ins>**

✅ **Unit and integration testing, documentation, and ink! examples. Augmented with the Pop CLI.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pop-api/examples
- https://learn.onpop.io/cli
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pop-api/integration-tests
- https://app.codecov.io/gh/r0gue-io/pop-cli/pull/543?dropdown=coverage&src=pr&el=h1&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=github&utm_content=checks&utm_campaign=pr+comments&utm_term=r0gue-io

✅**Support for DOT / PAS as native token on Pop.**
- https://learn.onpop.io/contracts/guides/bridge-tokens-to-pop-network#bridging-from-paseo-to-pop-network
- https://learn.onpop.io/contracts/guides/bridge-tokens-to-pop-network

 ✅**A pallet to facilitate asynchronous smart contracts.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pallets/api/src/messaging

✅**Pop API spec, with pallet implementation.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/pull/132

✅**Integrate Pop API with specific pallets.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pallets/api/src/fungibles
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pallets/api/src/nonfungibles

**✅Pop API crate linking ink! contracts with the runtime pallets.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pop-api
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pop-api/examples
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/pull/461
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/pull/132

✅**A UI that on/offboards relay chain token to Pop.**
- https://onpop.io/network/onboard/

✅**Pop API crate linking ink! contracts with the new runtime features.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/tree/main/pop-api/src/v0/messaging

✅**Foreign assets with Asset Hub and querying with ISMP.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/project-interpop
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-cli/pull/455
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/project-interpop/tree/main/dao_with_nft_verification
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/project-interpop/tree/main/hydra-swap

✅**Pallet and relayer, integrated with Pop API.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-node/pull/270
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-cli/pull/326

✅**Launch on Polkadot with parachain infrastructure in place.**
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-cli/pull/404
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-cli/pull/316
- https://github.com/r0gue-io/pop-cli/pull/410


**<ins>Pending Tasks</ins>**

Three tasks experienced delays due to third-party involvement and dependencies on external components that are currently under development. 

⌛ **Bulk Coretime Purchase**
- All technical and logistical preparations are in place.
- Coretime will be acquired immediately prior to mainnet deployment.

⌛**Audits** 
- Audits are delayed until all architecture transitions to revive are complete.
- Pre-audit reviews are ongoing for the finalised modules.

⌛**Subscan Integration**
- The integration will proceed after mainnet deployment to ensure accurate indexing and network visibility.


**<ins>Remodelled Tasks</ins>**

❗ Integrate cross-chain use-cases and programmable DAO with Pop API
❗ Implementation of an ink! programmable DAO pallet allowing quick creation of DAOs

_The above deliverables related to the ProgrammableDAO task were replaced by the implementation of Revive Compatibility and is estimated to be fully completed during August._


**<ins>OG Tracker Review</ins>**

The proposal's duration was extended by 2 months.

It is clear that the team has dedicated significant time and effort to the proposal, with most of the expected tasks already delivered, and they actively working upon the remaining items until are fully completed.

Additionally, the team was highly responsive and transparent.
They answered all our questions in depth and provided extended updates and information related to the proposal.


_Past Performance is our second experimental approach, after OGT Rating, to target pre-approval practices and help voters make better informed decisions.
We share our findings and further insights about the previous proposer's work and its overall status._

**JAM Implementers DAO** votes **NAY** on this proposal.

Key reasons:

🔻 Unclear current adoption
Despite the compelling vision around AI-integrated tooling, we couldn’t identify at least two real ecosystem teams currently relying on or planning to adopt this tool. Without a proven need, the $ 577,000 USDC request feels premature.

🔻 Uncertain impact on Polkadot’s core dev stack
Several JAM DAO devs have tested POP AI at hackathons — and while the concept is promising — there’s little evidence it significantly improves current developer workflows or ecosystem UX. Most of the core stack remains CLI-driven and tightly integrated with Substrate SDKs and tools like Bagpipes.

🔻 Better developer outcomes elsewhere
We believe Treasury funding for developer productivity should focus on accelerating usage and onboarding. Prioritizing direct CLI tooling improvements or integrations (like Bagpipes or substrate-indexer pipelines) would provide broader ecosystem value.

🔻 No battle testing or production adoption
While we acknowledge the Rogue team’s track record, this tool hasn’t yet been deployed in the trenches. If this is a critical tool for developer adoption, let’s see it in action before scaling Treasury funding.

We encourage the team to reapply in the future with:

1. Evidence of real-world usage by ecosystem teams
2. Public benchmarks or case studies showing dev workflow improvements

Pop CLI was initiated in late 2023 by R0GUE, a team of ex-Parity engineers deeply experienced with the Polkadot ecosystem. Recognizing the complexity and fragmentation faced by developers, the team identified a critical need for an all in one tool for Polkadot Development. In mid-2024, Pop CLI received a Decentralized Futures grant from the Web3 Foundation, evolving into a production-grade tool with strong ecosystem adoption (read the [full story](https://medium.com/@r0gue/pop-cli-reimagining-the-polkadot-developer-journey-4c38fe21483b)).

*“Collaborating with the R0GUE team was highly positive—the robust documentation, user-friendly Pop CLI, and excellent support to deploying teams were consistently impressive.” —* **Web3 Foundation**

The Pop CLI supports the full development lifecycle for both Polkadot chains and smart contracts. It features secure transaction signing, integration and [partnership](https://x.com/PolkadotDeploy/status/1906643927911792654) with the Polkadot Deployment Portal (PDP), integration with OpenZeppelin and includes advanced features for testing, benchmarking and much more. More recently it has been [recognised in Polkadot's documentation](https://docs.polkadot.com/develop/toolkit/parachains/quickstart/pop-cli/). 

This proposal seeks funding to further enhance Pop CLI's functionality, usability, and infrastructure. Specifically, funding will support local network bootstrapping with live state, full-stack starter kits and OmniNode integration, state query functionality, AI integration, contract verification, continuous maintenance and UX improvements, and focused developer education, distribution and community collaboration.

You can review all the details of the proposal in the following Google Doc: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jdfnwWAW4EIBu2UFiXmFry1NXTu3QO20lkjjVpF\_4q4](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jdfnwWAW4EIBu2UFiXmFry1NXTu3QO20lkjjVpF_4q4/edit?tab=t.0)

\---

## Change Log

**Section:** AI integration

**Date:** 30-06-25

In response to feedback from 0xTaylor (at KusDAO), we’ve made updates to clarify and strengthen our approach to AI integration in the Pop CLI. While our original proposal emphasised a single-prompt interface, we agree that this alone doesn’t reflect how developers actually want to work. We had already been exploring more flexible options, including conversational interaction and the use of an MCP server. These changes clarify our intent to support both modes of interaction and to lay the foundation for more powerful, agentic AI workflows.

**IMPORTANT**: Nothing has changed in terms of the total amount of time needed and thus the costs.

\---

Go R0GUE

- Pop CLI is a tool for Polkadot developers, started in 2023 by R0GUE.  
- It got funding in 2024 to become better and easier to use.  
- Helps developers build Polkadot chains and smart contracts.  
- Works with other tools like Polkadot Deployment Portal and OpenZeppelin.  
- Plans to add more features like AI, better testing, and education.  
- Updated in 2025 to improve AI features based on feedback.  
- No extra cost for the changes.  
- Learn more in their Google Doc.

#163·Pop CLI: An All-in-one Tool for Polkadot Development

Change Log