Windows

We need Node.js, let's use Node Version Manager.
Download & install NVM

Once installed, open a windows command (CTRL+R --> write cmd --> press enter) Launch the following command

nvm install 20.5.1

Once it's done

nvm use 20.5.1

Download the workspace [here]
It contains all the contracts, scripts and tests about this book.
Extract it somewhere in your PC and install the node packages with a package manager, by default it's npm

npm install

or

yarn install

or

pnpm install

and you should be good to go!
Try to run the tests

npx hardhat test

Linux

• Open a terminal
• Get root permission (use sudo or su -)
• Run the following command

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.5/install.sh | bash

If it doesn't work (if you get error 400)
Do this instead

wget https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/archive/refs/tags/v0.39.5.zip
unzip v0.39.5.zip
cd v0.39.5.zip
chmod +x ./install.sh
./install.sh

Once nvm is installed, launch the following command

nvm install 20.5.1

Once it's done

nvm use 20.5.1

Download the workspace [here]
Extract it somewhere you like and install the node packages with a package manager, by default it's npm

npm install

or

yarn install

or

pnpm install

and you should be good to go! Try

npx hardhat test

And you should get all passing.

The first rows are dedicated at all the libraries needed in the workspace (I've added some extra)

require('solidity-coverage'); // npx hardhat coverage - runs tests and generates coverage report
require("hardhat-tracer"); // npx hardhat test --trace - runs tests and print traces in console
require("@nomicfoundation/hardhat-verify"); // npx hardhat verify ADDRESS --network networkToVerify (must be in config down there)
require("@nomicfoundation/hardhat-ethers"); // ethers.js in scripts/tests
require("@nomicfoundation/hardhat-foundry"); // to use same contracts lib
//require("hardhat-gas-reporter"); // npx hardhat test <-- enable only when needed - 
require("@nomicfoundation/hardhat-chai-matchers"); // expect on tests
require('@openzeppelin/hardhat-upgrades'); // openzeppelin upgradeable support for proxies
const crypto = require('crypto'); // random acc generator
require('dotenv').config({ path: __dirname + '/.env' }) // .env fileZ

hardhat.config.js is a javascript file so we can add custom logics to it.
Let's do this before using the standard design of hardhat config

First we decide how much accounts we want to spawn (with 10k eth) on the localhost network.
This is needed when you want to run tests with multiple random accounts.
I always leave it 10 by default. If i need accounts in my tests i can pick one of those.

Then we create two lists, this is needed because we generate the random accounts (AccountToSpawn) on runtime.

we add some default networks

Then we dive in into the default config model we set the solidity version & we enable the optimizer.
Bear in mind when you enable optimizations, the deployment cost and bytecode size is lower but the gas for call the contract is more.
If you're not sure about this one, set it false and run the tests/scripts (on fork)
You want to enable it when your contract size is over 24kb.
When it's lower it's not really needed.

We then set all the networks You can leave there only the networks you need or add them all.
Doesn't interfere with your target.

Now we add the gasReporter key required by the "hardhat-gas-reporter" package.
This will help us tracking the gas cost of everything! (GAS BAD)

Currency = in what currency you want to see the gas cost
gasPrice = chain gas price (for BNB it's 3, for ETH it's variable depending on network usage)
token = in what crypto you want to see the gas cost
coinmarketcap = CMC api key to fetch prices, you need this one to make it work

Let's add the required key to verify our contracts on the blockchain explorer

Here we set the api key for each network.
IMPORTANT! the key name MUST BE the SAME of your configured network.
Remember some minutes ago we added our networks? that exact name.

Now, this may be useless to you but... if you ever wanted to have your own blockchain explorer.. it's simple.
Or at least the way i use it's simple.

Read more about it in the dedicated page.