Building a Simple Fixed Deposit Application Using Solidity Smart Contracts

Blockchain technology has revolutionized the way we handle financial transactions, and the world of decentralized finance (DeFi) is growing at an unprecedented rate. One of the most intriguing aspects of this financial evolution is the use of smart contracts, which are self-executing agreements with the power to automate and secure various financial services. In this exploration of blockchain and smart contract development, we dive into the creation of a minimalist fixed deposit application using Solidity. By the end of this journey, you'll not only understand the fundamental principles of smart contract programming but also witness the practical application of Solidity in building a secure and efficient fixed deposit system.

Designing the Smart Contract

In the context of Ethereum, it's vital to understand the distinction between two types of accounts: Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) and Smart Contracts.

1. EOAs are controlled by private keys and represent individuals, whereas Smart Contracts are self-executing scripts deployed on the blockchain.
2. This knowledge is crucial for effectively managing and interacting with accounts in the world of blockchain finance.
3. The "LockedSavingsAccount" smart contract creates an analog of the traditional fixed deposit system by employing the principles of blockchain technology and smart contracts to offer users a secure and automated way to lock funds.

However, unlike most fixed deposit systems, no interest is guaranteed. That would be implemented in another contract.

Implementing the Smart Contract

Let's dive right in starting with the solidity smart contract code:

// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;

contract LockedSavingsAccount {
    mapping(address => uint256) public balances;
    mapping(address => uint256) public lockTimestamps;
    address public owner;

        // Events that will be emitted on changes.
    event fundsLocked(uint256 amount,uint256 duration);
    event withdrawal(uint256 amount);
    event data(uint256 amount, uint256 duration);

    constructor() {
        owner = msg.sender;
    }

    modifier onlyOwner() {
        require(msg.sender == owner, "Only the owner can call this function");
        _;
    }

    function lockFunds(uint256 duration) public payable{
        //duration in seconds
        require(msg.value > 0, "You must deposit some ether");
        require(duration > 0, "Lock duration must be greater than 0 seconds");

        balances[msg.sender] += msg.value;
        lockTimestamps[msg.sender] = block.timestamp + duration;

        emit fundsLocked(balances[msg.sender],lockTimestamps[msg.sender]);
    }

    function withdraw() public {
        require(block.timestamp >= lockTimestamps[msg.sender], "Funds are still locked");
        require(balances[msg.sender] > 0, "You have no funds to withdraw");
            
        uint256 amount = balances[msg.sender];
        bool success = false;
        (success, ) = payable(msg.sender).call{value: amount}("");

        if (success) {
            balances[msg.sender] = 0;
            emit withdrawal(amount);
        } else {
            // Handle the transfer failure, e.g., revert or emit an error event.
            revert("Withdrawal failed");
        }
    }

    function getData() public view returns(uint256 balance,uint256 timeLeft){
       balance=balances[msg.sender];
       timeLeft=lockTimestamps[msg.sender];
    }

    function contractBalance() public view onlyOwner returns (uint256) {
        return address(this).balance;
    }
}

Headers and State Variables

// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

pragma solidity ^0.8.0;

Here,

1. // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT: This is a comment that indicates the license under which the smart contract is distributed. In this case, it specifies the MIT License, which is an open-source license. The SPDX-License-Identifier is a standardized way to declare the license for a smart contract so that developers and users of the contract can understand the terms and conditions of its use

2. pragma solidity ^0.8.0: This line is a 'pragma directive.' Pragmas are instructions for the Solidity compiler (the program that compiles your Solidity code into bytecode for the Ethereum Virtual Machine). In this line:

3. The 'pragma solidity' statement declares that the code is written in Solidity, which is the programming language used for Ethereum smart contracts.

4. ^0.8.0 specifies the version of the Solidity compiler the code is written for. This means that the code is intended to be compiled using Solidity version 0.8.0 or any compatible higher version. The caret (^) symbol indicates that the code should work with compatible compiler versions greater than or equal to 0.8.0 but might not be compatible with older versions.

You can obtain more information on these details by clicking here. Take note of the contract declaration, named 'LockedSavingsAccount.'

//state variables
mapping(address => uint256) public balances;
mapping(address => uint256) public lockTimestamps;
address public owner;

This line declares a public state variable named 'balances' as a 'mapping'. In Solidity, a 'mapping' is a key-value store, somewhat similar to dictionaries or associative arrays in other programming languages. In this case:

1. 'address' is the primary data type, signifying that the balances are linked to Ethereum addresses. Ethereum addresses are 20-byte identifiers that represent accounts on the Ethereum blockchain.
2. 'uint256' is the value type, which means that for each address, there's an associated unsigned integer (a 256-bit integer) representing the balance.
3. The 'public' keyword (more on state variable mutability below) makes the 'balances' variable accessible from outside the smart contract, allowing other contracts and external applications to read the balances

Since this smart contract stores funds of addresses, it needs a way to identify the amount locked by each address. Pictorially, the mapping can be thought of as a table, like so:

mapping(address => uint256) public lockTimestamps;

This line declares another public state variable named 'lockTimestamps'. It is also a mapping with the same key-value structure as 'balances', associating addresses with timestamps represented as 'uint256' values. This mapping is utilized to store the duration for which a user wishes to lock their funds, expressed in seconds.

address public owner;

This line declares a public state variable named 'owner.' It's a single Ethereum address variable used to store the address of the owner or creator of the smart contract. In many smart contracts, the 'owner' variable is employed to restrict certain functions or operations, making them callable only by the owner. The 'public' visibility modifier enables external parties to read the 'owner' address.

Events and Constructor

// Events that will be emitted on changes.
event fundsLocked(uint256 amount,uint256 duration);
event withdrawal(uint256 amount);
event data(uint256 amount, uint256 duration);

constructor() {
    owner = msg.sender;
}

In your smart contract, events are essential for transparency and external interaction. They enable external parties, such as other contracts or web applications, to listen to and respond to specific actions or state changes within the contract. The data emitted through events can be valuable for tracking and auditing transactions and contract activities on the Ethereum blockchain.

'fundsLocked' Event:

This event is declared with the following signature: 'event fundsLocked(uint256 amount, uint256 duration);'. It is used to log and emit information when a user locks funds into their savings account.

Parameters:

1. 'amount': A 'uint256' variable representing the amount of ether (crypto funds) that the user locked.
2. 'duration': A 'uint256' variable representing the duration in seconds for locking the funds.

This event is typically emitted when the 'lockFunds' function (see below) is called, and funds are successfully locked. It provides a means for external observers to track and monitor the locking of funds by users.

The same applies to the 'withdrawal' Event, which is used to log and emit information about when a user successfully withdraws funds from their savings account, and the 'data' Event, which returns the amount locked in the contract and the associated duration using the parameters 'amount' and 'duration'. These events are all triggered by a function, as you'll see below.

constructor() { owner = msg.sender; }

The constructor function in your Solidity smart contract is a special function that is executed only once when the contract is deployed to the Ethereum blockchain. Its primary purpose is to perform the initial setup and configuration.

It sets the 'owner' state variable (previously declared above) to the address of the contract deployer ('msg. sender'). 'msg. sender' is a special global variable in Solidity that represents the address of the sender of the current transaction. In this context, it signifies the address of the individual or entity deploying the contract.

Why the Constructor is Important?

1. Initialization: The constructor initializes the owner state variable with the address of the contract deployer. This ensures that the owner of the contract is set when the contract is created.
2. Security: By setting the owner within the constructor, you establish a clear owner who has control over certain functions in the contract, such as checking the contract's balance. This is a common pattern used to provide access control and enhance the security of smart contracts.
3. Ownership: The owner can be a specific Ethereum address, typically the person or entity deploying the contract. They have special privileges to manage and monitor the contract. This pattern is often used to restrict access to sensitive functions to the owner only.

Modifier and Functions

    modifier onlyOwner() {
        require(msg.sender == owner, "Only the owner can call this function");
        _;
    }

1. Modifiers can be used to change the behavior of functions in a declarative way. For example, you can use a modifier to automatically check a condition before executing the function.
2. If any function has this declared 'onlyOwner' modifier attached to its declaration, this line of code checks if the Ethereum address of the person or entity calling the function ('msg. sender') matches the address stored in the 'owner' state variable.
3. If they do not match, the 'require' statement will throw an exception, reverting the transaction and displaying the error message "Only the owner can call this function" (the 'onlyOwner' modifier is used in the 'contractBalance' function).
4. In essence, a modifier enforces access control by requiring that only the owner can execute specific functions, preventing unintended or malicious actions that could be harmful to the contract or its users. This might not sound decentralized to a reader, and for sure it isn't, but with time it becomes clearer.

    function lockFunds(uint256 duration) public payable{
        //duration in seconds
        require(msg.value > 0, "You must deposit some ether");
        require(duration > 0, "Lock duration must be greater than 0 seconds");

        balances[msg.sender] += msg.value;
        lockTimestamps[msg.sender] = block.timestamp + duration;

        emit fundsLocked(balances[msg.sender],lockTimestamps[msg.sender]);
    }

The logic here is simple: the function is called with a duration, which represents the amount of time the funds will be locked, measured in seconds. You don't need to worry about the argument for the amount sent by the address to the contract, as it is implicitly included in 'msg. sender', as you will see. The definition of the function accomplishes the following:

1. It requires a non-zero value to be sent with the transaction.
2. It requires the lock duration to be greater than 0 seconds.
3. It updates the previously declared user's balance and lock timestamp under the address entry.
4. It emits the 'fundsLocked' event by calling the 'fundsLocked' event declared earlier.

'block. timestamp' represents the current block timestamp as seconds since the Unix epoch, and it is added to the duration you provide.

If you note the use of 'public' and 'payable', 'public' means that the function can be called by anyone, and 'payable' means the function also expects that some Ether (the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain) must be sent along with the function call. This is where 'msg. value' comes into play.

    function withdraw() public {
        require(block.timestamp >= lockTimestamps[msg.sender], "Funds are still locked");
        require(balances[msg.sender] > 0, "You have no funds to withdraw");
            
        uint256 amount = balances[msg.sender];
        bool success = false;
        (success, ) = payable(msg.sender).call{value: amount}("");

        if (success) {
            balances[msg.sender] = 0;
            emit withdrawal(amount);
        } else {
            // Handle the transfer failure, e.g., revert or emit an error event.
            revert("Withdrawal failed");
        }
    }

The frontend calls this function to withdraw funds if the lock duration has elapsed by comparing 'block. timestamp' and the user’s unlock time 'lockTimestamps[msg. sender]'. Then, it checks whether the user has a balance greater than 0.

The function attempts to send the funds to the user and updates the balance if the transaction is successful. If successful, another event 'withdrawal' is emitted; otherwise, a 'revert' is triggered. The 'revert("Withdrawal failed")' aborts execution and reverts state changes, providing an explanatory string.

    function getData() public view returns(uint256 balance,uint256 timeLeft){
       balance=balances[msg.sender];
       timeLeft=lockTimestamps[msg.sender];
    }

The 'getData' function provides a way for users to query their balance and the remaining lock time. There's a significant change here, which is explained as follows:

The function is marked as 'view', indicating that it does not modify the contract's state; it only reads the data. This is also the reason an event is not emitted. Furthermore, the function definition has no return statement because the values to be returned are already declared in the 'returns(uint256 balance, uint256 timeLeft)' declaration. The function definition simply assigns values to those variables.

The use of events in the 'lockFunds' and 'withdraw' functions, as well as the absence of events in the 'getData' function, align with their respective purposes. The 'lockFunds' and 'withdraw' functions emit an event to notify external parties about significant state changes, while the 'getData' function simply retrieves data without affecting the contract's state.

A contrary view

1. If you use a return statement in the 'lockFunds' and 'withdraw' functions, it would cause the function to exit prematurely, and the remaining code within the function would not be executed. In this context, using return might lead to unexpected behavior, potentially preventing the intended logic from executing correctly.
2. If you use events in the 'getData' function, you'll need to remove the 'view' keyword and be prepared to pay a gas fee when the function is called. This is because emitting events modify the state of a contract, and modifying states comes at a cost.

    function contractBalance() public view onlyOwner returns (uint256) {
        return address(this).balance;
    }

Here, the 'onlyOwner' modifier function we declared is put to use. The 'contractBalance' function is designed to allow the contract owner to check the amount of Ether held within the contract. This functionality is valuable for the contract owner to monitor the funds within the contract and can serve various purposes, including financial oversight and decision-making. The use of the 'onlyOwner' modifier ensures that only the owner has access to this balance information, with the statement in the 'onlyOwner' modifier (as declared above) running before the code in the 'contractBalance' function.

Deploying the Smart Contract

Deploying the "LockedSavingsAccount" smart contract is a crucial step in bringing our minimalist fixed deposit application to life. To conform properly to the scope of this article, let's focus on using the Hardhat development environment for a local deployment.

1. Setting Up Hardhat

• Ensure that Hardhat is installed by running `npm install --save-dev` hardhat in your project directory.
• Create a `hardhat.config.js` file in the root directory and configure it with the necessary parameters.

2. Writing Deployment Scripts

• Create a deployment script, for instance, `01_deploy_locked_savings_account.js` in the scripts folder.
• In this script, use the Hardhat deployment functions to deploy the smart contract.

// scripts/01_deploy_locked_savings_account.js
const { ethers } = require("hardhat");

async function main() {
  const LockedSavingsAccount = await ethers.getContractFactory("LockedSavingsAccount");
  const lockedSavingsAccount = await LockedSavingsAccount.deploy();

  console.log("LockedSavingsAccount deployed to:", lockedSavingsAccount.address);
}

main()
  .then(() => process.exit(0))
  .catch(error => {
    console.error(error);
    process.exit(1);
  });

3. Running the Deployment

• Execute the deployment script using 'npx hardhat run scripts/01_deploy_locked_savings_account.js'.
• Verify that the contract is deployed successfully, and note the contract address.

4. Interacting with the Deployed Contract

• Utilize tools like the Hardhat console or write additional scripts to interact with the deployed smart contract.
• Fund your Ethereum accounts with test ETH to simulate real transactions on the blockchain.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you'll have successfully deployed the "LockedSavingsAccount" smart contract locally, enabling further testing and interaction in a controlled environment.