Hardhat Metamask Client

The Hardhat Metamask Client is a secure solution that addresses the issues associated with hardcoded account private keys in Hardhat during contract deployment or transaction execution. It incorporates an ethers signer that redirects you to your default browser, leveraging the metamask extension to execute your transaction.

Installation

To install the Hardhat Metamask Client, use the following command:

npm install hardhat_metamask_client

Usage

To utilize the Metamask Client, create a new instance by providing a configuration object. Here's an example:

let client = new MetamaskClient(config);

The configuration object should follow this format:

export type ClientConfig = {
    hardhatConfig?: any,
    networkName?: any,
    network?: any,
    ethers: any,
}

Note that the ethers field is mandatory. For other parameters, you have two possible approaches:

1. Providing hardhatConfig and networkName

The hardhatConfig parameter is the HardhatUserConfig object, usually defined in the hardhat.config.ts file.

The networkName should represent the network in which you want to execute your transaction. This network must be configured in the config object. For instance, if you wish to execute a transaction in the xyz network, your configuration should look as follows:

// hardhat.configuration.ts
export const config: HardhatUserConfig = {
    solidity: "...",
    networks: {
        xyz: {
            url: <RPC Url>,
            accounts: [
                <Private Key>
            ],
            chainId: <Chain Id>,
        },
        fantom: {
            ...
        },
    }
};

// sampleScript.ts
import config from '../hardhat.config';
import { ethers } from "hardhat";

let client = new MetamaskClient({
    hardhatConfig: config,
    networkName: "xyz",
    ethers: ethers
});

2. Providing the network

You can also directly provide the network object during task creation.

task("x", "")
    .setAction(async ({logData, reportGas}, {ethers, network}) => {
        let client: any = new MetamaskClient({ethers: ethers, network: network});
    });

Please note that the network configuration must include a URL, chainId, and at least one account. However, since this account won't be used to sign transactions, it can be any random private key if it's used only for signing transactions.

Here's an example illustrating how to deploy a contract using the Metamask signer:

let client = new MetamaskClient(config);
const Box = await ethers.getContractFactory("Box", {
    signer: await client.getSigner()
});
await Box.deploy();
client.close();  // Must be closed for the program to cease execution

Concluding Remarks

When you've completed your tasks, ensure to call client.close(). This stops the program from running continuously. The Hardhat Metamask Client offers a safer and more streamlined solution to contract deployment and transaction execution. Enjoy your secure and efficient development!