In the fast-paced world of blockchain development, having the right tools in your arsenal is very crucial. That's where ZIION, the first virtual machine dedicated to blockchain development and security, steps in to streamline your workflow. In this blog, we'll explore the 10 must-know tools within ZIION that will empower Web3 developers and security professionals alike to build robust and secure blockchain applications with ease and efficiency.

Get Familiar with ZIION

ZIION is the first virtual machine focused on blockchain security, created by Halborn. Its purpose is to simplify the process of setting up a lab environment for blockchain developers and security experts.

ZIION comes with more than 100 tools for developing and testing security on Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), Golang-based and Rust-based blockchains. These tools are ready to use, saving time for new developers and testers when joining an organization or starting their journey.

10 Must-Know Developer Tools in ZIION

1. Foundry

Foundry is one of the most popular toolkits for Ethereum development thanks to its rapid development time, modular design, and portability. Basically, Foundry uses the same testing framework as dapp.tools. Written in the Rust programming language. It's easy to install, requires no complicated configuration, and requires no third-party libraries.

Learn more: https://github.com/foundry-rs/foundry

2. Remix

The Remix IDE is a user-friendly, setup-free tool equipped with a graphical interface for creating smart contracts. Catering to both novices and seasoned professionals, Remix accelerates your development process. Its compatibility with other tools simplifies deployment on your preferred blockchain, while the renowned visual debugger sets it apart. As a result, Remix has become a go-to learning hub for Ethereum enthusiasts.

Learn more: https://github.com/ethereum/remix-project

3. Truffle Suite

Truffle serves as a comprehensive development environment, testing framework, and asset pipeline for Ethereum, striving to simplify the Ethereum developer experience. It offers a range of features, including built-in smart contract compilation, linking, deployment, and binary management. Truffle also provides instant asset rebuilding during development and an external script runner for executing scripts within its environment. 

Learn more: https://github.com/trufflesuite/truffle

4. Slither

Slither, a Python-based contract security framework, was initially conceptualized in a 2019 paper by Josselin Feist, Gustavo Grieco, and Alex Groce. This framework offers automatic detection of vulnerabilities and optimizations, in addition to providing concise codebase overviews to enhance developer understanding. Developed by Crytic, Trail of Bits' blockchain security division, Slither is compatible with Hardhat and Truffle and supports Solidity code from version 0.4 and later.

Learn more: https://github.com/crytic/slither

5. Rust Tools

The Rust programming language is widely used in blockchain development, and to facilitate smart contract auditing in Rust, we have assembled a suite of powerful tools. These tools include Tarpaulin (for code coverage), Outdated (for dependency management), MIRI (for runtime verification), LLVM-Cov (for coverage reporting), Geiger (for detecting unsafe code), DepGraph (for dependency graph visualization), Deny (for dependency auditing), Audit (for security vulnerability detection), and many more.

Learn more: https://docs.ziion.org/discover-the-tools/rust-automated-tools

6. Codium (and its extensions)

Codium is a lightweight and customizable code editor that supports various extensions for enhancing productivity. Some of the useful extensions for blockchain development include Code Snippet for Report Extension, Crates Extension, Dracula for Rust theme, Rust-Analyzer, and Inline Bookmarks.

Learn more: https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium

7. Solana-CLI

Solana Command-line Interface (CLI) is a powerful tool designed to interact with the Solana cluster. With Solana-CLI, developers can easily manage and control their accounts, deploy smart contracts, transfer tokens, and query on-chain data. Additionally, Solana-CLI supports various commands for monitoring and troubleshooting the Solana network, making it an essential tool for developers building applications on the Solana blockchain.

Learn more: https://docs.solana.com/cli/conventions

8. Substrate Node Template

The Substrate Node Template is a pre-configured, FRAME-based Substrate node that developers can use as a starting point for building their custom blockchains. By leveraging the node template, developers can save time and effort by focusing on implementing their unique blockchain features and functionalities. The Substrate Node Template includes a basic runtime with support for on-chain upgrades, allowing for seamless integration of new features and improvements as the blockchain evolves.

Learn more: https://github.com/substrate-developer-hub/substrate-node-template

9. Near-CLI

Near-CLI is a versatile command-line tool designed for interacting with the NEAR Protocol. It simplifies various tasks, such as creating and managing accounts, deploying smart contracts, querying on-chain data, and transferring tokens. Near-CLI also supports interaction with the NEAR blockchain's testnets and mainnet, making it an indispensable tool for developers working with NEAR-based applications.

Learn more: https://github.com/near/near-cli

10. Polygon-CLI

The Polygon-CLI is a multifunctional command-line tool often referred to as the Swiss Army knife of blockchain tools. It provides a wide range of features that help developers build, test, and deploy smart contracts on the Polygon network. Polygon-CLI simplifies tasks such as account management, smart contract deployment, token transfers, and querying on-chain data. Its versatility makes it an invaluable asset for developers working with the Polygon blockchain.

Learn more: https://github.com/maticnetwork/polygon-cli

These 10 must-know tools in ZIION for blockchain development and security testing are essential for any developer or security analyst looking to create robust, secure, and efficient blockchain solutions. It's worth noting that ZIION contains many other useful tools for smart contract auditing and blockchain development, beyond the ten listed here. By familiarizing yourself with this initial set of tools and exploring the full range of features that ZIION has to offer, you'll be well-equipped to tackle the challenges of the rapidly evolving blockchain landscape and stay ahead of the curve.

Download ZIION for free today.