Module 03

Development Environment

Follow this with a notes doc open. Something will go sideways — that's expected, and it becomes your first real troubleshooting content.

What you're installing

• Lace wallet — holds keys, signs transactions, gets testnet tDUST
• Compact CLI — installs and manages the Compact compiler
• Docker — runs your local ZK proof server
• Compact VS Code extension — syntax highlighting for .compact files
• Node.js + npm — runs the JS/TS SDK side of your app

Step 1 — Install Lace

Add the Lace Beta / Midnight Preview extension from the Chrome Web Store. Create a wallet, set a password, and write your recovery phrase on paper — not a note app.

Step 2 — Install the Compact toolchain

Run in your terminal:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://github.com/midnightntwrk/compact/releases/latest/download/compact-installer.sh | sh

Then verify with compact check.

Step 3 — Docker proof server

Start the local proof server, then point Lace at http://localhost:6300 under Settings → Midnight. If you get "connection refused," check that Docker Desktop is actually running before touching any config.