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Meta Contract (MC) Specification

This document provides a detailed specification of the Meta Contract (MC) library, which implements the UCS (Upgradeable Clone for Scalable Contracts) architecture used in the TextDAO project.

Overview​

Meta Contract (MC) is a library that implements the UCS (Upgradeable Clone for Scalable Contracts) architecture to create flexible and upgradeable smart contracts. It allows for sharing data structures across multiple functions and is a foundational component of the TextDAO project.

Key Components​

  1. UCS Architecture

    • Proxy Contract

      • Maintains the state of the contract account
      • Delegates calls to the appropriate Function Contract

    • Dictionary Contract

      • Manages a mapping of function selectors to corresponding Function Contract addresses

    • Function Contracts

      • Contains the actual logic for function calls

  2. Shared Data Structure Utilization (Schema)

  3. Function-Level Upgradeability

Key Features​

Function-Level Upgradeability​

  • Allows for selective redirection of implementation contracts for individual function calls
  • Enables granular updates to contract functionality without affecting the entire system

Factory/Clone-Friendly​

  • Facilitates easy cloning of contracts and simultaneous upgrading of cloned instances
  • Reduces gas costs and simplifies the deployment of multiple similar contracts

Upgradeability Mechanism​

  1. The Proxy Contract receives a function call.
  2. It queries the Dictionary Contract for the appropriate Function Contract address.
  3. The call is delegated to the Function Contract.
  4. To upgrade a function, a new Function Contract is deployed, and the Dictionary Contract is updated.

Factory/Clone Design​

The Meta Contract architecture allows for efficient creation of multiple instances of a contract:

  1. Deploy a single set of Function Contracts.
  2. Deploy a Dictionary Contract with the function selector mappings.
  3. Create new Proxy Contracts pointing to the same Dictionary Contract.

This design significantly reduces gas costs for deploying multiple instances of complex contracts.

Usage in TextDAO​

While not directly part of TextDAO, Meta Contract provides the architectural foundation for implementing upgradeable and scalable contracts within the TextDAO ecosystem. It enables TextDAO to evolve its functionality over time without requiring complete redeployment of the entire system.

Implementation Guidelines​

  1. Define the contract interface in a separate file
  2. Implement the Proxy Contract using the UCS architecture
  3. Create Function Contracts for each major piece of functionality
  4. Use the Dictionary Contract to manage function selector mappings

Best Practices​

  1. Use MC in conjunction with MC DevKit for development and testing
  2. Implement new features using the UCS architecture provided by Meta Contract
  3. Regularly update Meta Contract to ensure compatibility with the latest Ethereum standards and best practices
  4. Thoroughly test all upgrades before deploying to production

Security Considerations​

  1. Carefully manage upgrade permissions to prevent unauthorized changes to contract logic
  2. Implement access control mechanisms for critical functions
  3. Consider implementing time-locks or multi-sig requirements for critical upgrades
  4. Regularly audit the contract code, especially after upgrades

Future Developments​

  1. Integration with layer 2 scaling solutions
  2. Enhanced gas optimization techniques
  3. Support for cross-chain functionality

Conclusion​

The Meta Contract specification provides a powerful framework for creating upgradeable and scalable smart contracts within the TextDAO ecosystem. By leveraging function-level upgradeability and efficient storage management, it offers flexibility and gas efficiency while maintaining security and integrity of the contract system.

Developers working with the Meta Contract should familiarize themselves with the UCS architecture, ERC-7201 storage patterns, and the MC DevKit to make the most effective use of this system. Regular security audits and thorough testing are crucial when implementing and upgrading contracts using this architecture.