Setting Up Your Environment to Write Move Smart Contracts (Aptos)

Welcome! In this video, we'll walk through how to set up a development environment for writing Move smart contracts on Aptos. We’ll use an online IDE to keep things simple and beginner-friendly.

Why Use an Online IDE?

Although you can set up a local development environment, using an online IDE is often more convenient when starting out:

• No local installation or configuration
• Quicker to get started
• Easier to focus on learning Move and writing code

For this tutorial, we’ll use Remix IDE together with the Well Done Wallet and its browser extension.

Step 1: Install the Well Done Wallet Extension

1. Search for Well Done Wallet extension in your Chromium-based browser (e.g., Chrome, Brave).
2. Install the extension.
3. Open the extension and create a new wallet.
4. Set a password and securely copy the mnemonic phrase (you’ll use this to restore the wallet later if needed).

Step 2: Create a New Aptos Account

1. After wallet setup, choose the Aptos network (upos).
2. Click “Add Account” and name it (e.g., upos-course).
3. Switch to the Devnet or Testnet using the dropdown.
4. Go to the Faucet to request free test tokens.
5. You’ll receive 1 test uAPT (Aptos coin), visible in your wallet.

Step 3: Open Remix IDE

1. Go to Remix IDE.
2. Close the home tab for a cleaner interface.
3. Remix is originally built for Ethereum, but we’ll extend it to support Aptos.

Step 4: Enable the Well Done Plugin in Remix

1. Open the Plugin Manager in Remix.
2. Search for Well Done and activate “Code by Well Done Studio”.
3. A new tab named "Code by W Studio" will appear in the sidebar.

Step 5: Connect Remix to Your Wallet

1. In the plugin, select the “Move” network.
2. Click “Connect to Well Done”.
3. When prompted, enter your wallet password to authorize the connection.
4. Once connected, your Aptos account and test balance will appear in the plugin panel.

Step 6: Create a New Project or Use a Template

You have two options:

• Create a new project from scratch
• Enter a project name (e.g., modules).
• Click “Create”.
• Use a template
• Select one (e.g., Hello Blockchain).
• Click “Create” to generate boilerplate code.

Once created:

• You’ll see a sources/ folder with .move files.
• A Move.toml file is automatically generated.

This setup gives you a fully functional Move development environment powered by Remix and connected to your Aptos wallet via the Well Done extension.

Summary

To recap:

• You installed the Well Done Wallet and created an Aptos account.
• You connected Remix IDE to the wallet using the Well Done plugin.
• You created a project (from scratch or using a template).
• You’re now ready to start writing and deploying Move smart contracts.