Year-End Reflections: Shipping Time Capsule and ScholrLink to Production

Dec 30, 2025 · 11 min · Reflections , Web3 , Solana , Product Launch , Year in Review

Year-End Reflections: Shipping Time Capsule and ScholrLink to Production

Introduction

December 2025 brought the year full circle. From contributing to Rust Clippy in January to shipping two production Web3 applications in December, it’s been an incredible journey. This post reflects on the final sprint: launching Time Capsule Protocol and ScholrLink to mainnet, the lessons learned, and what’s next.

Time Capsule Protocol: Production Launch

The Final Polish

Before mainnet, we needed bulletproof reliability:

Security Audit

Partnered with a security firm for smart contract review:

rust

// Before: No reentrancy protection
pub fn reveal_key(ctx: Context<RevealKey>, solution: Vec<u8>) -> Result<()> {
    // Verify solution
    verify_puzzle_solution(&solution, ctx.accounts.capsule.puzzle_difficulty)?;
    
    // Update state
    ctx.accounts.capsule.is_unlocked = true;
    ctx.accounts.capsule.decryption_key = Some(solution);
    
    Ok(())
}
 
// After: Proper state checks and reentrancy guards
pub fn reveal_key(ctx: Context<RevealKey>, solution: Vec<u8>) -> Result<()> {
    let capsule = &mut ctx.accounts.capsule;
    let clock = Clock::get()?;
    
    // Check time (before any state changes)
    require!(
        clock.unix_timestamp >= capsule.unlock_timestamp,
        ErrorCode::TooEarly
    );
    
    // Check not already unlocked (reentrancy guard)
    require!(!capsule.is_unlocked, ErrorCode::AlreadyUnlocked);
    
    // Verify solution
    let is_valid = verify_puzzle_solution(
        &solution,
        capsule.puzzle_difficulty,
        capsule.created_at,
    )?;
    require!(is_valid, ErrorCode::InvalidSolution);
    
    // Update state AFTER all checks
    capsule.is_unlocked = true;
    capsule.decryption_key = Some(solution);
    capsule.unlocked_at = Some(clock.unix_timestamp);
    
    // Emit event
    emit!(CapsuleUnlocked {
        capsule_id: capsule.key(),
        unlocked_by: ctx.accounts.solver.key(),
        unlock_time: clock.unix_timestamp,
    });
    
    Ok(())
}

Security Improvements:

✅ Checks-Effects-Interactions pattern
✅ Comprehensive input validation
✅ Reentrancy guards
✅ Proper error handling
✅ Event emission for monitoring

Optimized Unlock Flow

Made the user experience seamless:

typescript

// Before: Manual puzzle solving UI
<button onClick={() => solvePuzzle()}>
  Solve Puzzle (This will take 5 minutes)
</button>
 
// After: Smart background solving with progress
function UnlockFlow({ capsule }: { capsule: TimeCapsule }) {
  const [status, setStatus] = useState<UnlockStatus>('ready');
  const [progress, setProgress] = useState(0);
  
  const unlock = async () => {
    setStatus('solving');
    
    // Solve in web worker (non-blocking)
    const worker = new Worker('/puzzle-worker.js');
    
    worker.onmessage = (e) => {
      if (e.data.type === 'progress') {
        setProgress(e.data.value);
      } else if (e.data.type === 'complete') {
        submitSolution(e.data.solution);
        setStatus('submitting');
      }
    };
    
    worker.postMessage({
      difficulty: capsule.puzzleDifficulty,
      createdAt: capsule.createdAt,
    });
  };
  
  const submitSolution = async (solution: Uint8Array) => {
    try {
      const program = getProgram();
      
      const tx = await program.methods
        .revealKey(Array.from(solution))
        .accounts({
          solver: wallet.publicKey,
          capsule: capsule.pubkey,
        })
        .rpc();
      
      console.log('Solution submitted:', tx);
      setStatus('unlocked');
      
      // Decrypt and display message
      const decrypted = decrypt(capsule.encryptedData, solution);
      setMessage(decrypted);
      
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to submit solution:', error);
      setStatus('error');
    }
  };
  
  return (
    <div className="unlock-flow">
      {status === 'ready' && (
        <div className="ready-state">
          <UnlockIcon className="text-6xl text-primary" />
          <h2>Ready to Unlock</h2>
          <p>Your capsule is ready to be opened!</p>
          <button onClick={unlock} className="btn-primary">
            Unlock Capsule
          </button>
        </div>
      )}
      
      {status === 'solving' && (
        <div className="solving-state">
          <LoadingSpinner />
          <h2>Solving Cryptographic Puzzle</h2>
          <ProgressBar value={progress} max={100} />
          <p>{progress.toFixed(1)}% complete</p>
          <p className="text-sm text-gray-500">
            This process takes a few minutes and cannot be interrupted
          </p>
        </div>
      )}
      
      {status === 'submitting' && (
        <div className="submitting-state">
          <LoadingSpinner />
          <h2>Submitting to Blockchain</h2>
          <p>Confirming transaction...</p>
        </div>
      )}
      
      {status === 'unlocked' && (
        <div className="unlocked-state">
          <CheckCircleIcon className="text-6xl text-success" />
          <h2>Unlocked!</h2>
          <div className="message-container">
            <p className="message">{message}</p>
          </div>
          <button onClick={shareUnlock} className="btn-secondary">
            Share Unlock
          </button>
        </div>
      )}
      
      {status === 'error' && (
        <div className="error-state">
          <ErrorIcon className="text-6xl text-error" />
          <h2>Unlock Failed</h2>
          <p>There was an error unlocking your capsule.</p>
          <button onClick={unlock} className="btn-primary">
            Try Again
          </button>
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Future Message Presets

Added quick-start templates:

typescript

const PRESETS: Record<string, CapsulePreset> = {
  'future-me-1-year': {
    title: 'Message to Future Me (1 Year)',
    duration: 365 * 24 * 60 * 60,
    difficulty: 18,
    prompt: 'What advice would you give yourself in one year?',
    suggestions: [
      'Reflect on your current goals',
      'Share your hopes and fears',
      'Include predictions about your life',
      'Write about what matters most to you',
    ],
  },
  'birthday-surprise': {
    title: 'Birthday Surprise',
    duration: null, // User picks date
    difficulty: 16,
    prompt: "Write a birthday message to be revealed on their special day",
    suggestions: [
      'Share a favorite memory together',
      'Express what they mean to you',
      'Include a photo or special quote',
    ],
  },
  'new-years-resolution': {
    title: "New Year's Time Capsule",
    duration: 365 * 24 * 60 * 60,
    difficulty: 18,
    prompt: "What do you want to accomplish this year?",
    suggestions: [
      'Set clear, achievable goals',
      'Describe your vision for the year',
      'Track your progress throughout',
      'Reflect on last year\'s growth',
    ],
  },
  'project-launch': {
    title: 'Project Launch Countdown',
    duration: 90 * 24 * 60 * 60, // 3 months
    difficulty: 17,
    prompt: 'Message to reveal at your project launch',
    suggestions: [
      'Document your journey',
      'Share your vision and goals',
      'Include metrics you want to hit',
      'Motivate your future self',
    ],
  },
};
 
function PresetSelector({ onSelect }: PresetSelectorProps) {
  return (
    <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4">
      {Object.entries(PRESETS).map(([key, preset]) => (
        <Card
          key={key}
          className="cursor-pointer hover:shadow-lg transition"
          onClick={() => onSelect(preset)}
        >
          <h3 className="font-bold">{preset.title}</h3>
          <p className="text-sm text-gray-600">{preset.prompt}</p>
          {preset.duration && (
            <p className="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-2">
              Unlocks in {Math.round(preset.duration / (24 * 60 * 60))} days
            </p>
          )}
        </Card>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

Launch Metrics (First Week)

Total Capsules Created: 234
Total Value Locked: 12.3 SOL (~$2,460)
Average Unlock Duration: 37 days
Most Popular Preset: "Message to Future Me (1 Year)"
User Retention: 67% (came back after creating first capsule)

User Stories

The capsules people created were incredible:

“I created a time capsule for my son’s 18th birthday. It contains advice, family photos, and stories about his childhood. He’ll unlock it in 12 years.” - Sarah M.

“Used it to lock away my startup idea for 3 months while I validate the market. Forces me to actually do the research instead of jumping straight to building.” - Alex T.

“Made a capsule with my New Year’s resolutions. Coming back to unlock it next January will be powerful.” - Jamie L.

ScholrLink: Feature Rollout

Blink-Based One-Tap Funding

The killer feature shipped perfectly:

typescript

// Final Blink implementation
export default async function handler(req: NextApiRequest, res: NextApiResponse) {
  const { project, amount } = req.query;
  
  // Enhanced metadata
  if (req.method === 'GET') {
    const projectData = await getProject(project as string);
    const stats = await getProjectStats(project as string);
    
    return res.json({
      type: 'action',
      icon: projectData.image,
      title: `Fund ${projectData.title}`,
      description: `${projectData.description}\n\n` +
        `🎯 Goal: ${projectData.goalAmount} SOL\n` +
        `📊 Raised: ${stats.raisedAmount} SOL (${stats.percentage}%)\n` +
        `👥 Supporters: ${stats.supporterCount}`,
      links: {
        actions: [
          {
            label: `Fund 0.1 SOL`,
            href: `/api/blink/fund?project=${project}&amount=0.1`,
          },
          {
            label: `Fund 0.5 SOL`,
            href: `/api/blink/fund?project=${project}&amount=0.5`,
          },
          {
            label: `Fund 1 SOL`,
            href: `/api/blink/fund?project=${project}&amount=1`,
          },
          {
            label: 'Custom Amount',
            href: `/api/blink/fund?project=${project}&amount={amount}`,
            parameters: [{
              name: 'amount',
              label: 'Amount in SOL',
              required: true,
            }],
          },
        ],
      },
    });
  }
  
  // Transaction creation with error handling
  if (req.method === 'POST') {
    try {
      const { account } = req.body;
      
      // Validate input
      if (!account) {
        return res.status(400).json({
          error: 'Wallet account required',
        });
      }
      
      const amountSol = parseFloat(amount as string);
      if (isNaN(amountSol) || amountSol <= 0) {
        return res.status(400).json({
          error: 'Invalid amount',
        });
      }
      
      // Create transaction
      const tx = await createFundingTransaction({
        from: new PublicKey(account),
        project: project as string,
        amount: amountSol,
      });
      
      // Serialize
      const serialized = tx.serialize({
        requireAllSignatures: false,
        verifySignatures: false,
      });
      
      return res.json({
        transaction: serialized.toString('base64'),
        message: `Funding ${amountSol} SOL`,
      });
      
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('[Blink Error]', error);
      
      return res.status(500).json({
        error: handleBlinkError(error).userMessage,
      });
    }
  }
  
  return res.status(405).json({ error: 'Method not allowed' });
}

Soulbound Patron Badges

Badges now show in profile:

typescript

function PatronBadges({ userId }: { userId: string }) {
  const { data: badges, isLoading } = useQuery(
    ['patron-badges', userId],
    () => getUserBadges(userId)
  );
  
  if (isLoading) return <LoadingSkeleton />;
  
  return (
    <div className="badges-grid">
      <h3 className="text-xl font-bold mb-4">Patron Badges</h3>
      <div className="grid grid-cols-3 gap-4">
        {badges?.map((badge) => (
          <BadgeCard
            key={badge.projectId}
            badge={badge}
            className="hover:scale-105 transition"
          />
        ))}
      </div>
      
      {badges?.length === 0 && (
        <div className="empty-state">
          <p>No patron badges yet</p>
          <Link href="/explore">
            <button className="btn-primary">Explore Projects</button>
          </Link>
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}
 
function BadgeCard({ badge }: { badge: PatronBadge }) {
  return (
    <div className="badge-card">
      <BadgeIcon tier={badge.tier} className="w-16 h-16" />
      <h4 className="font-bold mt-2">{badge.projectTitle}</h4>
      <p className="text-sm text-gray-600">
        {badge.amount} SOL contributed
      </p>
      <span className="badge-tier">{badge.tier} Patron</span>
    </div>
  );
}

Launch Metrics (First Month)

Total Projects: 89
Total Funding: 156 SOL (~$31,200)
Average Funding per Project: 1.75 SOL
Blink Conversion Rate: 12.3%
Repeat Funders: 28%
Badge Distribution:
  - Bronze: 67%
  - Silver: 24%
  - Gold: 7%
  - Platinum: 2%

Success Stories

Projects that found success:

“Raised 15 SOL for my open-source Rust library. The soulbound badges created a real community of supporters who stay engaged.” - Dev making RustCrypto library

“ScholrLink helped me fund my computer science degree. 43 patrons believed in my vision. Now I’m paying it forward.” - CS student

“The one-tap funding via Twitter was game-changing. Shared my project once and got 8 supporters within an hour.” - Indie game developer

Unified Dashboard

Built a central hub for both projects:

typescript

function Dashboard() {
  const { capsules } = useTimeCapsules();
  const { projects, badges } = useScholrLink();
  
  return (
    <div className="dashboard">
      <header>
        <h1>Your Web3 Dashboard</h1>
        <WalletButton />
      </header>
      
      <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-8">
        {/* Time Capsule Section */}
        <section>
          <h2>⏰ Time Capsules</h2>
          <div className="stats">
            <Stat label="Active" value={capsules.active.length} />
            <Stat label="Unlocked" value={capsules.unlocked.length} />
            <Stat label="Upcoming" value={capsules.upcoming.length} />
          </div>
          
          <div className="capsules-list">
            {capsules.active.map(c => (
              <CapsuleCard key={c.id} capsule={c} />
            ))}
          </div>
          
          <Link href="/capsules/create">
            <button className="btn-primary">+ New Capsule</button>
          </Link>
        </section>
        
        {/* ScholrLink Section */}
        <section>
          <h2>🎓 ScholrLink</h2>
          <div className="stats">
            <Stat label="Projects" value={projects.length} />
            <Stat label="Raised" value={`${totalRaised} SOL`} />
            <Stat label="Badges" value={badges.length} />
          </div>
          
          <div className="projects-list">
            {projects.map(p => (
              <ProjectCard key={p.id} project={p} />
            ))}
          </div>
          
          <Link href="/projects/create">
            <button className="btn-primary">+ New Project</button>
          </Link>
        </section>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

Technical Debt Paydown

Code Quality Improvements

typescript

// Before: Scattered error handling
try {
  const result = await something();
  return result;
} catch (e) {
  console.error(e);
}
 
// After: Centralized error handling
import { AppError, ErrorCode } from '@/lib/errors';
 
try {
  const result = await something();
  return result;
} catch (error) {
  throw AppError.from(error, {
    code: ErrorCode.OPERATION_FAILED,
    context: { operation: 'something' },
  });
}

Performance Monitoring

Added comprehensive monitoring:

typescript

import * as Sentry from '@sentry/nextjs';
 
Sentry.init({
  dsn: process.env.SENTRY_DSN,
  tracesSampleRate: 0.1,
  
  beforeSend(event) {
    // Filter sensitive data
    if (event.request) {
      delete event.request.cookies;
    }
    return event;
  },
});
 
// Track key metrics
export function trackMetric(name: string, value: number, tags?: Record<string, string>) {
  Sentry.metrics.distribution(name, value, { tags });
}
 
// Usage
trackMetric('capsule.unlock.duration', unlockDuration, {
  difficulty: capsule.difficulty,
});
 
trackMetric('blink.conversion', 1, {
  source: 'twitter',
});

2025: Year in Review

Projects Shipped

Rust Clippy Contribution (January)
Jam JavaScript Toolchain (February)
Video Automation Pipeline (April)
DedCore v1.0 (June)
Time Capsule Protocol (September → December)
ScholrLink (October → December)
RustyTasks (November)
Validator Monitoring System (November)

Technical Growth

Languages Mastered:

Rust (from beginner to production)
Solana/Anchor (smart contracts)
TypeScript/Next.js (full-stack Web3)

Skills Acquired:

Blockchain development
Cryptographic protocols
Performance optimization
System design at scale
Open source contribution

Community Impact

7 open source projects
1 merged PR to rust-lang
500+ users across projects
$35k+ in value locked
Active Discord community

Blog Posts Written

11 technical deep-dives (12 including this one!)
Topics from Rust to Web3
Shared learnings from real projects
Helped others on their journey

Lessons from 2025

1. Ship Early, Iterate Fast

Don’t wait for perfection. Time Capsule’s v1 was rough, but user feedback made v2 incredible.

2. Performance Matters More Than You Think

Users notice 500ms delays. Invest in optimization early.

3. Open Source Builds Trust

Open-sourcing DedCore and RustyTasks built credibility and community.

4. Documentation is a Feature

Good docs convert users. Poor docs lose them.

5. Build in Public

Sharing the journey created opportunities I never expected.

What’s Next: 2026 Goals

Q1 2026

Mobile Apps: Time Capsule and ScholrLink on iOS/Android
Cross-Chain: Expand beyond Solana
Enterprise: Time Capsule for businesses

Q2 2026

DAO Tooling: Governance features for ScholrLink
Advanced Encryption: Zero-knowledge proofs
Scale: 10k+ daily active users

Q3 2026

API Platform: Let others build on our protocols
Education: Course on Solana development
Partnerships: Integrate with major platforms

Q4 2026

Fundraise: Build a sustainable business
Team: Hire first employees
Ecosystem: Foster developer community

Final Thoughts

2025 was transformative. From learning Rust basics to shipping production Web3 apps, every month brought new challenges and growth.

The key was consistency: showing up every day, building in public, learning from failures, and celebrating small wins.

To everyone who used my projects, gave feedback, or followed along—thank you. You made this journey meaningful.

Here’s to 2026. Let’s build something amazing.

Follow the journey: mxnish.me | Time Capsule | ScholrLink

Edit this page on GitHub Last updated: 1/9/2026, 3:41:23 AM

Building RustyTasks and Monitoring Solana Validators: November's Technical Adventures Merged into rust-lang/rust-clippy: Reflections on Contributing to Rust's Ecosystem

Year-End Reflections: Shipping Time Capsule and ScholrLink to Production

#Year-End Reflections: Shipping Time Capsule and ScholrLink to Production

#Introduction

#Time Capsule Protocol: Production Launch

#The Final Polish

#Security Audit

#Optimized Unlock Flow

#Future Message Presets

#Launch Metrics (First Week)

#User Stories

#ScholrLink: Feature Rollout

#Blink-Based One-Tap Funding

#Soulbound Patron Badges

#Launch Metrics (First Month)

#Success Stories

#Unified Dashboard

#Technical Debt Paydown

#Code Quality Improvements

#Performance Monitoring

#2025: Year in Review

#Projects Shipped

#Technical Growth

#Community Impact

#Blog Posts Written

#Lessons from 2025

#1. Ship Early, Iterate Fast

#2. Performance Matters More Than You Think

#3. Open Source Builds Trust

#4. Documentation is a Feature

#5. Build in Public

#What’s Next: 2026 Goals

#Q1 2026

#Q2 2026

#Q3 2026

#Q4 2026

#Final Thoughts

Year-End Reflections: Shipping Time Capsule and ScholrLink to Production

Introduction

Time Capsule Protocol: Production Launch

The Final Polish

Security Audit

Optimized Unlock Flow

Future Message Presets

Launch Metrics (First Week)

User Stories

ScholrLink: Feature Rollout

Blink-Based One-Tap Funding

Soulbound Patron Badges

Launch Metrics (First Month)

Success Stories

Unified Dashboard

Technical Debt Paydown

Code Quality Improvements

Performance Monitoring

2025: Year in Review

Projects Shipped

Technical Growth

Community Impact

Blog Posts Written

Lessons from 2025

1. Ship Early, Iterate Fast

2. Performance Matters More Than You Think

3. Open Source Builds Trust

4. Documentation is a Feature

5. Build in Public

What’s Next: 2026 Goals

Q1 2026

Q2 2026

Q3 2026

Q4 2026

Final Thoughts