The problem Aurora solves

Secure and Decentralized Communication

Aurora utilizes the XMTP protocol to provide secure, decentralized messaging. Unlike traditional messaging apps, Aurora’s messages are not stored on centralized servers, making it far more secure for sensitive communication. This level of privacy makes it an ideal tool for individuals or organizations looking to protect their data from unauthorized access.

AI-Assisted Conversations

Aurora integrates generative AI directly into your messaging experience. Whether you need help composing a professional response or want to adjust the tone of your messages (e.g., formal, casual, or emotional), Aurora's AI can assist you, enhancing productivity and improving message quality. This feature can help users craft precise, context-appropriate communication effortlessly.

Web3 Wallet Integration

With Web3 wallet support, Aurora ensures that your identity and messages are cryptographically signed and verified. Wallet integration not only improves security but also facilitates decentralized identity management, allowing users to send and receive messages securely through blockchain authentication. This is particularly useful for blockchain developers, Web3 enthusiasts, and privacy-conscious users.

Improved Accessibility

Aurora adheres to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for AA compliance, making it accessible to a broader range of users, including those with disabilities. This means more inclusivity in decentralized communication tools.
Aurora supports multiple languages, including English, Hindi, and Chinese, making it easier for users worldwide to engage with the app. This localized experience ensures that more people can benefit from decentralized, AI-powered messaging.

Streamlined Development Experience

For developers, Aurora is an open-source project that showcases advanced capabilities of XMTP’s messaging protocol. By building on top of XMTP, developers can create new experiences and contribute effortlessly.

Challenges we ran into

Specific Bug or Hurdle

One of the biggest challenges we faced while building Aurora was having to learn Solidity and get familiar with blockchain technology in less than 24 hours. As first-time participants in a blockchain-based hackathon, it was an intense but fun crash course into the world of smart contracts and decentralized systems. The learning curve was steep, especially with the added pressure of time constraints.

Another hurdle that took up a surprising amount of time was setting up the development environment. Configuring wallet connections, ensuring proper integration with the XMTP protocol, and dealing with blockchain network issues (like delays in message delivery due to network syncing) were all time-consuming tasks. It took us longer than expected to get everything working smoothly, especially when trying to switch between development and production network environments.

How We Got Over It

We tackled the blockchain learning challenge by diving into tutorials, asking for help from fellow hackers, and using available documentation from the XMTP and Ethereum communities. The key was focusing on the most critical parts of Solidity and blockchain that were essential for our app (like wallet integration and signing transactions). By breaking down the complexity into smaller, digestible tasks, we were able to learn enough to implement what was needed.

For the setup issues, we carefully followed the XMTP and Infura setup instructions, and we had to troubleshoot by consulting community forums, which helped us resolve some tricky network configuration problems. Once we streamlined the setup process and established proper wallet connectivity, things started running much more smoothly.