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Locki Labs: From Hackathon to Production - Navigating Blockchain Evolution and Data Challenges

· 4 minutes de lecture
Jean-Noël Schilling
Jean-Noël Schilling
Locki one / french maintainer

Locki started as a vision during the Encode MultiversX Hackathon in October 2023, with the ambitious goal of creating a decentralized platform for minting, viewing, and interacting with 3D Data NFTs using the Itheum protocol.

Current Status​

Project Status

Locki dApp is currently in alpha phase on MultiversX devnet, and has been supported by the xPand Itheum program.

The platform has evolved significantly since its inception, now featuring:

  • 3D Data NFT minting and visualization using Three.js and React Three Fiber
  • AI-powered chat assistant for Blender Python scripting guidance
  • Whitelist management system for controlled access
  • Integration with MultiversX wallets including xAlias support

The Challenge of Collecting RAG Data and Intellectual Property​

One of the most significant hurdles we've encountered is building a quality dataset for our RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) system while respecting intellectual property rights.

The IP Dilemma​

Creating an effective AI assistant for 3D modeling and Blender scripting requires extensive training data:

  • Documentation licensing: Much of the best Blender documentation exists under various licenses that complicate commercial use
  • Community content: Forum posts, tutorials, and Stack Exchange answers have complex attribution requirements
  • Proprietary scripts: Many advanced Blender scripts are commercial products with restrictive licenses
  • Version fragmentation: Blender's rapid release cycle means documentation quickly becomes outdated

Our Approach​

We've had to carefully curate our data sources, focusing on:

  1. Open-source documentation with permissive licenses
  2. Original content creation to fill knowledge gaps
  3. User-generated content with explicit consent
  4. Partnerships with content creators in the Blender ecosystem
Locki Companion Status

The Locki companion AI feature is currently on pause while we navigate these data collection challenges and ensure full compliance with IP rights.

Technical Challenges: The Blockchain Moving Target​

Perhaps the most demanding aspect of maintaining Locki has been keeping pace with the rapid evolution of blockchain infrastructure.

SDK Version Churn​

The MultiversX ecosystem has undergone substantial changes:

// Our current dependency snapshot
"@multiversx/sdk-core": "12.18.0",
"@multiversx/sdk-dapp": "2.28.7",
"@multiversx/sdk-network-providers": "2.3.0",
"@itheum/sdk-mx-data-nft": "2.7.0-beta.4"

Each major version brings:

  • Breaking API changes requiring code refactoring
  • New authentication patterns (we've integrated xAlias, native auth tokens)
  • Smart contract interface updates affecting our ABI integrations
  • Wallet provider deprecations forcing migration to new connection methods

Specific Challenges We've Faced​

  1. SSR Compatibility: Next.js App Router with blockchain SDKs requires careful dynamic imports to avoid server-side rendering issues

  2. Transaction Handling: The move from legacy transaction signing to the new signAndSendTransactions utility required substantial refactoring

  3. Smart Contract ABIs: Contract updates on devnet mean our local ABIs must be continuously synchronized

  4. Network Provider Changes: API endpoint changes and rate limiting adjustments have required multiple backend adaptations

The Maintenance Burden​

Recent commits reflecting ongoing maintenance:
- "Upgrade: Status locki companion"
- "fix vulnerabilities"
- "Fixed build issues"
- "Fixes smart contract dependencies and code refactoring"

Each vulnerability fix in upstream dependencies cascades through our codebase. The security-conscious nature of blockchain applications means we cannot defer these updates.

Lessons Learned​

For Blockchain Developers​

  1. Abstract your SDK interactions: Create wrapper classes (like our baseSmartContract.ts) to isolate breaking changes
  2. Pin versions carefully: Use exact versions in production, but test against latest regularly
  3. Monitor ecosystem announcements: Join Discord channels and follow GitHub releases
  4. Build with deprecation in mind: What works today may be obsolete in 6 months

For AI/RAG Builders​

  1. Document your data sources: Track provenance from day one
  2. Build consent mechanisms: Make it easy for users to contribute data with clear licensing
  3. Plan for re-training: Your model will need updates as source material evolves
  4. Consider synthetic data: Generate training examples where real data is restricted

What's Next for Locki​

Despite these challenges, we remain committed to the vision:

  • Mainnet deployment once alpha testing is complete
  • Enhanced 3D NFT features with improved GLTF/GLB support
  • Expanded AI capabilities with properly licensed training data
  • Community governance for whitelist and platform decisions

Locki is an open-source project. We welcome contributors who share our passion for decentralized 3D asset ownership and AI-assisted creativity.

Special Collections on MultiversX Devnet:

  • DATANFTFT-e0b917
  • I3TICKER-03e5c2
  • COLNAMA-539838