Build DAO Voting and RIF Utility on Rootstock with the Collective SDK
This guide is written for developers who want to move from reading SDK docs to building production dApps with staking, governance, and RIF utility.
Why Build Governance dApps?
Governance dApps fail when developers cannot connect business goals to chain actions. The Collective SDK solves that gap for Rootstock by exposing staking, proposals, backing, and holdings in one TypeScript package. You can ship participation flows fast, then expand into richer use cases.
For this guide, the target outcome is practical. A developer should be able to open a starter kit, connect a wallet, stake RIF, read active proposals, and cast a vote with simulation before write.
This is the core bridge between RIF utility and DAO activity.
What the Kit Covers
The starter kit is a working reference app. It covers governance participation and keeps complexity low.
Implemented now:
- Connect wallet with Wagmi and RainbowKit.
- Initialize
CollectiveSDKfor Rootstock Mainnet or Testnet. - Stake and unstake RIF.
- Fetch and display proposals.
- Vote with simulation before submit.
Not implemented in the sample UI:
- Proposal creation UI.
- Backing module UI.
- Rewards claim UI.
- Vault-specific flows.
Those are ideal "build next" paths for teams that need custom business logic.
Getting Started
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Setup: Clone, environment variables,
npm install, andnpm run devlive in the rootstock-collective-starter-kit README (Setup). The Dev Portal does not copy those steps here. When the kit changes, update the README once and both the quick start and this guide stay accurate. -
Quick start: Use Collective DAO starter kit for links to the repo and a minimal run checklist.
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Deep dive: Continue with About the SDK for how Collective SDK methods map to files in the kit, simulation, FAQs, and a production checklist.