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Bounty Lifecycle

This page outlines the complete lifecycle of connector bounties from initial contact through development, testing, and maintenance.

Exchange Onboarding Process

1. Initial Contact

Exchange reaches out via Discord or email to discuss connector integration needs. Foundation schedules introduction call to understand requirements.

2. Technical Review

Foundation reviews exchange API documentation to confirm:

  • Compatibility with Hummingbot standards
  • Required connector types (CLOB, AMM, etc.)
  • WebSocket/REST API capabilities
  • Development complexity assessment

3. Bounty Management Agreement

Exchange proceeds with $10,000 service:

  • Sign escrow agreement
  • Transfer funds via crypto or wire
  • Receive timeline (4-8 weeks total)
  • 1 year maintenance included

4. Bounty Creation

Foundation posts bounties to Bounties Board:

  • New connector development bounties
  • Testing and QA bounties
  • Documentation bounties

Developer Assignment Process

5. Developer Applications

Qualified developers apply by commenting on GitHub issues with:

  • Relevant experience
  • Estimated timeline
  • Portfolio samples

6. Assignment Decision

Foundation assigns based on:

  • Past Hummingbot contributions
  • Technical expertise
  • Communication skills
  • Realistic timelines

7. Development Phase

Assigned developer:

  • Reviews API documentation
  • Implements connector following standards
  • Reports progress via GitHub
  • Receives Foundation support

Review & Testing Process

8. Pull Request Submission

Developer submits PR with:

  • Complete implementation
  • Test coverage
  • Documentation updates
  • Standards compliance

9. Engineering Review

Foundation engineers review using:

Focus areas:

  • Code quality and security
  • Integration compatibility
  • Performance optimization

10. QA Testing

QA team performs testing using:

Testing includes:

  • Functional verification
  • Integration testing
  • Performance benchmarks
  • Security assessment

11. Exchange Validation

For Bounty Management service, exchange may:

  • Review functionality
  • Test with their systems
  • Provide feedback
  • Approve for production

Governance & Release

12. New Connector Proposal

Foundation creates and manages:

  • NCP for community approval
  • Required HBOT staking
  • 7-day voting period
  • Community advocacy

13. Official Release

Upon approval:

  • Merged to monthly release
  • Documentation published
  • Marketing announcement
  • Added to supported exchanges

Payment Processing

Developer Payments

  • Processed after PR merge
  • Within 30 days
  • Currency as specified in bounty
  • Marked as "Paid" on board

Exchange Payments

  • $10,000 upfront via escrow
  • Covers all development bounties
  • Includes 1 year maintenance

Maintenance Phase

Year 1 - Included

Foundation manages ongoing bounties for:

  • Bug fixes ($125-625)
  • API updates ($500-1,250)
  • Feature additions ($400-800)
  • Performance optimization ($250-500)

Year 2+ - Renewal Options

  • Continue management: $2,000/year
  • Affiliate offset: Waived if >$200/month revenue
  • Self-maintenance: Exchange takes over

Timeline Summary

Total: 4-8 weeks

  • Assignment: 1-2 weeks (finding and vetting qualified developers)
  • Development: 2 weeks (experienced developers can typically build a connector quickly using existing templates and documentation)
  • Testing & QA: 1-2 weeks
  • Release Inclusion: 1-2 weeks

Quality Assurance

Foundation ensures quality through:

  • Multiple review phases
  • Comprehensive testing
  • Exchange validation
  • Community feedback
  • Developer reassignment if needed
  • Refund policy for non-delivery