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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 & Pricing

Foundation reviews exchange API documentation to confirm:

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

After review, Foundation quotes a price for the Bounty Management service ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 depending on scope. Factors that affect pricing include:

  • Exchange API robustness: Well-documented, stable APIs reduce development effort
  • Connectors required: Spot only vs Perp only vs Spot + Perp
  • CEX vs DEX: DEX integrations may involve additional complexity
  • New vs established exchange: Newer exchanges typically require more development work

3. Bounty Management Agreement

Exchange proceeds with quoted service:

  • Sign escrow agreement
  • Transfer funds via crypto or wire
  • 90-day delivery guarantee with full refund if not completed
  • 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

  • \(10,000-\)25,000 upfront via escrow (based on scope)
  • 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 affiliate revenue >$200/month
  • Self-maintenance: Exchange takes over
  • Foundation provides 60-day renewal notice before expiration

Timeline Summary

Typical: 7-12 weeks | Guaranteed: 90 days or full refund

  • Assignment: 1-2 weeks (finding and vetting qualified developers)
  • Development: 4-6 weeks
  • 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 Guarantee

Full refund if connector is not successfully built within 90 days due to:

  • QA Failure: Pull request fails to meet acceptance criteria after remediation attempts
  • Technical incompatibility or exchange API issues preventing completion

Refund requests processed within 14 business days of validation.