From NEARpad to Jutsu – A Year in Review

Reflecting on 2023

2023 was a year of transformation and growth for us at Jutsu. From our humble beginnings as a hackathon project in Eth Denver in February, we have worked hard to redefine what it means to build decentralized frontend applications. We've made it our mission to democratize development, ensuring that anyone, regardless of their programming background, can bring their ideas to life. Join us as we look back at the highlights of the year that was.

The Birth of ‘NEARpad’

Hackathon Inspiration (February)

It all started as a spark (or should we say, a “Spork”) of creativity during the Eth Denver hackathon in February 2023. The vision was clear - to make it easier for users of all experience levels to build decentralized frontend applications on NEAR’s Blockchain Operating System (BOS).

NEARpad Announcement (April)

On April 11th, we proudly announced the birth of NEARpad, and the launch of NEARpad.dev – an easy-to-use, browser-based tool for BOS development. NearPad simplified the workflow for creating, deploying, and sharing widgets in Testnet and Mainnet environments, aiming to foster a community of passionate BOS developers, and bring in users from all experience levels.

Joining the Orange DAO Fellowship 🍊

Embracing Innovation (July)

In July, we celebrated a significant milestone when we were selected to join the Orange DAO Fellowship, a diverse community of over 1,300 Y-Combinator and Orange DAO-backed founders that are passionate about supporting and building the future of Web3. It was an honor to be among the exceptional 20 startups chosen out of nearly 1,000 applicants in the round.

The Jutsu Rebrand

A Fresh Identity (August)

August 23rd marked a pivotal moment in our journey as we unveiled our rebranded identity - Jutsu! The name draws inspiration from rich Japanese language, encapsulating the art and flowstate of coding, and highlighting our commitment to making this enchanting feeling accessible to anyone, regardless of their programming background. “Jutsu" represents more than just a rebrand; it symbolizes our commitment to empowering and supporting developers. And, with an improved developer experience, we were ready to unleash unstoppable frontends.

Engaging with the Community

SFNode Meetups

Throughout the year, Zahid has participated in and presented at several SF Node Meetups, sharing insights about Jutsu and its role in simplifying the creation of frontend applications.

BOS Hacks (August 25th - September 10th)

Jutsu was excited to contribute to BOS Hacks, demonstrating how to view and craft components on mobile or tablet, making development accessible on various devices. The Jutsu editor was used by many of the hackathon participants!

NEARAPAC Vietnam (September 9th & 10th)

In September, we journeyed to NEARAPAC Vietnam, where we ran a booth and delivered talks on building decentralized frontends. Our interactions with the vibrant community left a lasting impression.

Empowering Developers at NEAR APAC Vietnam

At NEAR APAC Vietnam, we partnered with the Banyan Collective, sharing a booth, to create an immersive experience that showcased our shared commitment to the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. Our interactions with the conference participants from diverse backgrounds and languages deepened our passion for making development accessible to all. This event reinforced our dedication to democratizing blockchain development worldwide.

MIT Hackathon at the Computer History Museum

We unveiled the first version of Bento, Jutsu’s collaborative coding partner that operates on prompts and generates functional frontend code in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Bento allows individuals of all skill levels to effortlessly create decentralized frontend applications with ease, using nothing more than a prompt. It was exciting to see the conference participants try out (and enjoy) our new generative user interface. More to come from Jutsu’s Bento in 2024!

NEARCON (November 7th-10th in Lisbon, Portugal)

At NEARCON in Lisbon, Portugal, we had the opportunity to showcase our commitment to BOS development. We collaborated with Veriken and Keypom to create the NEARCON ticketing platform, website, and application. The application featured an interactive schedule and map, as well as an in-conference token (“NCON”) that participants could spend throughout the venue on food and merch! It was so special to see our hard work come to fruition.

As part of NEARCON, we conducted a workshop on building real-world BOS applications using Jutsu, empowering hackathon developers to explore new tools to enhance their programming experience. It was fun to demo Bento, and see how excited the participants were to try it out!

At NEARCON, we not only shared knowledge but also contributed to the vibrant NEAR ecosystem. This support extended to our community, with around 1,102 attendees claiming their 100 $NCON at registration, and an impressive 550 participants actively engaging in bounties. Approximately 110,200 $NCON were earned by participants during the course of the conference for watching talks and panels and engaging in the scavenger hunt.

Expressing our Gratitude

Throughout the year, our team has seen growth and change. While our core team remains steadfast, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the contributors who have played an essential role in making Jutsu's journey possible in 2023. Your dedication and support have been instrumental in our success.

• Orange DAO: Thank you for your early support, invaluable guidance, and the insightful feedback you've provided. We deeply value our partnership.

• Banyan Collective: To Cameron Dennis, and the entire Banyan team, your unwavering support has been indispensable. Your guidance and constructive insights have been a driving force in our growth.

• Jonathan Cruz: A special shout-out to Jonathan for his exceptional artistic designs and creative layouts. Thank you for helping us bring Jutsu to life!

2023 was a year of milestones, collaborations, and innovation for Jutsu. As we move forward, we remain committed to our mission of simplifying decentralized frontend development and empowering developers worldwide. Thank you to our community, partners, and supporters for being a part of our journey.

Stay tuned for more exciting developments in 2024!