BAROS: Verifiable Trust for Local Work

BAROS is a hyper-local services marketplace with a cryptographically secured trust and escrow layer. It solves the dual-sided trust deficit in the informal economy:

• Clients hold money securely in an on-chain escrow until the job is completed to satisfaction.
• Providers get guaranteed payment without risk of non-payment, and build permanent, verifiable reputation.

All blockchain interactions are hidden from the user, providing a Web2-like seamless experience (via mobile or PWA) while maintaining Web3 guarantees.

Demo : https://drive.google.com/file/d/142SPSW5hQhXhXTih6y6WjjrJDyXC0_xb/view

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🏗 Architecture

BAROS operates on a split architecture:

• Frontend: A Progressive Web App (PWA) built with React, Vite, TypeScript, and TailwindCSS. Configured for deployment on Render (or Vercel). Uses react-query for server state and zustand for local auth state. Includes react-leaflet for hyper-local Neighborhood Maps.
• Backend: A FastAPI Python application acting as the orchestrator. Uses PostgreSQL + PostGIS for database and geospatial proximity queries. Integrates natively with the Solana blockchain using Anchor and solders. Configured for deployment on Northflank (or Render).
• Blockchain: A custom Solana Anchor Smart Contract deployed on Devnet that handles atomic escrow funding, releasing, and refunding.
• Reputation: Uses the Underdog Protocol API to mint compressed NFTs (cNFTs) to provider wallets as "Vouches", acting as on-chain verifiable reputation.

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🚀 Environment Setup

1. Backend Setup

The backend relies on PostgreSQL, Solana, and external APIs.

cd backend
python -m venv venv
# On Windows
venv\Scripts\activate
# On Linux/Mac
source venv/bin/activate

pip install -r requirements.txt

Required Environment Variables (backend/.env):

# Database
DATABASE_URL=postgresql+asyncpg://user:password@localhost:5444/baros

# Security
SECRET_KEY=your_super_secret_jwt_key
WALLET_ENCRYPTION_KEY=a_fernet_encryption_key_base64_encoded

# Solana & Underdog
SOLANA_RPC_URL=https://api.devnet.solana.com
SOLANA_ESCROW_PROGRAM_ID=H3ETmNRWqkfFZmiZio2KsKpuntZ1X3awUwY8QUiGVAqA
SOLANA_USDC_MINT=4zMMC9srt5Ri5X14GAgXhaHii3GnPAEERYPJgZJDncDU # Devnet USDC
UNDERDOG_API_KEY=your_underdog_api_key

# OAuth (Google)
GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=your_google_client_id.apps.googleusercontent.com

Run Backend Server:

uvicorn app.main:app --reload --port 8000

2. Frontend Setup

The frontend connects to the backend and external services like Cloudinary.

cd frontend
npm install

Required Environment Variables (frontend/.env):

VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:8000/api/v1
VITE_CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=your_cloudinary_name
VITE_CLOUDINARY_UPLOAD_PRESET=your_preset
VITE_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=your_google_client_id.apps.googleusercontent.com

Run Frontend Server:

npm run dev

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💡 Key Features

1. Escrow Smart Contract Integration

The backend securely orchestrates SOL and USDC transactions on behalf of users. When a job is funded, USDC is transferred into a Program Derived Address (PDA). The backend signs the transaction using the client's decrypted base58 keypair.

2. Non-Blocking Vouching (cNFTs)

Minting reputation NFTs via the Underdog Protocol can be slow during Devnet congestion. BAROS uses asyncio.create_task to handle minting optimistically in the background, keeping the user interface lightning fast.

3. Hyper-Local Discoverability

BAROS utilizes PostgreSQL PostGIS features (ST_DWithin, ST_DistanceSphere) to match clients with providers inside a specified radius, rendering the results visually on a react-leaflet map.

4. Rich Media & Communication

Users can post jobs with images, showcase service portfolios, and exchange photo attachments within the secure Contract Room messaging system via Cloudinary.

5. Google OAuth + Profile Sync

Frictionless onboarding using Google OAuth, which automatically pulls and syncs the user's Google profile picture to their BAROS account.

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