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Installation

This guide provides detailed instructions for setting up your FHEVM development environment.

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System requirements

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Required software

RequirementMinimum versionRecommended
Node.js20+Latest LTS
npm / pnpm10+ / 9+Latest
Git2.40+Latest
Solidity knowledgeIntermediate-
Hardhat or FoundryLatestHardhat 2.28+

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Operating systems

  • macOS 12+ (Monterey or later)
  • Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, or equivalent)
  • Windows 10/11 with WSL2 (Ubuntu 20.04+ recommended)
Native Windows is not recommended. Use WSL2 with Ubuntu for best compatibility.

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Step-by-step installation

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1. Install Node.js

brew install node@20
Verify installation: 
node --version  # Should output v20.x.x or higher
npm --version   # Should output 10.x.x or higher

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2. Install Git

brew install git
Verify installation: 
git --version  # Should output 2.40+ or higher

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3. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/Himess/fhevm-bootcamp.git
cd fhevm-bootcamp

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4. Install dependencies

npm install
This installs all required packages: Core dependencies:
  • @fhevm/solidity (v0.10.0) - FHE Solidity library
  • @fhevm/mock-utils (v0.4.0) - Testing utilities
Development dependencies:
  • @fhevm/hardhat-plugin (v0.4.0) - Hardhat integration
  • hardhat (v2.28.5) - Development framework
  • @nomicfoundation/hardhat-ethers - Ethers.js integration
  • @typechain/hardhat - TypeScript bindings generator
  • hardhat-gas-reporter - Gas usage analysis
The postinstall script will automatically patch the fhEVM plugin. This is normal.

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5. Compile contracts

npx hardhat compile
Expected output: 
Generating typings for: 35 artifacts in dir: types for target: ethers-v6
Successfully generated 70 typings!
Compiled 35 Solidity files successfully
This compiles all 35 contracts and generates TypeScript type bindings.

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6. Run tests

npm test
Expected output: 
  SimpleStorage
    ✓ should store and retrieve a value
    ✓ should emit ValueChanged event

  BasicToken
    ✓ should have correct initial supply
    ✓ should transfer tokens

  ...

  328 passing (Xs)
All 328 tests run locally in mock FHE mode. No testnet connection is needed.

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Environment configuration

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Local development

For local development, no environment configuration is needed. The Hardhat network runs in mock FHE mode by default.

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Sepolia testnet deployment

1

Create environment file

cp .env.example .env
2

Add your private key

Edit .env and add your private key:
.env
PRIVATE_KEY=your_private_key_without_0x_prefix
SEPOLIA_RPC_URL=https://ethereum-sepolia-rpc.publicnode.com
Never commit your .env file or share your private key. The .gitignore file is configured to exclude .env.
3

Get Sepolia ETH

You need Sepolia ETH to deploy contracts. Get some from:
4

Test deployment

npm run deploy:sepolia
This will deploy all contracts to Sepolia testnet.

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Project structure

After installation, your project structure will look like this: 
fhevm-bootcamp/
├── contracts/              # 35 Solidity contracts
│   ├── SimpleStorage.sol   # Module 00
│   ├── HelloFHEVM.sol      # Module 02
│   ├── ConfidentialERC20.sol
│   └── ...
├── test/                   # 35 test files (328 tests)
├── modules/                # 20 learning modules
│   ├── 00-prerequisites/
│   ├── 01-intro-to-fhe/
│   └── ...
├── curriculum/
│   ├── SYLLABUS.md
│   ├── LEARNING_PATHS.md
│   └── HOMEWORK.md
├── resources/
│   ├── CHEATSHEET.md
│   ├── COMMON_PITFALLS.md
│   ├── GAS_GUIDE.md
│   └── SECURITY_CHECKLIST.md
├── exercises/              # Starter templates
├── solutions/              # Complete solutions
├── scripts/
│   ├── deploy-all.ts
│   └── deploy-sepolia.ts
├── hardhat.config.ts
├── package.json
└── tsconfig.json

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Docker installation (alternative)

If you prefer a containerized environment:

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Prerequisites

  • Docker Desktop 4.0+ (macOS/Windows)
  • Docker Engine 20.10+ (Linux)
  • Docker Compose 2.0+

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Setup

1

Clone repository

git clone https://github.com/Himess/fhevm-bootcamp.git
cd fhevm-bootcamp
2

Run tests

docker compose up
This will:
  1. Build the Docker image
  2. Install all dependencies
  3. Compile contracts
  4. Run all 328 tests
3

Interactive shell

For interactive development:
docker compose run --rm bootcamp sh
Inside the container:
npx hardhat compile
npm test
npm run deploy:local

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Verify installation

Run this checklist to verify your installation is complete:
1

Node.js version

node --version
Should output v20.x.x or higher
2

Dependencies installed

npm list @fhevm/solidity @fhevm/hardhat-plugin
Should show both packages installed
3

Contracts compiled

ls -la artifacts/contracts/
Should show compiled contract artifacts
4

Tests passing

npm test
Should show “328 passing”
5

TypeScript types generated

ls -la types/
Should show generated TypeScript types
If all checks pass, your installation is complete and you’re ready to start the bootcamp!

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IDE setup

1

Install VS Code

Download from code.visualstudio.com
2

Install recommended extensions

3

Open project

code .

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IntelliJ IDEA / WebStorm

1

Install Solidity plugin

Go to Settings → Plugins → Search for “Solidity” → Install
2

Enable Prettier

Go to Settings → Languages & Frameworks → JavaScript → Prettier Enable “On save” formatting
3

Open project

File → Open → Select fhevm-bootcamp directory

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Troubleshooting

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Node.js version issues

If you have an older Node.js version, use nvm to manage versions: 
# Install nvm
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash

# Install Node.js 20
nvm install 20
nvm use 20

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Compilation errors

If compilation fails: 
# Clean and rebuild
npm run clean
npm run compile

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Missing dependencies

If you see “Cannot find module” errors: 
# Reinstall dependencies
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm install

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Permission errors (Linux/macOS)

If you get EACCES errors: 
# Fix npm permissions
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

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WSL2 performance issues

For better performance on WSL2:
  1. Store the project in the Linux filesystem (~/projects), not Windows (/mnt/c/)
  2. Run wsl --update to get the latest WSL2 version
  3. Allocate more memory to WSL2 in .wslconfig:
.wslconfig
[wsl2]
memory=8GB
processors=4

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Next steps

Quick start

Get up and running in 10 minutes

Curriculum overview

Explore the 4-week program structure

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Additional resources

If you encounter issues not covered here, please report them on the GitHub repository.

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