Metaversal is a Bankless newsletter for weekly level-ups on NFTs, virtual worlds, & collectibles
Dear Bankless Nation,
Zora is my favorite NFT marketplace protocol for its on-chain structure, slick style, and open-source values.
As some of you may recall, I last wrote about Zora back in January when its creators unveiled Zora V3, which, in my opinion, is something of an on-chain marvel.
Since then, Zora’s builders have been on a tear and released many useful new NFTs tools. According to my count — and I may be missing some! — Zora has released no less than 7 major new resources or functionalities over the past few months.
For today’s Metaversal, let’s walk through what these new tools are and catch up on Zora’s ongoing evolution 🌜🌞🌛
-WMP
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Zora is delivering in big ways for on-chain creatives
<div class="tweet" data-attrs="{"url":"https://twitter.com/__ASEC/status/1527378806557880320","full_text":"mint collections on @ourZORA.nncreate.zora.co ","username":"__ASEC","name":"ASEC ~ Nathan","date":"Thu May 19 20:00:59 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/FTJWiE_WIAAIF6s.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/Ukl4H1TMGp","alt_text":null}],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":18,"like_count":122,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}”>
mint collections on @ourZORA.
First, a Zora refresher
Zora is an NFT marketplace protocol that adheres to a “hyperstructure” architecture.
Conceptualized by Zora Labs co-founder Jacob Horne, hyperstructures are “crypto protocols that can run for free and forever, without maintenance, interruption or intermediaries.”
Among other things, for Zora this architecture means the NFT marketplace protocol is free (0% protocol fee), credibly neutral (user agnostic), permissionless (universally accessible), and unstoppable (usable as long as Ethereum exists).
Zooming in further, Zora V3 notably makes use of a novel “modules” system.
To avoid the pitfalls of proxy upgrades or new independent smart contract releases, Zora V3 is based on a few foundational contracts that can support endless extensions via new modules, and each of these modules adds new market functionalities to Zora.
This approach allows Zora’s builders to iterate on features quickly in a gas-efficient way that only requires users to approve their tokens once. Some of the system’s first modules include Asks (sell NFTs at a fixed price), Reserve Auctions (sell NFTs using reserve auctions), and Offers (make an offer on any NFT).
What’s 🆕 at Zora
You’re caught up on the basics of how the contemporary Zora protocol works, so now let’s dive into all the notable resources the Zora team has released in recent months:
1) Auction House
In April 2022, Zora launched Auction House, an “open and permissionless protocol on Ethereum that allows any creator, community, platform or DAO to create and run their own curated NFT auction houses.”
Simply put, the system lets artists and collectors set up on-chain timed reserve auctions (e.g. a 24-hour auction kicks off upon a 1 ETH reserve being met) on their NFT creations or collections.
2) Editions
<div class="tweet" data-attrs="{"url":"https://twitter.com/ourZORA/status/1528858883820642305","full_text":"Editions: Learn how to create a limited edition series of NFTs for a single artwork.nn↳↳↳create.zora.co ","username":"ourZORA","name":"🌜🌞🌛","date":"Mon May 23 22:02:17 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/w_728,c_limit/l_twitter_play_button_rvaygk,w_120/tlinbapaebq4sjzccp2z","link_url":"https://t.co/gqWpuzErNR","alt_text":null}],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":16,"like_count":77,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1528850760712065024/pu/vid/640×360/_odb97C5BZDRVSiy.mp4?tag=12","belowTheFold":true}”>
Editions: Learn how to create a limited edition series of NFTs for a single artwork.
In May 2022, Zora added an Editions functionality to its creator toolkit. The resource offers a streamlined way to create a limited-edition NFT series for a single artwork. All users have to do is upload their desired work, set up the main mint details (e.g. supply, list price, and royalties), and complete a transaction, then voila! You have your very own NFT collection. Zora’s since launched additional updates to the tool, as well.
<div class="tweet" data-attrs="{"url":"https://twitter.com/ourZORA/status/1529861100954689536","full_text":"::: Editions Tool Updates :::nn🎹 Music with album artn🎬 Video supportn🛠 SVG supportn🌈 Mobile UX improvedn🌐 Add SEO images, title, descriptionnnCreate your editions now:n↳ create.zora.co ","username":"ourZORA","name":"🌜🌞🌛","date":"Thu May 26 16:24:44 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/w_728,c_limit/l_twitter_play_button_rvaygk,w_120/myomimm3kb13mql1tuht","link_url":"https://t.co/eMyAcWL1Sl","alt_text":null}],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":32,"like_count":177,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1529860859794685955/pu/vid/416×270/ZKTO2i1lOBofSd7z.mp4?tag=12","belowTheFold":true}”>
::: Editions Tool Updates :::
🎹 Music with album art
🎬 Video support
🛠 SVG support
🌈 Mobile UX improved
🌐 Add SEO images, title, description
Create your editions now:
↳ create.zora.co
3) Drops contract
Also in May 2022, Zora open-sourced the smart contracts of a new style of NFT drop it had developed.
some new minting contracts for ~drops~ from ZORA
some fun features:
1. super-flexible presale and team mint features
2. based on latest version of ERC721A
3. has on-chain royalty support w/ zora v3 and looksrare
4. wholly-owned user contract – no admin access from ZORA
In particular, the drop approach offers tons of flexibility and modularity to NFT projects, plus on-chain royalties and gas efficiency in general.
4) Zora NFT API
<div class="tweet" data-attrs="{"url":"https://twitter.com/js_horne/status/1532074339280883712","full_text":"ZORA API:nnMaking it easy for developers to create their own NFT marketplaces, apps and platforms.nnA lot of incredible work by the @ZORAEngineering team went into this, so excited to see it out!nnBuild on Zora:n↳ api.zora.co ","username":"js_horne","name":"jacob","date":"Wed Jun 01 18:59:21 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://res.cloudinary.com/hhsslviub/video/upload/e_loop,vs_40/thfqfksmegxlz7emeres.gif","link_url":"https://t.co/1IgLad2otA","alt_text":null}],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":39,"like_count":288,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}”>
ZORA API:
Making it easy for developers to create their own NFT marketplaces, apps and platforms.
A lot of incredible work by the @ZORAEngineering team went into this, so excited to see it out!
Build on Zora:
↳ api.zora.co
NFT data on Ethereum is surging out in all directions. To help builders navigate this swelling sea of data, Zora published the Zora API in June 2022. This powerful resource allows NFT projects to readily search for any kind of ERC721 NFT data, including mints, transfers, sales info, and beyond. Expect many more NFT projects to be built around this API going forward.
This API is incredibly powerful. Here’s an NFT sales dashboard I made using it.
ZORA Engineering ☼☽ @ZORAEngineering
We have tools for you at every level of abstraction: pick what’s right for you & your project!
~ GraphQL API: for maximum customizability
~ ZDK: a simple TypeScript wrapper for the API
~ React Hooks: an even simplerer wrapper of the ZDK
https://t.co/DvCMdUcB7D https://t.co/FPF2s3XbmI
5) Timed open editions
In June 2022, the Zora team unveiled a timed open editions feature. This service lets creators launch a limited-edition open edition for a single artwork by setting just a few parameters like starting time, end date, and mint price. This is a cool way to do NFT drops for anyone in your audience who wants one, and Zora’s made the process easy.
6) Redeemable NFTs
<div class="tweet" data-attrs="{"url":"https://twitter.com/ourZORA/status/1542210254791909379","full_text":"🌐→🌏 nRedeemable NFTsnnAn NFT that is redeemable for a physical good. n↳ Pay with ETHn↳ Resale royalties for the creatorn↳ Ability to resell without shippingnnTry it out with the incredible IRL Nouns Glasses by @nounsvision: n↳ nounsvision.com ","username":"ourZORA","name":"🌜🌞🌛","date":"Wed Jun 29 18:15:52 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/w_728,c_limit/l_twitter_play_button_rvaygk,w_120/qkzz44e5egriukfxtm7v","link_url":"https://t.co/7N77ivx5w2","alt_text":null}],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":30,"like_count":179,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1542208725003403264/pu/vid/1278×720/O1o7E6KrC-f-giRu.mp4?tag=12","belowTheFold":true}”>
🌐→🌏
Redeemable NFTs
An NFT that is redeemable for a physical good.
↳ Pay with ETH
↳ Resale royalties for the creator
↳ Ability to resell without shipping
Try it out with the incredible IRL Nouns Glasses by @nounsvision:
↳ nounsvision.com
Another interesting recent release from Zora has been the Redeemable NFTs tool, which lets creators drop NFTs that are redeemable for physical goods, e.g. a physical wearable version of the iconic red Nouns DAO glasses. To avoid confusion, the Zora protocol separates redeemed and unredeemed NFTs from a series into different collections.
7) Zora Development Kit
<div class="tweet" data-attrs="{"url":"https://twitter.com/js_horne/status/1541465608428167169","full_text":"Introducing ZDK: Zora Development KitnnZora has the most fully featured and complete toolset in the community:n↳ Hooks n↳ APIn↳ ZDKn↳ ProtocolnnZDK is a powerful dev tool for builders to easily create their own NFT platforms, apps and artworks.nnzdk.zora.co ","username":"js_horne","name":"jacob","date":"Mon Jun 27 16:56:54 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/w_728,c_limit/l_twitter_play_button_rvaygk,w_120/lp4x2tohr5ny6mcvflox","link_url":"https://t.co/2KuV5crljr","alt_text":null}],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":42,"like_count":245,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1541464918330834944/pu/vid/436×270/bXfXADwAm7e-vbxJ.mp4?tag=12","belowTheFold":true}”>
Introducing ZDK: Zora Development Kit
Zora has the most fully featured and complete toolset in the community:
↳ Hooks
↳ API
↳ ZDK
↳ Protocol
ZDK is a powerful dev tool for builders to easily create their own NFT platforms, apps and artworks.
Another June 2022 release, the Zora Development Kit, or ZDK, is a hub of tools that makes it simple for developers to build around Zora. If you’re building out a new NFT project and you’re looking to plug into some great infrastructure, the ZDK is a resource I would not sleep on!
Action steps
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🌜🌞🌛Check out Zora and its new features
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🙇 Read my previous write-up Big platforms eye Polygon NFTs if you missed it
Author Bio
William M. Peaster is a professional writer and creator of Metaversal—a Bankless newsletter focused on the emergence of NFTs in the cryptoeconomy. He’s also recently been contributing content to Bankless, JPG, and beyond!
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