Build a Privacy DApp from Scratch in 20 Min | Midnight Network Beginner Tutorial. Part 1

Learn how to build your first privacy-preserving DApp on the Midnight Network — from zero to a deployed smart contract on a live blockchain. In this step-by-step beginner tutorial, I'll walk you through the entire process: installing the toolchain, writing a Compact smart contract, understanding zero-knowledge proofs, and deploying to testnet. By the end, you'll have a fully working Counter DApp running on a real blockchain with ZK proofs — all in about 20 minutes. What we cover: What is Midnight and why data protection matters on-chain Installing the Compact compiler, proof server & VS Code extension Creating a project with create-mn-app Writing and compiling a Compact smart contract Understanding the monorepo pattern (2 workspaces) Deploying and interacting on testnet How the ZK transaction lifecycle works under the hood #Midnight #ZeroKnowledge #Blockchain #Web3 #DApp #Privacy #SmartContract #Compact #ZKProofs #Tutorial