C# support for Algorand

Governance Discussions xGov Proposals
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xGov platform link

Description

The .NET Algorand SDK is a dotnet library for communicating and interacting with the Algorand network from .NET applications.

C# delivers exceptional performance for Algorand development, making it a compelling choice compared to Python, TypeScript, and Go. Unlike Python’s interpreter overhead, C# benefits from JIT and AOT compilation, achieving near-native execution speed. Compared to TypeScript, which depends on Node.js and JavaScript runtimes, C# provides stronger typing, faster execution, and more predictable performance under heavy load. While Go is fast, C# offers superior tooling, richer language features, and better optimization opportunities through the .NET runtime. A robust C# Algorand library will attracts developers seeking speed, reliability, and enterprise-grade performance.

The library brings ability to call Algorand’s smart contracts by 4.5 million c# professional developers out of 21 million total developers globally - How Many Developers Are There in the World? | Data Playground | JetBrains: Developer Tools for Professionals and Teams

The library was originally created Riley, then it got took over by Frank, and currently its supported by Biatec. We request funding of 200000 for the support from last update by Frank on May 19, 2024 until today December 12, 2025. We spent on it over 300 manhours and besides the periodic upgrades with the new api versions with new releases we brought main features like ARC56 client generator for c#, ability to connect to gossip network, or change of MsPack parser with ability to parse non standard algorand’s protocol data.

We will support the library further but this grant request is retroactive for the work which was already done from May 19, 2024 until today. We recevied no funding for this work yet.

About the team

The Biatec Group dev team is focusing building on Algorand for more than 5 years. Built first open source algorand wallet, decentralized scheduler, aramid bridge, vote coin, asa gold, algorand scan, explodinos game, invoicing app, avm gas station, identity solution, first algorand’s concentrated liquidity amm, and more.

Additional info

Algorand4 source code - GitHub - scholtz/dotnet-algorand-sdk: Algorand SDK for .Net Framework to interact with the Algorand network

Algorand4 NuGet - NuGet Gallery | Algorand4 4.4.1.2025112914
AlgorandAuthentication NuGet - NuGet Gallery | AlgorandAuthentication 2.1.1
AlgorandARC76Account NuGet - NuGet Gallery | AlgorandARC76Account 1.1.0
AVMTradeReporter.Models NuGet - NuGet Gallery | AVMTradeReporter.Models 1.0.0

Nuget Stats - NuGet Gallery | Scholtz

License

Open source

Focus

Libraries/Tooling

Funding type

Retroactive

Adoption Metrics

Downloads - 12219

Amount requested

200000 Algo ~ 23 000 USD ~ 77 USD/manhour before tax

2 Likes
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I fully support this proposal. Over 20% of all professional active developers use C#, which creates a great opportunity to bring many devs to Algorand. Ludo is doing an excellent job.

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Thanks for the support

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There were many SDKs for algorand (2021) along with PHP and C#. Problem is maintaining them in long-term. As of now python, JS and go sdk are only the ones actively maintained. I personally feel market has not matured for this SDK to have good amount of usage.

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Do you really try to compare PHP with .NET ?

.NET has much better performance than JS or Python as its strong type language and compiled to basically native code. Go does not have the client generator, and algorand foundation pays to maintain only the js and python at the moment within internal dev team.

The whole point ot the retroactive grants was to fund some beneficiary work that was done for the ecosystem, and there is huge base of developers building in .NET.

As is in the proposal I plan to maintain the C# sdk long term as we have many things built using it. Does that solve the problem you see?

Well, this statement is not true. It is the true only from the scope of the AF as they do not pay to support anything else then python and js, but you cannot tell that the .net sdk is not actively maintained. The go sdk is maintained by the algorand tech and there is no way to generate client from arc56 to communicate with smart contracts like in python, js, or c#.

If I know correctly they paid to Frank to work on c# smart contracts or something, but the AF does not disclose their agreements, Frank did not disclosed his agreement with AF, and noone really knows what was the deal there. It was quite difficult to take over the c# support after Frank, after he stopped communicating completely in mid 24.

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Is there enough developers in the ecosystem who use c# ?

Any data set you can provide on % of total ecosystem developers who develop in c# ?

I am just curious.

Note: I am aware of performance benefits of C#. Hope you understand my concern.

1 Like
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I dont have these stats and I assume that it will be low as I have never seen AF propagate it. I will not propagate using it as it is not my job and i dont have any budget for it.

I have only stats of the downloads of the nuget library which is linked in the proposal and its collected byt the microsoft.

2 Likes
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Thanks for the AI generated meeting notes and information that this proposal was discussed on the xGov council.

Could the xGov council members who stated this please describe in more depth how they feel to evaluate 1.5y development of the c# sdk with over 300 manhours direct work? How much money did the AF payed in last year for the typescript and python sdk development in salaries of the internal team members?

@simonb could you please tag here the xGov member who think this proposal is overpaid? Can they please suggest how much reward I could claim for the c# sdk? The last thing i want is the xGov council to veto or not recommend this proposal to be passed because of someone’s concerns.

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Hey, thank you for reading the notes and keeping up to date with council activities!

Just to share a bit of context: any council member is always welcome to respond publicly with their thoughts if they’d like to. We keep notes anonymized (where it makes sense) specifically to create a safe space for everyone to share honest opinions without worrying about potential backlash. There is money involved, potentially larger sums in the future - we need to do everything that we can to not introduce additional pressure to the council - just being publicly doxed was a hot topic not that long ago if you remember.

I completely get that it might not feel like the fairest approach when there’s critical feedback involved—especially since our views can carry some weight. That said, the anonymity is a deliberate tradeoff to avoid becoming another opaque “black box” like many past councils (which weren’t even community-elected).

Just to clarify something: personal opinions of the council members about quality of proposals play no role in evaluating the compliance with TnC - which is officially our only role and veto should apply only when we deem proposal not in compliance with TnC. So for an example your proposal as long as it’s open source and uploaded to electric capital repo and has some documentations should be a clear pass for TnC.

On a personal note since i’m writing this essay already…: I think your calculated hourly rate for the maintenance work is on the more expensive side (roughly double what a mid-level engineer might charge in the US), but I’m still personally supportive of the proposal! We have the funds available, and a C# SDK is a net positive for the ecosystem. :blush:

If any other council members want to chime in with their thoughts, they’re more than welcome to!

EDIT: to your point about how much AF has spent on developers building typescript and python skds— i 100% agree, i’m sure it was a a lot more than anyone is willing to admit. But this is not AF, it’s xgov where community decides who gets funded and how much - no blank checks from infinite algo bag.

3 Likes
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hi Simon, thanks for your comment

i value the work of the xGov council members and agree that the anonymity should be preserved if specific council member does not want to expose directly his opinion in the xGov proposal thread

regarding the mid-level engineer salary, the work required to do this job cannot be done by junior developers. It requires the skill of the architect with knowledge how it works in other algo libraries and other libraries in other ecosystems, it requires deep knowledge of low level coding like deserializing binary data of msgpack and finding the nuances of algorand deviation from standards, devops engineer for publishing the packages, and all scoped to very narrow area of the blockchain development. Also the contractors cannot be compared with the full time job salaries as there are more expanses like the accounting and increased risk that the compounded workload does not allocate the required hours for a month.

1 Like
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For the record, here it was added to the electric capital github repo: Algorand open source projects by Ludo, Everyday Algonaut by scholtz · Pull Request #1979 · electric-capital/open-dev-data · GitHub

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Hey Ludo
Technically speaking I agree with the fact that your work here is good and C# SDK was required to be maintained BUT I have an issue with the amount requested and I have good reasons for it:

1- We are living in times that 25K USD (~200K Algo) can buy you enough AI credits to contribute huge work and essentially rewrite and maintain all Algorand SDKs for a year or more and also create new ones for all exisiting other languages.

2- Comparing the usage and the impact with other proposals, requested amount somehow undermines some other proposals which have much more impact, proven usage and traction.

I personally am in favor of the fact that your work is valuable and should be retroactively rewarded but not by the top possible amount. If you would have proposed a more rational amount, I think it would have got much more positive and in favor feedback. So honestly I don’t think your proposed amount and value of work match in any way.

Also it would have been nice if you took your time and did not rush into proposing and have waited for your PRs to electric capital to get merged in so that xgovs could actually see it there for a while before it goes for retroactive funding.

And finally, a QQ: How many projects, except your own projects, are already using and depending on this SDK? I’m not asking about the number of views or downloads, I’m asking for direct dependability from projects with traction.

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Sure, but someone has still navigate the ai agents to do the work well. Its not the only cost. What is the fair hourly rate, or do you think that someone who in 1 hour creates some app should recieve 200k algo? How do you valuate then if it is ok or not?

I am building the c# algosdk for over 1.5 years now and this is the retroactive grant for that long period. I beliete the valuation is fair, but i am thankful for your opinion.

It was merged in the summer.. Even before this xGov requirement was in place. I am trying to help the algo ecosystem as much as possible. Feel free to review the PR.

I have been in contact with multiple c# devs who use it, but i dont have the exact number. I am sure it would be higher if AF would promote building in it. But it is a backbone for efficient algorand backend integration and open doors to many other solutions. For example Biatec MCP is written in c#.

1 Like
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1- The whole software lifecycle can be done via AI, and then the final human end-user test can be conducted in a few days.
2- My point regarding electric capital was because you sent the PR link instead of actual link to resource there in your proposal. If it is merged long ago then that one is satisfied and ok.
3- Again, I am completely in favor of you getting some rewards for the work done and consider it valuable. My point is that comparing it with other top amount proposals makes it unfair for you to request that much. For example, I was fully in favor if it was 100K algos. E.g, when FUNC asks for 200k, it seems largly unfair if an SDK update receives as much.

I wish you the best and hope everyone who makes any positive efforts on Algorand gets rewarded for it, that’s all. My best for you and all Algo devs.

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i dont understand your math. I do run free open participation servers for at least 3 years where anybody can participate in algorand consensus, i did built a lot of algorand docker images with every new version, build a one click solution where person can make his account online, did videos, promoted it, yet noone from the algorand community, mainly from AF mentioned it anywhere. yet func received the xgov grants rewards for it in past if i remember correctly and now gets another 200k.. should be my next proposal be to cover cost with the running of the nodes and developing the software to allow one click participate solution? If you think node running operations should be funded, how much you would let me ask in the proposal?

and thank you that you allow me to have at least 33 usd/h reward. With this I could sure pay the morgage and pay for my kids to get good education and be happy to work further on complex algorand projects

I encourage you to do it. If you think that the all algorand sdks need to be rewritten, please at least report to appropriate sdks the issues or what you think may be done better. I use ai tools quite heavily so I understand what is good to delegate to which model and what is better still code by hand. Or do it for Java or Rust.. I think it might be useful.

Nevertheless, I thank to all voters in the current xGov voting session who took time to research my proposal and casted a vote.

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not correct

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I appologize, i thought the one click node solution was funded with xGov#110

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Aust’s may have been. I wrote FUNC from the ground up (in C# by the way, though it doesn’t use the SDK).