sui-developer

name

sui-developer

description

Use when writing or modifying SUI Move smart contracts, generating Move code, or following Move development patterns. Triggers on "write a Move module", "implement contract", "add function", "Move code", or any hands-on Move development task. Also use when the user pastes Move code and asks for help. For code review/audit, use move-code-quality instead. For contract architecture design, use sui-architect.

SUI Developer

High-quality SUI Move smart contract development with multi-level quality assurance.

Overview

This skill assists with writing production-ready SUI Move code through:

• Code generation from specifications
• Multi-level quality checks (Fast/Standard/Strict)
• Real-time development suggestions
• Frontend-friendly contract design (see sui-move-ts-bridge for TS type generation)

Quick Start

# Generate code from spec
sui-developer generate --spec docs/specs/project-spec.md

# Run quality checks
sui-developer check --mode fast      # Development iteration
sui-developer check --mode standard  # Feature complete
sui-developer check --mode strict    # Pre-deployment (default)

# Watch mode for continuous checking
sui-developer watch

Quality Check Levels

Fast Mode (Development Iteration)

Use when: Rapidly prototyping and iterating

Checks:

• ✓ Syntax correctness
• ✓ Compilation (sui move build)
• ✓ Basic linter warnings

Speed: ~5 seconds

sui move build

Standard Mode (Feature Complete)

Use when: Feature is complete and ready for review

Checks:

• ✓ All Fast mode checks
• ✓ Move analyzer deep analysis
• ✓ Basic security patterns:
  • Integer overflow risks
  • Access control verification
  • Capability leak detection
• ✓ Gas usage analysis (basic)
• ✓ Naming convention compliance

Speed: ~30 seconds

sui move build
sui move test
# Custom security checks

Strict Mode (Pre-deployment, Default)

Use when: Preparing for deployment, especially mainnet

Checks:

• ✓ All Standard mode checks
• ✓ Deep security audit:
  • Reentrancy attack patterns
  • Shared object race conditions
  • Capability escape analysis
  • Integer arithmetic logic errors
  • Authorization bypass attempts
• ✓ Gas optimization analysis (detailed)
• ✓ Move idioms and best practices
• ✓ Documentation completeness (all public functions)
• ✓ Formal verification suggestions (critical logic)
• ✓ Comparison with official security checklist

Speed: ~2 minutes

Cross-reference: For deep Move semantics review (enum correctness, ability constraints, borrow safety), invoke the move-code-quality skill after Strict mode passes.

See scripts/ for implementation details.

SUI Protocol 127 Updates (shipped testnet v1.74.0; now v1.74.1 / P128 on both testnet and mainnet)

Key changes affecting Move development (as of June 2026):

Protocol 127 (shipped testnet v1.74.0)

• Bulletproofs domain separation (breaking): sui::rangeproofs::verify_bulletproofs_ristretto255 is deprecated and now always aborts. Use verify_bulletproofs_with_dst_ristretto255(proof, bits, commitments, dst, version) — adds a domain-separation tag (dst, max length 64).
• Ristretto255 on testnet: Ristretto255 group operations + Bulletproof range-proof verification moved from devnet-only to devnet + testnet (gas prices re-tuned).
• DKG fix: P127 enables always_advance_dkg_to_resolution (corrects a bad P126 modification).
• sui::accumulator gains #[test_only] create_for_testing.

Platform & Runtime

• gRPC Data Access (GA): gRPC is the primary data access method. JSON-RPC is deprecated (permanent deactivation 2026-07-31) — Quorum Driver for transaction submission is fully disabled. Use Transaction Driver exclusively. Migrate reads to gRPC/GraphQL before the cutoff. Note the public JSON-RPC endpoints shut down earlier and separately: Testnet week of July 6, Mainnet week of July 20 (2026) — run your own full node's JSON-RPC past those dates if you can't migrate before the 2026-07-31 permanent deactivation.
• Address Balances (Mainnet, P125): Native address-held balances are live on mainnet for supported coin types. For those, PTBs can debit/credit address balances directly without manual splitCoins/mergeCoins coin-object juggling. This is an additional path — Move entry functions and SDK APIs that take Coin<T> still require coin objects, so don't drop coin handling wholesale.
• Gasless Stablecoin Transfers (Mainnet, P125, rolling out): Accumulator + coin reservations enable sponsored stablecoin (USDC) transfers without the sender holding SUI for gas.
• Display V2 (Activated): Display Registry (system object 0xd) is live on all networks. JSON-RPC and GraphQL now prioritize Display V2 lookups over legacy Display v1. Use the sui::display_registry module (the legacy sui::display module is deprecated): display_registry::new_with_publisher<T>(registry, &publisher, ctx) or display_registry::new<T>(registry, internal::permit<T>(), ctx) → both return (Display<T>, DisplayCap<T>); update with display_registry::set(&mut d, &cap, name, value) then display_registry::share(d).
• Address Aliases (Mainnet): Human-readable address mappings now enabled on mainnet (v1.72.2+).
• Adaptive Concurrency Control: Indexing framework replaces fixed worker counts with automatic scaling. Processor::FANOUT is removed — use ConcurrencyConfig enum instead.
• Display Registry in APIs: JSON-RPC (showDisplay) and GraphQL now prioritize Display Registry (V2) over legacy Display v1. New MoveValue.asVector for paginating vector data in GraphQL.
• SignatureScheme Union: GraphQL introduces SignatureScheme union type for UserSignature, replacing flat fields.
• chainIdentifier Full Digest: chainIdentifier now returns full Base58-encoded 32-byte digest (previously truncated).
• Metadata Hardening: Sui System metadata validation tightened (v1.68.0).

Move Runtime

• TxContext Flexible Positioning: TxContext arguments can appear in any position within PTBs.
• poseidon_bn254 Enabled: Available on all networks. Use sui::poseidon::poseidon_bn254 for zero-knowledge proof applications.
• Hot Potato Rule: Non-public entry functions cannot have arguments entangled with hot potatoes.
• Ristretto255 Group Ops: Ristretto255 group operations available for cryptographic applications (v1.67+).
• #[error] Annotation: Annotate error constants with #[error] for human-readable abort messages. The CLI decodes these automatically at runtime.
• Gas Schedule Changes: Dynamic field operations rebalanced — first loads more expensive, subsequent loads significantly cheaper (v1.62.1+).

Tooling

• DeepBook No Longer Implicit: Since v1.47, DeepBook is no longer an implicit dependency. Add it explicitly in Move.toml if needed.
• Sui Gas Meter for Tests: sui move test now uses the Sui gas meter (v1.66.2+), providing more accurate gas measurements.
• CLI Auto-completion: Use sui completion --generate [shell] for shell auto-completion (v1.66.2+).
• Regex Test Filtering: Test filtering now uses regex — use sui move test --filter "regex_pattern".
• Move Linter: sui move lint runs Move linters on the package (P128 / v1.74.1+). Default lints run in sui move build/test; --no-lint disables them, --lint enables extra linters.
• Move Formatter: sui move format formats Move source via prettier-move (P126 / v1.73.1+). It's a passthrough — on first run it errors prettier-move is not installed; install once with npm i -g prettier @mysten/prettier-plugin-move, then sui move format (formats the package) works.

GraphQL Breaking Changes (v1.71.1+)

• Simulation: events field removed from simulateResult and ExecutionResult. Access events via effects.events() instead.
• Error field: error field removed from ExecutionResult; use effects.status for error information.

Move Language Updates (from Move Book)

• Extending Modules: 2024.alpha-only extend module adds functions/types/constants/use-statements to a foreign or your own module, gated by any mode attribute (#[test_only] is just the most common); additive-only, root-package-only.
• Modes: #[mode(name,...)] generalizes #[test_only]; build with --mode <name> — any mode-enabled build (including --test) is non-publishable.
• Storage Functions: Rewritten chapter on the transfer/freeze/share operations that move objects between ownership states, plus their public_* cross-module counterparts.
• Type Reflection: std::type_name::with_defining_ids/with_original_ids inspect a type at runtime, distinguishing the defining ID (introduced the type) from the original ID (first-published version).
• BCS: Binary Canonical Serialization chapter — deterministic encoding rules (little-endian ints, ULEB128-length-prefixed sequences, enums as variant index) for hand-decoding tx args/objects/events.
• Positional Structs: public struct MyKey(u64) has copy, drop, store; — fields identified by position (.0, .1, ...), a good fit for small wrapper/key types.
• Macro Functions: New chapter on macro fun/$-parameters — compile-time expansion enables lambda arguments (|x| expr) and generic-unfriendly operations; prefer stdlib macros (do!, map!, fold!, ...) over hand-written loops.
• Internal Permit: std::internal::Permit<T>/permit<T>() — a compiler/network-enforced token only the module defining T can produce, used to gate generic functions to callers authorized by that module.
• Entry Functions: The entry modifier's second restriction — arguments to a non-public entry function can't be entangled with a hot potato from an earlier PTB command (Sui v1.62+ rule; e.g. flash loans).
• Address Balances: send_funds/redeem_funds and the accumulator-backed per-address balance model — an alternative to Coin objects; withdrawals require a Withdrawal<Balance<T>> authorization supplied by the transaction.
• Package Upgrades: UpgradeCap-gated upgrades publish at a new address (old versions stay callable forever); default policy allows new modules/functions but freezes existing public signatures and type definitions.
• Using Move Registry: Guide on adding MVR (@org/package) dependencies — mvr search, adding to the manifest, and resolving names to per-network addresses.
• Linting: sui move lint's default vs extra lint tiers, and suppressing a specific warning with #[allow(lint(...))] — complements the Move Linter CLI note above (Tooling).

Move 1.70–1.71 APIs (mainnet v1.71.1)

Dynamic field ergonomics (1.71)

sui::dynamic_field and sui::dynamic_object_field gained these helpers — use them instead of hand-rolling existence checks:

• borrow_or_add(parent, key, default) / borrow_mut_or_add — get or insert.
• get_do(parent, key, |v| ...) / get_mut_do — apply a closure if present.
• get_fold(parent, key, init, |acc, v| ...) / get_mut_fold — fold pattern over optional value.
• replace(parent, key, new) — swap value, return old.
• remove_opt(parent, key) — returns Option<V> (use this; remove_if_exists is deprecated).
• exists(parent, key) — replaces deprecated exists_.

Overflow-safe integer math (1.70)

std::u{8,16,32,64,128,256} gained mul_div(a, b, c) and mul_div_ceil(a, b, c) — computes (a * b) / c without intermediate overflow. Prefer over manual widening.

div_ceil(a, b) replaces deprecated divide_and_round_up.

Deprecations to clean up

Deprecated	Replacement
vector::empty<T>()	vector[] literal
vector::singleton(x)	vector[x]
dynamic_field::exists_	dynamic_field::exists
dynamic_field::remove_if_exists	dynamic_field::remove_opt
dynamic_object_field::exists_	dynamic_object_field::exists
std::u*::divide_and_round_up	std::u*::div_ceil

Core Features

1. Code Generation from Specification

Generate complete module structure from architecture spec:

// @check:skip
// Read specification
const spec = readSpec("docs/specs/project-spec.md")

// Query latest Move patterns first — invoke the `sui-docs-query` skill
// (routes to Context7 MCP) with "Move module structure best practices"

// Generate modules
for (const module of spec.modules) {
  await generateModule(module, patterns)
}

Generated structure:

• Error codes
• Structs with proper abilities
• Public functions with doc comments
• Internal helper functions
• Events for state changes
• Test module skeleton

See examples.md for complete generated code examples.

2. Real-time Development Suggestions

Auto-suggest better patterns while coding:

// Detect hardcoded address
const ADMIN_KEY: address = @0x123;

// Suggest improvement:
// Warning: Use capability instead:
public struct AdminCap has key { id: UID }

To detect deprecations, check current API/version behavior via the sui-docs-query skill (Context7 MCP) before flagging functions as deprecated.

3. Frontend Integration

For TypeScript type generation from Move ABI, event design for frontends, and contract API wrappers, use the sui-move-ts-bridge skill.

4. Best Practices Enforcement

Query and apply latest Move best practices via the sui-docs-query skill (Context7 MCP), then check code against them:

// Check code against practices
// - Proper error handling
// - Event emissions
// - Capability usage
// - Safe math operations

Development Workflow

1. Generate code from spec
   ↓
2. Developer writes/modifies Move code
   ↓
3. Run Fast mode checks (while developing)
   ↓
4. Feature complete → Run Standard mode
   ↓
5. Fix any issues
   ↓
6. Before commit → Run Strict mode (auto via git hook)
   ↓
7. Generate TypeScript types
   ↓
8. Ready for frontend integration

Configuration

.sui-developer.json:

{
  "quality_mode": "strict",
  "auto_format": true,
  "generate_types": true,
  "frontend_integration": {
    "enabled": true,
    "output_dir": "frontend/src/types"
  },
  "checks": {
    "security": true,
    "gas_optimization": true,
    "documentation": true,
    "naming_conventions": true
  },
  "patterns": {
    "use_capabilities": true,
    "emit_events": true,
    "validate_inputs": true
  }
}

Configuration options:

• quality_mode - Default check level (fast/standard/strict)
• auto_format - Auto-format code on save
• generate_types - Auto-generate TypeScript types after build
• frontend_integration.output_dir - Where to output TS types
• checks - Enable/disable specific checks
• patterns - Enforce specific coding patterns

Integration

Called By

• sui-full-stack (Phase 2: Development)
• sui-architect (after spec generation)

Calls

• sui-docs-query - Query latest Move APIs and best practices

Next Step

After development complete, suggest:

✅ Move development complete!
Next: Ready for testing with sui-tester?

Watch Mode

Continuous checking during development:

sui-developer watch

Automatically runs Fast mode checks on file changes.

Common Mistakes

❌ Skipping quality checks during rapid iteration

• Problem: Bugs accumulate, major refactor needed before deployment
• Fix: Use Fast mode during development, Standard mode before commits

❌ Ignoring Move analyzer warnings

• Problem: Subtle bugs (dead code, unused variables) slip through
• Fix: Treat warnings as errors, fix all before committing

❌ Using Strict mode during prototyping

• Problem: Slow iteration, premature optimization
• Fix: Fast mode for prototyping, Strict mode for production code

❌ Not testing with realistic gas budgets

• Problem: Works in dev, fails in production due to gas limits
• Fix: Test with mainnet-equivalent gas budgets (--gas-budget)

❌ Hardcoding addresses in Move code

• Problem: Cannot deploy to multiple networks
• Fix: Use capabilities instead of address checks

❌ Missing doc comments on public functions

• Problem: Strict mode fails, poor developer experience
• Fix: Add /// comments to all public functions before Standard mode

❌ Not querying latest Move patterns

• Problem: Using deprecated APIs, outdated patterns
• Fix: Use the sui-docs-query skill before implementing complex features

See Also

• reference.md - Common patterns library, complete security checklist
• examples.md - Complete generated code examples, TypeScript integration
• scripts/ - Quality check implementation scripts
• object-model.md — Read when deciding derived objects vs dynamic fields, implementing transfer-to-object (Receiving<T>), or reasoning about why a PTB went hot
• move-idioms.md — Read when writing Move 2024 code: method (dot) syntax, naming conventions (Cap/event/getter/hot-potato/field-key), and PTB-composable function design (no public entry, return-don't-transfer, param order). Audit counterpart: the move-code-quality skill.

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Write Move code with confidence - comprehensive quality checks ensure production-ready smart contracts!