Introducing Hexcore V2 Beta — Making Hydra Heads Easier to Run, Operate and Build On

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Project introduction

Name: Hexcore V2

Description:
Hexcore V2 is an open-source control plane and Web UI designed to make it easier for developers to create, run, operate and monitor Cardano Hydra Heads.

We rebuilt Hexcore around one simple idea:

Hydra developers should spend more time building applications — and less time managing infrastructure.

With Hexcore V2, you can go from installation to a running Hydra environment with:

npm install -g @vtechcom/hexcore@beta
hexcore

What does Hexcore V2 provide?

:high_voltage: Simplified setup
Node.js and Docker are enough to start experimenting locally.

:key: Automatic key generation
Hydra and Cardano keys are generated automatically when creating a Head.

:spouting_whale: Automated Docker orchestration
Hexcore manages containers, deterministic ports and Head lifecycle for you.

:desktop_computer: CLI + Web UI + REST API
Operate Hydra Heads visually, from the terminal, or integrate Hexcore into your own tooling.

:satellite_antenna: Real Hydra Head state
Hexcore probes the actual Hydra state through WebSocket instead of simply checking whether a Docker container is running.

:stethoscope: Built-in diagnostics
hexcore doctor checks common environment and configuration issues before they become difficult-to-debug runtime errors.

:counterclockwise_arrows_button: Head lifecycle management

Create → Start → Stop → Restart → Reset → Delete

:broom: Safer failure handling
If a Head fails during boot, Hexcore automatically rolls back the containers it created instead of leaving orphaned infrastructure behind.

:floppy_disk: No external database stack required

No MySQL.
No Redis.
No RabbitMQ.

Hexcore V2 uses embedded SQLite for its local state.

Local Hydra experimentation

One feature we believe is especially useful for developers is the offline backend.

It allows developers to run a real multi-node Hydra Head locally without first configuring a Cardano chain provider or credentials.

This makes it much easier to experiment with application logic and Hydra workflows before moving to a chain-connected environment.

What Hexcore is — and what it is not

Hexcore does not replace hydra-node and does not implement another version of the Hydra protocol.

It works as an operational layer around Hydra nodes, helping developers automate and manage the infrastructure required to run them.

Our goal is simple:

Reduce the infrastructure friction around Hydra so developers can focus on what they actually want to build with it.

Package:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/@vtechcom/hexcore

GitHub:

https://github.com/Vtechcom/hexcore-v2

Current release:
2.0.0-beta.1

License:
Apache License 2.0

We are looking for Hydra developers and community testers to try Hexcore V2

Reason:

Hexcore V2 is currently in beta, and we want to validate the developer experience with people building real applications and experiments on Hydra.

We are especially interested in feedback about:

  • installation and onboarding;

  • creating and operating multi-node Hydra Heads;

  • Web UI usability;

  • CLI workflow;

  • diagnostics and error messages;

  • Head lifecycle management;

  • API integration;

  • missing features that would make Hydra development easier.

Bug reports, ideas, feature requests and pull requests are all welcome.

Project scope:

Improve Hexcore V2 toward a stable 2.0.0 release and make it a useful open-source infrastructure tool for developers building on Cardano Hydra.

Paid or voluntary:

Community testing and open-source contributions are currently voluntary.

If you are experimenting with Hydra, we would really appreciate you giving Hexcore V2 a try.

Install it. Run a Head. Break something. Tell us what should be better. :slightly_smiling_face:

We hope Hexcore can help reduce one more barrier between developers and real applications built on Hydra.

Build on Hydra, not around it. :high_voltage:

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