> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.babylon.finance/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.babylon.finance/developers/building-on-babylon.md). # Building on Babylon ## Why build on Babylon? Babylon provides a new DeFi lego building block for developers: :palm\_tree: Babylon Gardens. Babylon Gardens are the first **DeFi Investment DAO primitive (ERC-20)**. See our workshop video in HackMoney 2022 to learn how to get started. {% embed url="" %} Gardens are tokenized investment clubs/DAOs where users can deposit digital assets and receive a tokenized share (ERC-20) representing their ownership. Developers can build on top of Babylon Gardens and benefit from all the following built-in features. You can read more in our medium announcement here {% embed url="" %} ### Built-in Features * Garden ERC-20 tokens are **fully composable and transferrable**. * Gardens are **non-custodial and trust minimized**. Only users have access to their funds. Capital can only be allocated to strategies approved by the club. * Gardens also provide an **NFT Membership token (ERC-721)**. Members of a garden that meet selected requirements can mint their NFT. * **Built-in light governance system with signature-based voting**. Gas-free. * No-hassle and **No code UI** to create strategies and deploy capital to [+15 DeFi protocols](/protocol/integrations.md) including Aave, Compound, Uniswap, Curve, and Convex. * **DeFi execution costs are automatically shared** between all members of a Garden, increasing the capital efficiency. * Smart capital allocation between strategies based on current gas costs and settings. * **Garden UI** where users & managers can deposit/withdraw and monitor the performance of their investment club. You can read more on our [managers page](https://www.babylon.finance/managers). ## What can you build? The design space is unlimited. You can connect the gardens with the rest of DeFi and web3 in many different ways. For example: * **Create an investment club to invest with your friends** through a Babylon garden. This was the original usecase that prompted us to start Babylon. You can learn more about our origin story [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn-GKRwB9wc). * You can use a garden as a way **to generate an index of different DeFi opportunities**. For example, here is a Garden that gives exposure [to many different Pickle Jars at once](https://twitter.com/ramonrecuero/status/1522351546922520578?s=20\&t=MbqSGb9flyUdscEEWX0iSQ). * You can use a garden to **simplify access to DeFi opportunities across different protocols**. For example, the ⛲ [Fountain of ETH](https://www.babylon.finance/garden/0xB5bD20248cfe9480487CC0de0d72D0e19eE0AcB6) generates yield on ETH by taking advantage of staking opportunities across different protocols. * You can use a garden **to create a supercharged staking mechanic for any ERC-20 token.** You can see more information [here](https://babylon.finance/daos). We use a garden to create a staking mechanic for BABL itself, [see the Heart](https://medium.com/babylon-finance/the-heart-of-babylon-defi-3-0-6d16e35817f2) 🫀. * Automatically **create and deploy strategies to react to events and market conditions**. You can execute and trigger strategies directly from your smart contracts. **Gardens and strategies can be created on-chain directly from your smart contracts** in a response to an event or directly through our user interface. Check the section below to learn more about the API. ## Testnets Instead of using Ethereum testnets like Ropsten or Kovab, Babylon Finance uses [Hardhat](https://hardhat.org/) chain for testing and local development. Babylon Finance integrates with +15 DeFi protocols. Therefore creating a full-working deployment on testnests like Kovan or Ropsten is really cumbersome and prone to errors. **Hardhat lets you clone Ethereum Mainnet and run the clone on your local machine and then you can deploy contracts on top of your cllone**. That way you can build on top of mainnet with all its functionality and DeFi protocols with Ease. ## Smart Contracts You can view all the information required in our API docs. {% content-ref url="/pages/PuaTRQOFtommNwxXjE6W" %} [Smart Contract API](/developers/smart-contract-api.md) {% endcontent-ref %} You can see their deployment addresses on the deployments page: {% content-ref url="/pages/-MhxFZVjAGlKqlrUSYVK" %} [Deployments](/developers/deployments.md) {% endcontent-ref %} Do you want to connect Babylon to another DeFi protocol that is not supported? Now you can build a custom integration and potentially receive bounties. {% content-ref url="/pages/U1gTUgb6edhmtulmEn2I" %} [Custom Integrations](/developers/custom-integrations.md) {% endcontent-ref %} ## How to get started Here are the steps we recommend to get started. 1. You can create an investment club by calling `createGarden` on the [Babylon Controller](/developers/smart-contract-api/babcontroller.md) or using our UI at . 2. Once the garden is created, you have your own fully composable tokenized investment DAO as an ERC-20. 3. You can compose gardens and their strategies with the rest of #DeFi. Check the [Garden](/developers/smart-contract-api/garden.md) and [Strategy](/developers/smart-contract-api/strategy.md) APIs to see the functions available. 4. If you want to connect Babylon to a different protocol, please follow the [custom integration guide](/developers/custom-integrations.md). If you have any trouble, please head to the [development channel in our Discord](https://discord.gg/KMnrHrVJZh) and we'll do our best to help.