Detailed Instructions

Navigate to your Snapshot space and click Create Proposal. In the Title and Body fields, clearly articulate the proposal's intent, rationale, and any relevant links. The body supports Markdown for formatting. Next, configure the Voting System (e.g., Single Choice Voting, Quadratic Voting). Set the Start Date and End Date for the voting period. Define the Choices voters can select, such as "For," "Against," and "Abstain." Crucially, select the correct Snapshot Block Number; this immutable block determines which token holders are eligible to vote based on their balances at that historical state.

Tip: Use a block number from a few blocks before proposal creation to ensure all indexers have the data.

Detailed Instructions

Click Publish after drafting. Your wallet extension (e.g., MetaMask) will prompt you to connect and sign a message. This signature does not cost gas, as it's an off-chain transaction. The signed message includes a hash of all proposal metadata: title, body, choices, snapshot block, and voting parameters. This creates the IPFS hash that uniquely identifies your proposal. Verify the connection is to the wallet address that is an admin or author of the Snapshot space. Submitting from an unauthorized address will fail. After signing, Snapshot will pin the data to IPFS and display the proposal link.

javascriptCopy
// Example of the type of message signed
const msg = `Proposal: ${title}\nBody: ${body}\nChoices: ${choices}\nSnapshot: ${snapshot}`;
const sig = await provider.send('personal_sign', [msg, account]);

Detailed Instructions

Once published, share the proposal link with your community via Discord, Twitter, or governance forums. Voters will connect their wallets to the Snapshot page and cast their votes by signing a message, which is also gas-free. Monitor the Voting Power column, which shows the weight of each vote based on the voter's token balance at the snapshot block. Track key metrics: total voting power cast, quorum status (if enabled), and the leading choice. Use the Activity tab to see all cast votes and their signatures. Be prepared to answer technical questions about the proposal's implications. Remember, votes are mutable until the voting period ends; voters can change their vote by signing a new one.

Tip: High voter turnout and clear communication increase the legitimacy of the off-chain result.

Detailed Instructions

After the voting period ends, the final result is recorded immutably on IPFS. Snapshot itself does not execute transactions. The responsibility falls to a designated party (e.g., a multisig or a community developer) to enact the outcome. This typically involves interacting with a DAO's Timelock controller or Governor contract. First, verify the proposal's IPFS hash and final vote tally on Snapshot. Then, prepare the calldata for the intended on-chain action, such as a treasury transfer or a parameter change in a smart contract. Submit this transaction from the authorized executor address. Many projects use tools like Tally or Sybil to bridge Snapshot votes to on-chain execution, automating the proposal creation in their Governor contract after a successful vote.

solidityCopy
// Example: Interacting with an OpenZeppelin Governor contract
governor.execute(
  targetAddresses,
  values,
  calldatas,
  descriptionHash // Keccak256 hash of the proposal description
);

Detailed Instructions

Navigate to the official Snapshot.org website. Click the 'Connect Wallet' button in the top right corner. You must connect a wallet that holds the governance token for the DAO or project you are representing, as this wallet will become the initial admin. Supported wallets include MetaMask, WalletConnect, and Coinbase Wallet. Ensure you are on the correct network where your governance tokens reside (e.g., Ethereum Mainnet, Arbitrum, Optimism). This connection does not require a transaction or gas fee; it only signs a message to prove ownership. The connected address will have full control over the space settings initially.

Tip: Use a dedicated, secure multisig or DAO treasury wallet for the admin role instead of a personal hot wallet.

Detailed Instructions

From your dashboard, click 'Create a Space'. You will be prompted to enter essential details. The Space ID is a unique, URL-friendly identifier (e.g., my-daogov.eth). You can use an ENS domain you own or a plain name. Set the Space Name and Avatar for display. The most critical setting is the Admins field. Input the Ethereum addresses that will have permission to edit space settings, proposals, and strategies. You can add multiple admins or a multisig wallet address like a Safe. Define the Moderators (can hide proposals) and Authors (can create proposals) if you wish to delegate these roles separately from admins.

jsonCopy
{
  "space": "my-daogov.eth",
  "admins": ["0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b844Bc9e..."],
  "strategies": []
}

Tip: Start with a multisig as the sole admin for enhanced security and decentralized control from day one.

Detailed Instructions

Voting strategies determine a user's voting power for each proposal. In the 'Strategies' section, add one or more strategies. A common setup is the erc20-balance-of strategy, which calculates power based on token balance at a specific block number. You must configure the contract address, network (chain ID), and optionally a decimals multiplier. For example, for a token on Ethereum: contract 0x1234..., chain ID 1, symbol GOV. You can combine strategies (e.g., token balance + delegation). Next, configure Validation settings. This defines rules for proposal creation. Use the basic validation to set a minimum voting power threshold (e.g., 1000 GOV tokens) required to submit a proposal, preventing spam.

javascriptCopy
// Example erc20-balance-of strategy configuration
{
  "name": "erc20-balance-of",
  "network": "1",
  "params": {
    "address": "0x1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef12345678",
    "symbol": "GOV",
    "decimals": 18
  }
}

Tip: Use snapshotting (a past block number) in strategies to prevent voting power manipulation during a live proposal.

Detailed Instructions

In the 'Settings' tab, define the Voting parameters. Set the Voting Delay (time before voting starts after proposal creation) and Voting Period (duration votes are open), typically 24-168 hours. Choose the Voting System; single-choice (one option) and approval voting (vote for multiple options) are common. Configure the Quorum required for a proposal to be valid, expressed as a minimum percentage of total possible voting power. In the 'Proposals' section, you can enable/disable different Proposal Types (e.g., basic, weighted). You should also set the Privacy setting—public spaces are listed, private spaces are hidden. Finally, customize the Terms of Service link and Social media profiles for the space.

Tip: Align your voting period and quorum with your community's engagement patterns; a very high quorum can lead to voter apathy.

Detailed Instructions

Thoroughly review every tab: Profile, Admins, Strategies, Validation, and Settings. Ensure all contract addresses and chain IDs are correct. Test the strategy by using the 'Check' button in the strategies tab with a sample wallet address to verify voting power calculation. Once satisfied, navigate to the 'About' section and click 'Save' or 'Publish'. This action requires a signature from one of the admin wallets you configured. It is a gasless, off-chain signature. After signing, your space is live on the Snapshot hub. The final step is to create a test proposal with a low threshold to verify the entire workflow: proposal creation, voting, and result tallying function as expected for your members.

Tip: Document your space's configuration (strategies, thresholds) in your project's governance documentation for full transparency.