Alkahest User Skill

What is Alkahest?

Alkahest is an EAS-based (Ethereum Attestation Service) escrow protocol for trustless exchanges on EVM chains. It enables:

• - Token escrow with programmable release conditions (ERC20, ERC721, ERC1155, native tokens, bundles)
• Arbiter-based validation — release conditions are defined by arbiter contracts that check fulfillment
• Composable demands — combine multiple conditions with AND/OR logic
• Oracle arbitration — off-chain validation with on-chain decision submission
• Commit-reveal — frontrunning protection for self-contained fulfillment data

Supported chains: Base Sepolia, Sepolia, Filecoin Calibration, Ethereum mainnet.

Roles

CLI Setup

Install globally via npm install -g alkahest-cli, then run commands with:

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Authentication

Provide a wallet via one of (in priority order):

Global Flags

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Output Format

JSON by default (ideal for programmatic/agent use). All BigInts are serialized as strings.

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Use --human for labeled, indented output.

Buyer Workflow: Create Escrow

1. Encode the demand

First, encode the demand data that specifies your release condition:

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2. Create the escrow

Use the --arbiter address and the encoded --demand hex from step 1:

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Returns { "success": true, "data": { "hash": "0x...", "uid": "0x...", ... } }. Save the uid — this is the escrow UID.

3. Wait for fulfillment

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4. Reclaim expired escrow (if unfulfilled)

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5. Get escrow details

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Seller Workflow: Fulfill Escrow

Using StringObligation (off-chain validated work)

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Using barter (token-for-token swap)

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Supported barter pairs: erc20/erc20, erc20/erc721, erc20/erc1155. Use --permit for gasless approval.

Oracle Workflow: Arbitrate

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For auto-arbitration (listening for requests and auto-deciding), use the TypeScript SDK directly — see references/typescript-sdk.md.

Commit-Reveal Workflow

Use commit-reveal when fulfillment data is self-contained (e.g., a string answer) to prevent frontrunning.

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Encoding Demands

The arbiter encode-demand command encodes demand data for any arbiter type:

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Available --type values: trusted-oracle, intrinsics2, all, any, recipient, attester, schema, uid, ref-uid, revocable, time-after, time-before, time-equal, expiration-time-after, expiration-time-before, expiration-time-equal.

Decoding demands

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Confirmation Arbiters

For manual buyer-side approval of fulfillments:

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Types: exclusive-revocable, exclusive-unrevocable, nonexclusive-revocable, nonexclusive-unrevocable.

Payments

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Attestations

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Decode types: erc20-escrow, erc20-payment, erc721-escrow, erc721-payment, erc1155-escrow, erc1155-payment, string, commit-reveal.

Configuration

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Escrow Types

All escrow types share the same workflow: create -> wait -> collect (or reclaim if expired).

Additional Resources

• - See references/typescript-sdk.md for TypeScript SDK usage (complex workflows, auto-arbitration, bundle escrows)
• See references/contracts.md for all contract addresses and obligation data schemas
• See references/arbiters.md for all arbiter types and demand encoding patterns