Build an App Like PinkSale: A Full-Stack Developer’s Step-by-Step Guide

When I first started building a PinkSale clone, I knew this wasn’t just another launchpad platform. PinkSale has carved out a niche as a decentralized IDO (Initial DEX Offering) launchpad, enabling blockchain projects to raise funds directly through token presales. It supports multiple blockchains like Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, and others, and offers a seamless UI for project owners and investors alike.

In today’s hyper-competitive crypto market, having your own app like PinkSale means tapping into a goldmine of startup activity. Whether you’re an agency offering token launches to clients or a startup building your own Web3 funding tool, this kind of platform is a highly bankable product.

So, let me walk you through exactly how I built a PinkSale-style app from scratch, both with a Node.js + React stack and an alternate Laravel (PHP) backend. This way, whether you’re leaning toward a JavaScript-first stack or have a strong PHP team, you’ll know what to expect, which trade-offs matter, and how to get to MVP — fast.

Tech Stack – JavaScript vs PHP: What I Used and Why

One of the first decisions I had to make was which tech stack to use. Since the goal was to offer a flexible solution for different clients (some preferred modern JS, others were long-time PHP houses), I actually built two versions — one with Node.js + React, and the other with Laravel (PHP).

Let’s break it down from both angles:

---

JavaScript Stack: Node.js + React

Why I chose it:

• Real-time updates (like live presale countdowns and token claim status) are easier with Node’s event-driven nature.
• React allowed for a component-based, modular frontend — perfect for dashboards, investor panels, and project launch workflows.
• Great ecosystem for web3 integration, like web3.js, ethers.js, and wallet connectors (MetaMask, WalletConnect).

Components used:

• Node.js (Express.js) for backend APIs and business logic.
• MongoDB for schema flexibility — very useful for fast-changing Web3 token data.
• React + Redux on the frontend, with react-hook-form and formik for form-heavy areas like token setup and presale creation.
• Socket.io for real-time presale status and countdown timers.

---

PHP Stack: Laravel

Why I built this too:

• Some agencies and clients were more comfortable in PHP, already using Laravel or CodeIgniter for their internal systems.
• Laravel’s Blade templating and built-in features like migrations, queues, and guards made it easy to ship a secure version quickly.
• Laravel is a powerhouse when paired with MySQL — especially when the data structure is a bit more rigid or relational (e.g., user-token relationships, presale-history logs).

Components used:

• Laravel 10 with Sanctum for authentication.
• MySQL as the relational database, with proper indexing and relationships.
• Blade + Alpine.js for templating — it’s not React, but with a good design system and caching, it performs great.
• Laravel Horizon + Queues for managing background jobs like token verification, email alerts, or presale finalizations.

---

When to Pick Which:

Use Case	Go With Node.js + React	Go With Laravel (PHP)
Real-time token stats, countdowns	✅ Socket.io, fast polling	🔁 Needs workarounds
API-first platform or mobile-ready	✅ Headless-first architecture	🔁 Requires extra setup
Existing PHP infrastructure	🔁 May need bridging	✅ Seamless Laravel integration
Faster prototyping with forms/admins	🔁 Requires frontend complexity	✅ Laravel Breeze/Jetstream
Preferred language or team expertise	JavaScript	PHP

In the end, both stacks worked — it’s all about what your team can maintain and scale.

Tech Stack – JavaScript vs PHP: What I Used and Why

When I built the PinkSale clone, I worked with both JavaScript (Node.js + React) and PHP (Laravel) so I could offer flexibility depending on client preference and team strengths.

Here’s a quick breakdown of both stacks and when each makes sense:

---

Option 1: Node.js + React (JavaScript Stack)

Why I used it:

• Ideal for real-time features like live countdowns and token sale status.
• Works well for building API-first platforms or SPAs.
• Faster for integrating Web3 libraries (ethers.js, web3.js).

Main Tools:

• Node.js (Express) for backend APIs
• MongoDB for dynamic token/presale data
• React for frontend dashboards and forms
• Socket.io for live updates

Best for: Agile teams, Web3-native tools, mobile-ready apps

---

Option 2: Laravel (PHP Stack)

Why I used it:

• Laravel makes it fast to scaffold features like auth, queues, and admin panels.
• Easier for teams already working in PHP or migrating from older systems.
• Great ecosystem with built-in security and migration tools.

Main Tools:

• Laravel (PHP 8+) with Sanctum for auth
• MySQL for structured data (user logs, presale history)
• Blade templates + Alpine.js for UI
• Laravel Queues for handling background jobs

Best for: Simpler setups, PHP-friendly teams, quick admin tools

---

Choosing the Right Stack

Scenario	Use Node.js + React	Use Laravel (PHP)
Real-time updates (countdowns, status)	✅ Yes	🔁 Possible, not native
API-first or mobile-ready platform	✅ Yes	🔁 Extra work
You prefer PHP or already use Laravel	🔁 Less ideal	✅ Easy choice
You need fast Web3 integrations	✅ Well-supported	🔁 Manual effort
Want quick admin panels + built-in auth	🔁 Manual setup	✅ Out-of-the-box

Database Design – Schemas That Scale With Token Launches

No matter which stack I used—Node.js with MongoDB or Laravel with MySQL—the core challenge was the same:
How do we model presales, token metadata, and user participation in a way that scales, updates in real-time, and supports multiple chains?

Here’s how I tackled it in each case, keeping performance and flexibility in mind.

---

MongoDB (for Node.js Stack)

I chose MongoDB for its schema-less flexibility. Token data can vary by chain or presale type, so rigid SQL tables would slow me down.

Core Collections:

• Users

{
  "_id": "userId",
  "walletAddress": "0xabc...",
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "role": "investor" | "admin"
}

• Presales

{
  "_id": "presaleId",
  "tokenName": "MyCoin",
  "symbol": "MYC",
  "chain": "BSC",
  "softCap": 50,
  "hardCap": 100,
  "startTime": ISODate,
  "endTime": ISODate,
  "status": "upcoming" | "live" | "ended",
  "ownerId": "userId",
  "investors": [
    { "wallet": "0x123", "amount": 1.5 }
  ]
}

• Transactions

{
  "presaleId": "abc123",
  "wallet": "0x123",
  "amount": 2,
  "timestamp": ISODate
}

MongoDB made it easy to nest investor lists inside presales and support fast reads with indexes on wallet addresses and presale status.

---

MySQL (for Laravel Stack)

With Laravel, I used Eloquent models with foreign key relationships. This is more structured, but great for admin panels and data validation.

Key Tables:

• users: id, email, wallet_address, role
• presales: id, token_name, symbol, chain, soft_cap, hard_cap, status, user_id
• investments: id, user_id, presale_id, amount, created_at

I added indexes on wallet_address, presale_id, and status for quick filtering and admin reporting.

---

Design Considerations

• Scalability:
  • MongoDB: better for read-heavy workloads and flexible token configs.
  • MySQL: better for detailed reporting, analytics, and structured querying.
• Multi-chain Support:
  Store chain name (e.g., BSC, ETH) at the presale level and use that to trigger specific blockchain logic in the backend.
• Real-Time Updates:
  Use polling or WebSockets (Node.js) to show live investor counts and funding progress.

Key Modules & Features – What Makes a PinkSale Clone Work

When cloning a complex platform like PinkSale, the app isn’t just a “launch page.” It’s a multi-role, workflow-driven system where project owners, investors, and admins all interact differently. So, I broke down the app into a few critical modules, each built with both Node.js and Laravel in mind.

---

1. Presale Launch Module

This is the heart of the app — where project owners submit token details, set caps, and launch the sale.

Node.js + React:

• Used react-hook-form to handle multi-step token creation.
• On the backend, token logic lives in a presale.controller.js file.
• Each presale is saved in MongoDB with a status field (e.g., “draft”, “approved”, “live”).

Laravel:

• Used Laravel’s FormRequest for validation and queued jobs for async tasks like token metadata verification.
• Token creation is tied to the Presale model and connected to the user via a belongsTo relationship.

---

2. Search & Filters

Buyers need to browse presales by token, category, or chain — and see what’s trending or new.

Node.js:

• Built a lightweight search API with query params like ?status=live&chain=BSC.
• Added MongoDB indexes on fields like status and tokenName.

Laravel:

• Used Eloquent scopes and Laravel Scout for search optimization.
• Paginated responses with simplePaginate() for performance.

---

3. Investor Dashboard

Users can connect their wallet, view active investments, and claim tokens post-sale.

JavaScript Stack:

• Used ethers.js to connect to MetaMask and fetch balances.
• JWT-based auth handled via Express middleware, with investor data displayed via React components.

PHP Stack:

• Used Laravel Sanctum for API token-based auth.
• Wallet connection handled via Web3 modals, but logic routed through Laravel backend for transaction logging.

---

4. Admin Panel

Admins approve/reject presales, freeze suspicious listings, and monitor stats.

Node.js:

• Built as a separate route group with role-based middleware.
• Used Ant Design for the dashboard UI, and connected with Express APIs.

Laravel:

• Used Laravel Nova (or Voyager) for rapid admin scaffolding.
• Policies restricted access based on roles, and action logs were stored via model observers.

---

5. KYC & Audits (Optional)

For platforms offering verified projects only, we added manual KYC uploads and smart contract audit logs.

• Files uploaded via S3 (Node) or Laravel Storage (PHP).
• Admins get a notification and can update presale status after review.

---

Bonus Module – Referral System (optional):

• Track wallet-based referrals via unique links.
• Store referrer wallet in presale participation logs and show bonus earnings.

---

Summary of Tech Decisions Per Feature

Feature	JS Stack (Node + React)	PHP Stack (Laravel)
Presale Creation	Dynamic forms, fast APIs	FormRequest, strong validation
Filtering/Search	Fast queries with MongoDB indexes	Eloquent + Scout
Wallet Interactions	ethers.js, Web3 modals	Laravel backend + JS wallet modal
Admin Panel	Ant Design + custom API routes	Laravel Nova / Voyager
File Uploads	Multer + S3	Laravel Filesystem

Data Handling – Working with Blockchain APIs and Admin Listings

Handling token data in a PinkSale-style app is tricky. You’re juggling two sources:

1. Third-party blockchain APIs (to pull live token or contract data)
2. Manual listings via the admin panel (for flexibility or off-chain projects)

Here’s how I balanced both approaches across the JavaScript and PHP stacks.

---

1. Blockchain API Integration

When a user submits a token contract, we validate and enrich it using APIs like:

• BscScan / Etherscan API – to fetch token symbol, decimals, supply.
• CoinGecko / DexScreener – to show live price charts.
• Custom RPC Calls via web3.js or ethers.js – to confirm token ownership and approval rights.

JavaScript (Node.js):

const ethers = require("ethers");
const provider = new ethers.providers.JsonRpcProvider(BSC_RPC_URL);

const contract = new ethers.Contract(tokenAddress, ERC20_ABI, provider);
const name = await contract.name();
const symbol = await contract.symbol();

PHP (Laravel):

• Used kornrunner/ethereum-offline-raw-tx or shell exec with Node scripts for contract interaction.
• For REST APIs (like BscScan), I used Guzzle with Laravel’s job queues for async processing.

$response = Http::get("https://api.bscscan.com/api", [
    'module' => 'token',
    'action' => 'tokeninfo',
    'contractaddress' => $tokenAddress,
    'apikey' => env('BSCSCAN_API_KEY')
]);

2. Manual Listings via Admin Panel

Some users (especially non-dev founders) may not have a token deployed yet. So I allowed manual data entry for token name, symbol, decimals, and team wallet address.

In both stacks:

• We toggle between manual entry and auto-fetch using a switch in the form.
• Admins can later edit or enrich listings via the backend dashboard.

---

3. Hybrid Handling Logic

If token contract is available:

• Validate it with Web3 or API.
• Auto-fill token metadata in the form.

If not:

• Allow manual entry and flag it as manual_verified: false.
• Add an admin approval checkpoint.

---

Example Workflow

1. User enters token address → App checks BscScan → Validates ownership
2. User sets presale terms (cap, start/end date, vesting if any)
3. System saves metadata & contract logs → Admin review or auto-go live

---

Error Handling & Redundancy

• Used fallback APIs (e.g., from BscScan to own BSC RPC node).
• All token metadata is cached locally after first fetch.
• Added daily re-validation job to update token status (especially for price & liquidity).

API Integration – Building Endpoints That Power It All

API design was the glue that held everything together — especially since a PinkSale-style app depends on user-generated data, real-time blockchain updates, and wallet-based actions. I designed APIs that were clean, secure, and extensible, across both stacks.

---

1. REST API Structure

Whether I used Node.js or Laravel, I followed this RESTful pattern:

GET     /api/presales                 → list live presales
GET     /api/presales/{id}           → view presale details
POST    /api/presales                → create new presale (auth required)
PUT     /api/presales/{id}           → update presale info
POST    /api/presales/{id}/invest    → contribute to presale
POST    /api/auth/login              → user login (JWT or token-based)
POST    /api/auth/register           → user registration

2. Node.js (Express)

I organized controllers by module — authController.js, presaleController.js, etc.

Example: Presale Creation Endpoint

router.post("/presales", verifyToken, async (req, res) => {
  const { tokenName, symbol, startTime, endTime } = req.body;
  const presale = new Presale({ ...req.body, ownerId: req.user.id });
  await presale.save();
  res.status(201).json(presale);
});

• Auth middleware (verifyToken) checks JWT.
• Input is validated with express-validator or zod.
• MongoDB handles schema flexibility for token types and status.

---

3. Laravel (PHP)

Laravel made API scaffolding smoother with route groups and middleware.

Example: Presale Creation

Route::middleware(['auth:sanctum'])->group(function () {
    Route::post('/presales', [PresaleController::class, 'store']);
});

In PresaleController:

public function store(Request $request) {
    $request->validate([
        'token_name' => 'required|string',
        'start_time' => 'required|date',
    ]);

    $presale = Presale::create([
        'user_id' => auth()->id(),
        'token_name' => $request->token_name,
        // ...
    ]);

    return response()->json($presale, 201);
}

4. Wallet & Blockchain APIs

• Node.js used ethers.js to run smart contract reads/writes in real time.
• Laravel sometimes called internal Node scripts or used RPC directly with curl or Guzzle.

Common tasks:

• Checking token ownership before allowing presale.
• Verifying contribution amount & wallet address.
• Triggering token claim once presale ends.

---

5. Admin APIs

Both stacks had role-based route protection:

• Only admins could approve, suspend, or delete presales.
• All API routes returned unified JSON responses with status codes and error messages.

---

Security Best Practices:

• Rate limiting and API throttling (express-rate-limit in Node, ThrottleRequests in Laravel).
• JWT or Laravel Sanctum for secure token-based auth.
• Validation on both frontend and backend to prevent bad input or smart contract spoofing.

Frontend + UI Structure – Building a Clean, Responsive Experience

The frontend was where everything came together — wallet connections, token presale forms, countdowns, and investor dashboards. I built two versions: one using React (for Node.js backend) and another using Laravel Blade (for PHP backend).

Let’s break down how I structured the UI in both stacks.

---

React Frontend (JS Stack)

For the Node.js version, I used React + Redux Toolkit with a component-based architecture. Everything was designed for speed, modularity, and reusability.

Key Layouts:

• Landing Page: Presale listings, chain filters, trending tokens.
• Presale Detail Page: Countdown timer, investment input, tokenomics, roadmap, and contract audit section.
• User Dashboard: Tabs for created presales, active investments, and wallet history.
• Admin Panel: Managed via a different route (/admin) with protected access.

Notable UI Libraries:

• Tailwind CSS: For fast layout and mobile responsiveness.
• Heroicons / Feather Icons: Clean iconography.
• React Hook Form: For presale creation and token submission forms.
• WalletConnect + MetaMask: For wallet login.
• Chart.js: To display token price and presale progress.

Responsiveness:

• Tailwind’s grid and flex utilities handled responsiveness out of the box.
• Mobile users could create a presale, invest in a token, or claim tokens with full UX intact.

---

Blade UI (Laravel Stack)

Laravel’s Blade engine doesn’t offer React’s reactivity, but it’s incredibly fast to set up and perfect for server-rendered apps.

Structure:

• Layouts: I used layouts.app as the base with Blade components for navbars, sidebars, and modals.
• Pages: Each page (presales, dashboard, admin) was a separate Blade file.
• Forms: Built using Laravel Collective or vanilla Blade + Alpine.js for interactivity.
• State Management: Handled via Blade conditionals and small Alpine.js scripts.

CSS & JS Tools:

• Bootstrap 5 or Tailwind CSS for layout.
• Alpine.js for toggles, modals, and tabs.
• Livewire (optional): Used on one project to make forms reactive without needing React.

Mobile Experience:

• With Blade, I prioritized progressive enhancement.
• Buttons, cards, and forms were all touch-friendly, and CSS was tested on Safari mobile and Android Chrome.

---

Shared Frontend Features

Feature	React Stack	Blade Stack
Wallet Connect	MetaMask + WalletConnect + ethers.js	MetaMask + JS SDK
Countdown Timer	react-countdown + useEffect	setInterval() in Alpine/vanilla JS
Token Creation Form	react-hook-form, step wizard	Multi-tab Blade form with validation
Admin Dashboard	Ant Design + API integration	Laravel Nova / Voyager
Charts & Analytics	Chart.js / ApexCharts	Chart.js (manually initialized)

---

UX Focus Areas

• Form Save States: Used local storage to auto-save forms (especially for long token setups).
• Loading Feedback: Skeleton loaders in React; spinners and Alpine transitions in Blade.
• Error Messaging: JSON-based error responses shown via toasts or alert boxes depending on stack.
• Theme: Kept the design minimal — light mode by default, with high contrast for accessibility.

Authentication & Payments – Handling Wallet Logins, Stripe, and Razorpay

One of the biggest challenges in building a PinkSale-style platform is combining Web3 wallet-based access with traditional authentication and payment systems. Here’s how I tackled it across both stacks.

---

Authentication

1. Web3 Wallet Login (MetaMask, WalletConnect)

Instead of email/password, most users log in via wallet signatures — this is standard in crypto platforms.

How It Works:

• User connects their wallet (e.g., MetaMask)
• App sends a nonce (random string)
• Wallet signs the nonce
• Backend verifies the signature and issues a JWT or session

Node.js Approach:

• Used ethers.js on frontend to sign the message
• Backend used ethers.utils.verifyMessage() to confirm wallet ownership
• Once verified, issued JWT token stored in local storage

const isValid = ethers.utils.verifyMessage(nonce, signature) === walletAddress;

Laravel Approach:

• Sent nonce to frontend via API
• Used kornrunner/ethereum package to validate the signature
• Generated Laravel Sanctum token after successful verification

---

2. Email/Password (Optional Admin Access)

Some clients preferred having email/password logins — especially for the admin panel or manual investors.

• In Node.js, I used bcrypt + JWT
• In Laravel, I used default Laravel Auth or Sanctum

---

Role Management

• Both stacks support role-based access (admin, project owner, investor)
• Added middleware to restrict routes based on role
  • Example: Only admins can approve presales
  • Only presale creators can edit their listing

---

Payment Integration (For Add-ons & Fees)

If you’re charging fees for token audits, featured listings, or advanced tools, you need a payment gateway.

Stripe Integration

Why Stripe?
Most international clients preferred Stripe for card payments.

• In React, I used @stripe/react-stripe-js
• In Node.js, used stripe NPM package to create payment intents

const paymentIntent = await stripe.paymentIntents.create({
  amount: 2000,
  currency: "usd",
  metadata: { userId }
});

• In Laravel, used laravel/cashier for Stripe
  • Great for handling subscriptions or one-time payments
  • Stripe webhook routes handled status updates

---

Razorpay Integration (for Indian market)

Some clients requested Razorpay support.

• In Node, used Razorpay’s Node SDK and created orders server-side
• In Laravel, used Guzzle to create Razorpay orders and verify signatures manually

---

Payment Use Cases Implemented

• Presale boost/featured listing
• Optional KYC or audit fee
• Platform service fee on each presale launch (flat or %)

Fees were stored in the database and linked to the presales table or user account.

---

Security Tips

• Always verify wallet signatures server-side
• Rate-limit signature requests and payment attempts
• Secure all payment webhooks (Stripe or Razorpay)
• Store minimal user data; rely on wallet addresses for identity

---

In short:

• Web3 logins make onboarding frictionless
• Stripe/Razorpay support opens up revenue opportunities
• Laravel makes auth and payments easy to scaffold
• Node.js gives you more control for custom workflows

Testing & Deployment – CI/CD, Docker, and Going Live

Shipping a production-grade PinkSale clone means more than just writing clean code. You need to test for reliability, containerize for portability, and automate deployment so updates don’t break the app.

Here’s how I handled it — using a practical, real-world setup that works for both Node.js and Laravel projects.

---

1. Testing Strategy

JavaScript Stack (Node.js + React)

• Unit Tests:
  • Backend: Mocha + Chai for API logic (presaleController.test.js)
  • Frontend: React Testing Library + Jest for component behavior
• Integration Tests:
  • Used Supertest to hit API endpoints and mock wallet interactions
• End-to-End Tests:
  • Cypress for testing real user flows like wallet login → presale creation → investment → token claim

PHP Stack (Laravel)

• Unit & Feature Tests:
  • Used PHPUnit and Laravel’s built-in artisan test runner
  • Tested API endpoints (e.g., presale submission, KYC uploads)
  • Validated form requests and role-based access
• Mock Blockchain Data:
  • Stubbed responses for API integrations like BscScan or Etherscan

---

2. Containerization with Docker

Whether PHP or Node.js, Docker made it easy to manage environments across local, staging, and production.

Docker for Node.js

FROM node:18
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN npm install
CMD ["npm", "run", "start"]

• Used Docker Compose to spin up services like MongoDB, Redis, and Node API together

Docker for Laravel

FROM php:8.2-fpm
COPY . /var/www
RUN docker-php-ext-install pdo_mysql


Paired with MySQL container, Redis, and Nginx proxy

Both setups included .env files and environment-specific configs for security keys, DB URLs, and API credentials.

3. CI/CD Pipelines
Used GitHub Actions for both stacks:

For Node.js:
Linted code with ESLint

Ran unit tests on push

Built Docker image and deployed to VPS with SSH or pushed to Docker Hub

For Laravel:
Used pint for Laravel code formatting

Ran php artisan test

Committed build artifacts and triggered rsync deployment or GitHub action for server push

Optional: Set up Forge (for Laravel) or PM2 (for Node.js) for smoother deployments and monitoring.

4. Process Management and Hosting
Node.js:
PM2 to keep the backend running

Logs rotated via PM2 ecosystem

Used NGINX as a reverse proxy + SSL via Let’s Encrypt

Laravel:
Apache or NGINX depending on server

.env files for staging/production separation

Queues managed via Supervisor for background tasks

5. Monitoring & Rollbacks
Set up UptimeRobot or BetterStack to monitor API uptime

Used Sentry (JS) and Flare (Laravel) for error logging

Regular DB dumps and .tar.gz file backups automated via cron

Takeaways
Tool/Task Node.js Stack Laravel Stack
Unit Testing Mocha + Chai PHPUnit
E2E Testing Cypress Laravel Dusk (optional)
Deployment Docker + PM2 + GitHub Actions Docker + Forge/Envoyer
Server Monitoring PM2 + NGINX + Sentry Supervisor + NGINX + Flare
CI/CD GitHub Actions + SSH Deploy GitHub Actions + Forge or rsync

With everything set up right, deployment became a non-event — updates took seconds, rollbacks were one command, and we never missed uptime.

Pro Tips – Speed, Scaling, and Real-World Lessons

After launching multiple PinkSale-style platforms, I’ve learned a few things the hard way — around performance, scalability, design pitfalls, and edge cases that don’t show up in MVP checklists. Here’s what I’d share if you were sitting across the table asking, “How do I avoid surprises?”

---

1. Speed Up Smart Contract Reads

Web3 calls can slow down your frontend if you’re not caching them.

• Use a read-through cache: Store token metadata (symbol, decimals, total supply) in your DB after first fetch.
• Invalidate daily: If something changes, re-validate with a background job or cron script.

Whether using Node.js or Laravel, caching can shave off unnecessary API requests and make listings load 2x faster.

---

2. Design for Mobile First

Many token buyers use mobile wallets like Trust Wallet or MetaMask on mobile browsers.

• React stack: Use useMediaQuery or Tailwind’s responsive utilities to stack components.
• Blade stack: Stick to flex/grid layouts and test every form on Safari mobile.

Avoid hover-only actions. Test modal behavior on mobile. Keep forms vertical, not side-by-side.

---

3. Presale State Machine

Don’t just rely on dates for presale status. Use a proper state machine logic:

• draft → submitted → approved → live → ended → finalized

This gives admins more control and avoids bugs where a presale goes live too early or misses approval.

---

4. Handle Abandoned Presales

A lot of users start but don’t finish setting up their presale. I set up:

• A lastUpdatedAt field
• A daily cron that deletes or archives drafts older than 7 days
• Optional reminder emails (if email is collected)

Helps keep your dashboard clean and lowers DB clutter.

---

5. Cache Listings & Stats

Your landing page will hit /api/presales?status=live hard. Cache this API endpoint at the controller level or use a Redis layer.

• In Node: Use node-cache or Redis middleware.
• In Laravel: Use Cache::remember() for dynamic responses.

Set cache TTL to ~60 seconds — fast enough for users, light enough on infra.

---

6. Audit Log for Admins

Admins need traceability, especially if you’re dealing with real investor money.

• Log every action: approvals, suspensions, edits.
• Store admin_id, timestamp, and IP address.
• Laravel: Use model observers.
• Node.js: Use a middleware logger or Winston with MongoDB transport.

---

7. Cross-Chain Expansion

Start with one chain (e.g., BSC) and keep the chain ID + RPC logic configurable.

Later, add multi-chain toggles and allow users to choose chain during presale creation.

---

Bonus Advice: Don’t Skip Testing Wallet UX

Connect, disconnect, change chain — simulate all of it. Users get confused fast if your wallet connection breaks or MetaMask is on the wrong chain.

Final Thoughts – Lessons Learned & When to Go Custom vs Ready-Made

Looking back, building a PinkSale clone from scratch taught me more than just how to handle blockchain data or integrate wallets. It forced me to think like a founder — about user experience, trust, security, and scale.

Whether I was building in Node.js with React or Laravel with Blade, the core lesson was this: don’t just copy the product — understand the ecosystem. IDO launchpads like PinkSale succeed because they balance flexibility for token creators with trust signals for investors. Your app needs to do the same.

So, should you build custom or go with a ready-made base?

Go Ready-Made if you’re looking to validate quickly, serve agency clients, or launch under tight deadlines.

Build Custom if you need deep smart contract integration, want full UI/UX control, or have a unique monetization model in mind.

Ready to Launch Your Own PinkSale Clone?

If you’re serious about launching your own IDO launchpad, you don’t need to start from scratch like I did. We’ve built a flexible, production-ready PinkSale Clone that’s:

• Built with both Node.js and PHP stack options
• Integrated with Web3 wallets and multi-chain support
• Admin-ready with full control over presales, listings, and fees

Let’s make your launchpad a reality. Explore the PinkSale Clone now →
Let’s build the future of token launches — together.

FAQs – Founder Questions, Answered