Introduction

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What is CreateDAO?

CreateDAO is an open-source platform for deploying complete, independent DAO governance systems on EVM-compatible blockchains. Built on battle-tested OpenZeppelin Governor contracts, CreateDAO v2 provides a secure, standardized foundation for decentralized organizations. Each DAO deployment includes three core components:

• DAOToken - ERC20 governance token with voting power (ERC20Votes)
• DAOGovernor - Proposal and voting management with OpenZeppelin extensions
• TimelockController - Secure treasury with execution delay

All three contracts are deployed in a single transaction via the DAOFactory, using the gas-efficient EIP-1167 minimal proxy (Clones) pattern.

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Why OpenZeppelin Governor?

Version 2 is a complete rewrite, rebuilt from the ground up using OpenZeppelin’s industry-standard governance contracts instead of custom implementations. This brings:

• Security: Battle-tested, audited contracts trusted by the ecosystem
• Compatibility: Works seamlessly with existing governance tools (Tally, Defender)
• Simplicity: Proven patterns instead of custom logic
• Standards: Full compliance with governance standards (ERC-6372, ERC-5805)

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Key Features

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Auto-Delegation

Token holders automatically receive voting power when they receive tokens for the first time. No manual delegation step required - your tokens are ready to vote immediately.

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Secure Treasury

The TimelockController holds 99% of the token supply and acts as the DAO’s treasury. All fund movements require governance approval and include a 1-day execution delay for security.

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Manager Role

Each DAO has an on-chain Manager address that can be queried via RPC. This role is designed for integration with DAO management platforms like OpenBook - providing on-chain authorization for off-chain operations. The Manager address:

• Is set to the DAO creator at deployment
• Can only be changed through governance proposals
• Serves as the “on-chain source of truth” for operational authority
• Enables trusted individuals to manage day-to-day operations while maintaining transparency

OpenBook Integration: OpenBook is a transparent ERP/CRM/POS platform built specifically for DAOs managing Real World Assets. It uses the Manager role to verify authorization while providing complete financial transparency - all accounting data is public, ensuring accountability without voting fatigue.

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Gas Efficient

Using EIP-1167 minimal proxies, each new DAO costs significantly less gas to deploy. Token and Governor contracts are only 45 bytes each, with all logic delegated to shared implementation contracts.

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Token Distribution

• 1% to Creator: Enables the creator to meet quorum and create initial proposals
• 99% to Treasury: Held securely in the TimelockController, distributed through governance

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Architecture Overview

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Default Governance Settings

All governance parameters can be updated later through governance proposals.

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Supported Networks

CreateDAO v2 is deployed on:

• Ethereum (Mainnet)
• Arbitrum One (L2)
• Sepolia (Testnet)

The DAOFactory uses deterministic CREATE2 deployment, enabling identical addresses across networks.

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Who is This Documentation For?

This documentation is intended for:

• Community Leaders & Founders: Launch a DAO for your project or organization
• Developers: Integrate with CreateDAO or build on top of it
• DAO Members: Understand how your CreateDAO-based organization functions
• Anyone Curious About DAOs: Learn about DAO architecture and the OpenZeppelin Governor pattern

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Open Source

All code is publicly available and open source:

• Contracts Repository: createDAO/v2-core
• Interface Repository: createDAO/interface
• License: MIT License

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Next Steps