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
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)
Key Features
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.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.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
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.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
Architecture Overview
Default Governance Settings
| Setting | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Creator Allocation | 1% | Tokens sent to DAO creator (auto-delegated) |
| Treasury Allocation | 99% | Tokens held in TimelockController |
| Quorum | 1% | Minimum participation for valid proposals |
| Proposal Threshold | 1% | Tokens required to create proposals |
| Voting Delay | 1 day | Time before voting starts after proposal creation |
| Voting Period | 1 week | Duration of the voting period |
| Timelock Delay | 1 day | Execution delay after proposal passes |
Supported Networks
CreateDAO v2 is deployed on:- Base (Mainnet)
- Sepolia (Testnet)
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
Open Source
All code is publicly available and open source:- Contracts Repository: createDAO/v2-core
- Interface Repository: createDAO/interface
- License: MIT License