feat: add support for private key authentication in environment configuration

.env.example

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 MNEMONIC="{INSERT_12_WORD_MNEMONIC}"
+PRIVATE_KEY="{INSERT_0x_PRIVATE_KEY}"
 
 INFURA_API_KEY="{INSERT_API_KEY}"
 ALCHEMY_API_KEY="{INSERT_API_KEY}"

README.md

@@ -67,7 +67,11 @@
 
 ### Pre Requisites
 
-Before installing, create a `.env` file and set a BIP-39 compatible mnemonic and other env criteria as in `.env.example`.
+Before installing, create a `.env` file and set the authentication method and other env criteria as in `.env.example`.
+
+You can authenticate with either:
+- `PRIVATE_KEY` — a raw hex private key (e.g. `0x123...`). Takes priority if both are set.
+- `MNEMONIC` — a BIP-39 compatible 12-word mnemonic phrase. Used as fallback when `PRIVATE_KEY` is not set.
 
 ### Install
 

hardhat.config.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ const mnemonic: string =
   process.env.MNEMONIC ?? DEFAULT_MNEMONIC;
 const alchemyApiKey: string | undefined =
   process.env.ALCHEMY_API_KEY;
+const privateKey: string | undefined =
+  process.env.PRIVATE_KEY;
 
 const chainIds = {
   // "{INSERT_NAME}": {INSERT_ID},
@@ -43,7 +45,9 @@ function getChainConfig(
   const jsonRpcUrl =
     "https://" + chain + ".g.alchemy.com/v2/" + alchemyApiKey;
   return {
-    accounts: {
+    accounts: privateKey
+      ? [privateKey]
+      : {
           count: 10,
           mnemonic,
           path: "m/44'/60'/0'/0",