diff --git a/abci/Cargo.toml b/abci/Cargo.toml
index 5efe1a9..7eaafeb 100644
--- a/abci/Cargo.toml
+++ b/abci/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,30 +16,38 @@ rust-version.workspace = true
 version.workspace = true
 
 [features]
-default = [
-    "server",
-    "docker-tests",
-    "crypto",
-    "tcp",
-    "unix",
-    "grpc",
-    "tracing-span",
-]
+# By default, include the server feature together with both tcp and unix transports.
+default = ["server", "docker-tests", "crypto", "tcp", "unix", "tracing-span"]
 # docker-tests includes integration tests that require docker to be available
 docker-tests = ["server"]
+# Enable server support; this is most likely what you want (plus `tcp` and/or `unix`)
 server = [
     "tracing-subscriber/fmt",
+    "tenderdash-proto/server",
     "dep:tokio",
     "dep:tokio-util",
     "dep:futures",
+    "std",
 ]
-# std is deprecated, use "grpc" instead
-std = ["grpc"]
-grpc = ["tenderdash-proto/grpc"]
+# DEPRECATED; use `server` instead
+grpc = ["server"]
+
+# Disable no_std support
+std = ["tenderdash-proto/std"]
+
+# Include crypto features, like signature verification
 crypto = ["dep:lhash"]
+
+# Include server TCP support
 tcp = ["server"]
+
+# Include server unix socket support
 unix = ["server"]
+
+# Include `tracing` crate spans
 tracing-span = ["dep:uuid"]
+
+# Include `serde` support
 serde = ["tenderdash-proto/serde", "dep:serde_json"]
 
 [[example]]
diff --git a/abci/src/lib.rs b/abci/src/lib.rs
index 98d3abd..e1bab25 100644
--- a/abci/src/lib.rs
+++ b/abci/src/lib.rs
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ pub enum Error {
     #[error("connection error")]
     Connection(#[from] io::Error),
     #[error("cannot decode protobuf message")]
-    Decode(#[from] DecodeError),
+    Decode(DecodeError),
     #[error("cannot encode protobuf message")]
-    Encode(#[from] EncodeError),
+    Encode(EncodeError),
     #[error("cannot create canonical message: {0}")]
     Canonical(String),
     #[error("server terminated")]
@@ -49,3 +49,17 @@ pub enum Error {
     #[error("async runtime error")]
     Async(String),
 }
+
+// manually implemented due to no_std compatibility
+impl From<EncodeError> for Error {
+    fn from(error: EncodeError) -> Error {
+        Error::Encode(error)
+    }
+}
+
+// manually implemented due to no_std compatibility
+impl From<DecodeError> for Error {
+    fn from(error: DecodeError) -> Error {
+        Error::Decode(error)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/abci/src/server/generic.rs b/abci/src/server/generic.rs
index 75b08d0..fd63d80 100644
--- a/abci/src/server/generic.rs
+++ b/abci/src/server/generic.rs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ impl<App: RequestDispatcher> GenericServer<App, UnixListener> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a, App: RequestDispatcher + 'a, L: Listener> Server for GenericServer<App, L>
+impl<App: RequestDispatcher, L: Listener> Server for GenericServer<App, L>
 where
     L: Listener + Send + Sync + 'static,
     L::Addr: Send + Debug,
diff --git a/proto-compiler/Cargo.toml b/proto-compiler/Cargo.toml
index cedec0c..cbd5dca 100644
--- a/proto-compiler/Cargo.toml
+++ b/proto-compiler/Cargo.toml
@@ -26,9 +26,4 @@ tonic-build = { version = "0.12.3", optional = true }
 [features]
 default = []
 # Enable gRPC support; needed by server and client features.
-# Conflicts with no_std
 grpc = ["dep:tonic-build"]
-# Build the gRPC server. Requires tenderdash-proto/grpc feature.
-server = ["grpc"]
-# Build the gRPC client. Requires tenderdash-proto/grpc feature.
-client = ["grpc"]
diff --git a/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs b/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs
index f5f7fec..d31d59d 100644
--- a/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs
+++ b/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 //! Tenderdash protobuf implementation
 
+use std::fmt::Display;
+
 // Requirements
 pub const DEP_PROTOC_VERSION: f32 = 25.0;
 
@@ -7,30 +9,36 @@ pub const DEP_PROTOC_VERSION: f32 = 25.0;
 pub const TENDERDASH_REPO: &str = "https://github.com/dashpay/tenderdash";
 
 /// How to generate the protobuf files.
-
 pub enum GenerationMode {
     /// Generate the files using `tonic` and put them into `tenderdash_grpc`
     /// module.
-    Grpc,
+    GrpcServer,
+    /// Generate minimal gRPC client using tonic, without transport
+    /// implementation. Put them into `tenderdash_grpc_client` module.
+    GrpcClient,
     /// Generate the files without `std` and put them into `tenderdash_nostd`
     /// module.
     NoStd,
 }
+
 impl GenerationMode {
     pub fn module_name(&self) -> String {
         match self {
-            GenerationMode::Grpc => "tenderdash_grpc".to_string(),
+            GenerationMode::GrpcServer => "tenderdash_grpc".to_string(),
+            GenerationMode::GrpcClient => "tenderdash_grpc_client".to_string(),
             GenerationMode::NoStd => "tenderdash_nostd".to_string(),
         }
     }
 }
 
-impl ToString for GenerationMode {
-    fn to_string(&self) -> String {
-        match self {
-            GenerationMode::Grpc => "tonic".to_string(),
+impl Display for GenerationMode {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        let mode = match self {
+            GenerationMode::GrpcServer => "grpc-client-server".to_string(),
+            GenerationMode::GrpcClient => "grpc-client".to_string(),
             GenerationMode::NoStd => "nostd".to_string(),
-        }
+        };
+        write!(f, "{}", mode)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs b/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs
index 7016fbb..cd70592 100644
--- a/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs
+++ b/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ pub mod meta {{
         tenderdash_commitish(),
         abci_ver,
         td_ver,
-        mode.to_string(),
+        mode,
     );
 
     let mut file =
diff --git a/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs b/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs
index fa21dfa..e0d237e 100644
--- a/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs
+++ b/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs
@@ -124,14 +124,29 @@ pub fn proto_compile(mode: GenerationMode) {
     println!("[info] => Creating structs.");
 
     match mode {
-        GenerationMode::Grpc => {
+        GenerationMode::GrpcServer => {
             #[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
             tonic_build::configure()
+                .build_client(true)
+                .build_server(true)
+                .build_transport(true)
                 .generate_default_stubs(true)
                 .compile_protos_with_config(pb, &protos, &proto_includes_paths)
                 .unwrap();
             #[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
-            panic!("grpc feature is required to compile {}", mode.to_string());
+            panic!("grpc feature is required to compile {}", mode);
+        },
+        GenerationMode::GrpcClient => {
+            #[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+            tonic_build::configure()
+                .build_client(true)
+                .build_server(false)
+                .build_transport(false)
+                .generate_default_stubs(true)
+                .compile_protos_with_config(pb, &protos, &proto_includes_paths)
+                .unwrap();
+            #[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+            panic!("grpc feature is required to compile {}", mode);
         },
         GenerationMode::NoStd => {
             pb.compile_protos(&protos, &proto_includes_paths).unwrap();
diff --git a/proto/Cargo.toml b/proto/Cargo.toml
index 074f422..7ef35e5 100644
--- a/proto/Cargo.toml
+++ b/proto/Cargo.toml
@@ -34,16 +34,22 @@ all-features = true
 #
 # Sometimes cleaning the build cache with `cargo clean` might be necessary to solve
 # issues related to outdated generated files.
-default = ["grpc"]
+default = ["server"]
 
-# Enable standard library support; DEPRECATED - use `grpc` instead
-std = ["grpc"]
-# Build gRPC server using tonic
-grpc = [
+# Enable standard library support; required by `client` and `server`
+std = ["client"]
+# Enable gRPC support using tonic; DEPRECATED, consider using `server` or `client` instead
+grpc = ["client"]
+# Build gRPC server using tonic. Includes `client` feature.
+server = ["client", "tonic/transport"]
+# Build minimal gRPC client using tonic, without transport
+client = [
+    "tenderdash-proto-compiler/grpc",
     "prost/std",
-    "tenderdash-proto-compiler/server",
-    "tenderdash-proto-compiler/client",
     "dep:tonic",
+    "tonic/codegen",
+    "tonic/prost",
+    "std",
 ]
 
 serde = ["dep:serde", "bytes/serde"]
@@ -53,7 +59,7 @@ bytes = { version = "1.7", default-features = false }
 prost = { version = "0.13", default-features = false, features = [
     "prost-derive",
 ] }
-tonic = { version = "0.12.3", optional = true }
+tonic = { version = "0.12.3", optional = true, default-features = false }
 serde = { version = "1.0.208", default-features = false, features = [
     "derive",
 ], optional = true }
diff --git a/proto/build.rs b/proto/build.rs
index f0a79ad..e14b3b4 100644
--- a/proto/build.rs
+++ b/proto/build.rs
@@ -13,8 +13,16 @@ fn main() {
         env::set_var("TENDERDASH_COMMITISH", DEFAULT_VERSION);
     }
 
-    #[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
-    tenderdash_proto_compiler::proto_compile(GenerationMode::Grpc);
+    // build gRPC server and client
+    // note it should be safe to build both server and client; we will just not use
+    // them in the lib.rs
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "server")]
+    // build gRPC server (includes client)
+    tenderdash_proto_compiler::proto_compile(GenerationMode::GrpcServer);
+    #[cfg(feature = "client")]
+    // build gRPC client only
+    tenderdash_proto_compiler::proto_compile(GenerationMode::GrpcClient);
     // we always build nostd version
     tenderdash_proto_compiler::proto_compile(GenerationMode::NoStd);
 
diff --git a/proto/src/.gitignore b/proto/src/.gitignore
index 40ad867..032989a 100644
--- a/proto/src/.gitignore
+++ b/proto/src/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 tenderdash_nostd/
 tenderdash_grpc/
+tenderdash_grpc_client/
 
 # prost/ and tenderdash.rs are deprecated and can be removed in the future
 prost/
diff --git a/proto/src/error.rs b/proto/src/error.rs
index ea92b87..9ef24ba 100644
--- a/proto/src/error.rs
+++ b/proto/src/error.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 //! This module defines the various errors that be raised during Protobuf
 //! conversions.
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::{convert::TryFrom, fmt::Display, num::TryFromIntError};
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::{fmt::Display, num::TryFromIntError};
 
 use flex_error::{define_error, DisplayOnly};
diff --git a/proto/src/lib.rs b/proto/src/lib.rs
index 399fa72..0b35a5d 100644
--- a/proto/src/lib.rs
+++ b/proto/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 //! tenderdash-proto library gives the developer access to the Tenderdash
 //! proto-defined structs.
-
-#![cfg_attr(not(feature = "grpc"), no_std)]
+#![cfg_attr(not(feature = "std"), no_std)]
 #![deny(warnings, trivial_casts, trivial_numeric_casts, unused_import_braces)]
 #![allow(clippy::large_enum_variant)]
+#![allow(clippy::doc_lazy_continuation)]
 #![forbid(unsafe_code)]
 
 extern crate alloc;
@@ -21,29 +21,42 @@ pub mod google {
 
 mod error;
 
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::{
     convert::{TryFrom, TryInto},
     fmt::Display,
 };
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::fmt::Display;
 
 use bytes::{Buf, BufMut};
 pub use error::Error;
 pub use prost;
 use prost::{encoding::encoded_len_varint, Message};
+
+#[cfg(not(any(feature = "server", feature = "client")))]
 #[rustfmt::skip]
+#[allow(clippy::empty_docs)]
 pub mod tenderdash_nostd;
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
-// Re-export the nostd module only if the std one is not available
-pub use tenderdash_nostd::*;
 
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "server")]
 #[rustfmt::skip]
+#[allow(clippy::empty_docs)]
 pub mod tenderdash_grpc;
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "client")]
+#[rustfmt::skip]
+#[allow(clippy::empty_docs)]
+pub mod tenderdash_grpc_client;
+
+// Now, re-export correct module
+
+#[cfg(feature = "server")]
 pub use tenderdash_grpc::*;
+#[cfg(all(not(feature = "server"), feature = "client"))]
+pub use tenderdash_grpc_client::*;
+#[cfg(all(not(feature = "server"), not(feature = "client")))]
+pub use tenderdash_nostd::*;
+
 #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 pub mod serializers;
 mod time;
diff --git a/proto/src/prelude.rs b/proto/src/prelude.rs
index 7fa30e1..24c0d3d 100644
--- a/proto/src/prelude.rs
+++ b/proto/src/prelude.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ pub use alloc::{
 };
 pub use core::prelude::v1::*;
 
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 pub use tonic;
 
 pub use crate::time::{FromMillis, ToMillis};
diff --git a/proto/src/protobuf.rs b/proto/src/protobuf.rs
index c97a113..6d441d7 100644
--- a/proto/src/protobuf.rs
+++ b/proto/src/protobuf.rs
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 // Prost does not seem to have a way yet to remove documentations defined in
 // protobuf files. These structs are defined in gogoproto v1.3.1 at https://github.com/gogo/protobuf/tree/v1.3.1/protobuf/google/protobuf
 
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::fmt;
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::fmt;
 
 /// A Timestamp represents a point in time independent of any time zone or local
diff --git a/proto/src/serializers/from_str.rs b/proto/src/serializers/from_str.rs
index c1536ab..0544cc7 100644
--- a/proto/src/serializers/from_str.rs
+++ b/proto/src/serializers/from_str.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 //! Serialize and deserialize any `T` that implements [[core::str::FromStr]]
 //! and [[core::fmt::Display]] from or into string. Note this can be used for
 //! all primitive data types.
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::{fmt::Display, str::FromStr};
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::{fmt::Display, str::FromStr};
 
 use serde::{de::Error as _, Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
diff --git a/proto/src/serializers/part_set_header_total.rs b/proto/src/serializers/part_set_header_total.rs
index f55b977..17c9222 100644
--- a/proto/src/serializers/part_set_header_total.rs
+++ b/proto/src/serializers/part_set_header_total.rs
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
 //! Tendermint Core v0.34.0. This deserializer allows backwards-compatibility by
 //! deserializing both ways. See also: <https://github.com/informalsystems/tendermint-rs/issues/679>
 
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::{convert::TryFrom, fmt::Formatter};
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::fmt::Formatter;
 
 use serde::{
diff --git a/proto/src/serializers/time_duration.rs b/proto/src/serializers/time_duration.rs
index 0bdc33a..f30e943 100644
--- a/proto/src/serializers/time_duration.rs
+++ b/proto/src/serializers/time_duration.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! Serialize/deserialize core::time::Duration type from and into string:
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::time::Duration;
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 use serde::{de::Error as _, Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
diff --git a/proto/src/serializers/timestamp.rs b/proto/src/serializers/timestamp.rs
index aa4af9c..5068736 100644
--- a/proto/src/serializers/timestamp.rs
+++ b/proto/src/serializers/timestamp.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! Serialize/deserialize Timestamp type from and into string:
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::fmt::{self, Debug};
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::fmt::{self, Debug};
 
 use serde::{de::Error as _, ser::Error, Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
diff --git a/proto/src/time.rs b/proto/src/time.rs
index 4ab3c18..ab0915c 100644
--- a/proto/src/time.rs
+++ b/proto/src/time.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 //! Time conversion traits and functions
 
+// Most likely we build nostd
+#[cfg(not(any(feature = "server", feature = "client")))]
+use crate::format;
 use crate::{google::protobuf::Timestamp, Error};
 pub trait ToMillis {
     /// Convert protobuf timestamp into milliseconds since epoch
-
+    ///
     /// Note there is a resolution difference, as timestamp uses nanoseconds
     ///
     /// # Arguments
diff --git a/proto/tests/unit.rs b/proto/tests/unit.rs
index ba59705..295297e 100644
--- a/proto/tests/unit.rs
+++ b/proto/tests/unit.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#[cfg(not(feature = "grpc"))]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core::convert::TryFrom;
 
 use tenderdash_proto::{