Interacting with the Cardano Blockchain using JavaScript

Cardano is a public, proof of stake, decentralized, third-generation blockchain community based in 2015 by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson.

The Cardano blockchain was constructed to foster interoperability throughout blockchains, scalability, and decentralization to foster mass adoption.

Cardano improvement is natively in Plutus, Marlowe, or Glow; Nevertheless, the Cardano group supplies an SDK for improvement in JavaScript and different programming languages.

This tutorial will information you thru getting began with Cardano improvement in Javascript utilizing Cardanocli-js and Cardano-wallet-js.

What are Cardanocli-JS and Cardano WalletJS?

Cardanocli-js is the preferred javascript SDK for Cardano blockchain improvement. It helps a variety of functionalities you’ll must develop on the Cardano blockchain together with minting NFTs.

Cardano-wallet-js is a javascript SDK for Cardano blockchain improvement with typescript help. It may be used to create native tokens and NFTs together with a number of functionalities.

On this publication, you’ll learn to combine Cardano blockchain functionalities like creating wallets, stake swimming pools, and getting community data in your Javascript apps.

Stipulations

To get began, you’ll must have these put in in your laptop/machine.

1. Obtain and set up NodeJs from the NodeJs official website, it’s greatest that you just obtain the newest LTS model of NodeJS.
2. Obtain and Set up the CardanoCli executable in your machine, This can be a dependency for CardanoCli-JS SDK because it helps with connecting to Cardano blockchain nodes which it’s good to question and develop on the Cardano blockchain.
3. Cardanocli-JS may be put in utilizing this command after you will have put in NodeJs: npm set up cardanocli-js
4. Cardano-wallet-js may be put in utilizing this npm command:npm set up cardano-wallet-js

Cardano-wallet-js requires that you’ve a cardano-wallet server operating. you should utilize docker to begin a server by operating the command beneath or observe these instructions to get a pockets cardano-wallet server up and operating.

wget <https://uncooked.githubusercontent.com/input-output-hk/cardano-wallet/grasp/docker-compose.yml>

NETWORK=testnet docker-compose up

Select a textual content editor or IDE of your alternative. I’ll be utilizing Jetbrains Webstorm on this tutorial.

After you have all these setups, create a javascript file in your workspace for this tutorial.

I’m utilizing Ubuntu OS, when you’re utilizing Home windows or macOS, there could be slight variations in setup.

Getting Began utilizing Cardanocli-js

Connecting to a Cardano Node with Cardanocli-js

Get a node build number for the IOHK website. The node construct quantity is the quantity within the URL whenever you open the hyperlink in your browser.

Create a bash script in your workspace and enter these instructions.

wget -N <https://hydra.iohk.io/construct/${NBM}/obtain/1/mainnet-shelley-genesis.json>

Exchange ${NBM} with the node construct quantity from the web site and run the bash script utilizing this command in your terminal.

chmod +x fileName.sh

./fileName.sh

The primary line modifications permissions to make the file executable whereas the second line executes the file, making a JSON configuration file in your workspace with the mandatory configurations.

The configuration file helps with connecting to a Cardano node on the mainnet or testnet as you specify in your program.

Cardano Improvement Utilizing Cardanocli-js

First, you import the cardanocli-js SDK to be used in your program. On this case, it’s named clijs.

const clijs = require("cardanocli-js")

Subsequent, it’s important to create an occasion of the import the place you’ll specify the community, the configurations file path, and an output listing.

const cclijs = new cjs({
community: "mainnet",

listing: __dirname + "output Listing right here",

shelleyGenesisPath: __dirname + "config file path right here"
})

The community might be a mainnet or testnet relying in your use case.

You possibly can testnet as you observe this tutorial and mainnet in improvement.

Now that you’ve arrange a blockchain connection occasion, you’ll be able to carry out a number of operations with Cardanocli-js

Making a Cardano Pockets utilizing Cardanocli-js

Making a Cardano pockets is pretty simple; it’s important to specify a pockets title as parameters in strategies of your cardanocli-js occasion as proven beneath.

const createAWallet = (walletName) => {
cclijs.addressKeyGen(walletName)

cclijs.stakeAddressKeyGen(walletName)

cclijs.stakeAddressBuild(walletName)

cclijs.addressBuild(walletName)

return cclijs.pockets(walletName)

}

The operate above creates a pockets with the title specified when the operate is known as.

console.log(createAWallet('your pockets title right here"))

As soon as the operate is executed onchain, a listing named priv might be created in your specified outputs folder containing the non-public and public keys for the pockets you simply created.

Querying Pockets Balances utilizing Cardanocli-js

You possibly can question for pockets balances by specifying the title of the pockets within the pockets methodology of your cardanocli-js occasion.

const getBalances = (walletName) => {
const question = cardano.pockets(walletName)

return question.stability()
}

The operate above returns the pockets stability of the desired pockets title in a JSON format as thus.

{
utxo : [

    {

        txHash: "7436d178c092222396bd0b5cb71211bd87b098bb9e7e98d1a0f41390c1604711",

        txId: 0,

        amount: [Object]

    }

],

    quantity:

{

    lovelace : 350000000

}

Within the output above, it’s assumed that the pockets has the Cardano native asset $ADA.

The stability is displayed in Lovelaces, which may be transformed to ADA by dividing the worth by a million.

Making a Stake Pool utilizing Cardanocli-js

Stake swimming pools are the customized names for Cardano nodes. They function just like Ethereum nodes besides that Cardano is a proof of stake blockchain.

Stake swimming pools may be public or non-public they usually have a public tackle to which community individuals can delegate their ADA tokens for rewards.

Making a stake pool utilizing Cardanocli-js is as simple, and just like making a pockets.

const createAStakePool = (poolName) => {
cclijs.nodeKeyGenKES(poolName);

cclijs.nodeKeyGen(poolName);

cclijs.nodeIssueOpCert(poolName);

cclijs.nodeKeyGenVRF(poolName);

return cclijs.pool(poolName);
};

The operate above creates a stakepool related to the title you’ve specified and outputs recordsdata in your specified listing simply because the createAWallet operate did. The operate returns the pool title when it’s known as.

console.log(createAWallet('your stakepool title right here"))

You have got efficiently created a Cardano stake pool and identical to whenever you created a pockets above, the recordsdata have been created in your output listing.

Getting Began with Cardano-wallet-js

After you have put in Cardano-wallet-js, you’ll be able to import it to be used.

const { seed, WalletServer: walletserver } = require('cardano-wallet-js');

let walletServer = WalletServer.init('Your pockets server host URL');

The pockets server occasion is created and initialized utilizing the hyperlink to your pockets server. The seed might be used for pockets creation.

Making a Pockets utilizing Cardano-wallet-js

Making a Cardano pockets utilizing Cardano-wallet-js is extra sensible than Cardanocli-js. You possibly can create a pockets utilizing the operate beneath.

let recoveryPhrase = seed.generateRecoveryPhrase()

let passPhrase = "title"

let walletName = "title"

let pockets = await walletServer.createOrRestoreShelleyWallet(walletName, mnemonic, passPhrase)

console.log(seed.toMnemonicList(recoveryPhrase))

Within the code above, the seed is used to generate a restoration phrase, then, the passPhrase and walletName variables are created and handed into the pockets variable which creates or restores a Cardano Shelley pockets.

The final line logs the checklist of mnemonics to the console, Shelly period pockets mnemonics are 24 phrases.

Querying Cardano Blockchain Info

You possibly can question the state of the Cardano blockchain utilizing the getNetworkInformation methodology on the pockets server occasion you created.

let question = await walletServer.getNetworkInformation()

console.log(question)

This could output a JSON containing numerous parameters akin to community standing, node data, blockchain sync progress, and epoch data from which you’ll choose the precise information you want.

Querying Pockets Tackle Transactions

Querying the transactions of a pockets tackle can come in useful in lots of circumstances. You are able to do that utilizing the getTransactions methodology of the pockets occasion.

let transactions = await pockets.getTransactions();

console.log(transactions)

You possibly can move in a date vary into the getTransactions methodology to pick out transactions in a particular date vary.

Querying Particular Transaction Particulars

Performance for querying particular transaction particulars may be executed by passing the transaction ID of the transaction.

let transaction = await pockets.getTransaction("transaction id");

The transaction ID is a set of random strings assigned after a transaction was accomplished and may be copied from the pockets or blockchain supplier.

Conclusion

The Cardanocli-js and Cardano-wallet-js SDKs make it simple to work together with the Cardano blockchain utilizing Javascript as an alternative of writing Plutus, Marlowe Glow, or Bash Scripts to work together with the blockchain.