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; Nonetheless, the Cardano group offers 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 assist. 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 info in your Javascript apps.

Conditions

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

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

Cardano-wallet-js requires that you’ve got a cardano-wallet server working. you need to use docker to begin a server by working the command beneath or comply with these directions to get a pockets cardano-wallet server up and working.

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 selection. 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, if you happen to’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 construct quantity for the IOHK web site. The node construct quantity is the quantity within the URL if 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>

Change ${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 adjustments 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 Growth 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, you need 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’ll be able to testnet as you comply with this tutorial and mainnet in improvement.

Now that you’ve got 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; you need to specify a pockets identify 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 perform above creates a pockets with the identify specified when the perform known as.

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

As soon as the perform is executed onchain, a listing named priv can 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’ll be able to question for pockets balances by specifying the identify of the pockets within the pockets methodology of your cardanocli-js occasion.

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

return question.steadiness()
}

The perform above returns the pockets steadiness of the desired pockets identify 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 steadiness is displayed in Lovelaces, which could 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 much like Ethereum nodes besides that Cardano is a proof of stake blockchain.

Stake swimming pools could be public or non-public and so they have a public deal with to which community contributors can delegate their ADA tokens for rewards.

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

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

cclijs.nodeKeyGen(poolName);

cclijs.nodeIssueOpCert(poolName);

cclijs.nodeKeyGenVRF(poolName);

return cclijs.pool(poolName);
};

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

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

You will have efficiently created a Cardano stake pool and similar to if you created a pockets above, the information 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 can 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’ll be able to create a pockets utilizing the perform beneath.

let recoveryPhrase = seed.generateRecoveryPhrase()

let passPhrase = "identify"

let walletName = "identify"

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 Data

You’ll be able to 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 may output a JSON containing numerous parameters comparable to community standing, node info, blockchain sync progress, and epoch info from which you’ll be able to choose the particular information you want.

Querying Pockets Tackle Transactions

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

let transactions = await pockets.getTransactions();

console.log(transactions)

You’ll be able to cross in a date vary into the getTransactions methodology to pick out transactions in a selected date vary.

Querying Particular Transaction Particulars

Performance for querying particular transaction particulars could be performed 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 could 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 a substitute of writing Plutus, Marlowe Glow, or Bash Scripts to work together with the blockchain.