On Ethereum, by inspecting a transaction on EtherScan, you are able to see the public chaincode used for that transaction.
I would like to see the chaincode used for the transaction, or maybe retrieve the current chaincode instantiated on the channel.
Is it possible, maybe from the SDK, to retrieve the code of the Hyperledger Contract and return it via API?
Ethereum is a public blockchain platform. On the other hand, Hyperledger Fabric is a private and permissioned blockchain platform.
It makes sense to be able to see the public smart contract used for a transaction in the case of Ethereum but the same concept doesn't apply to Hyperledger Fabric. A chaincode(smart contract) is a piece of code that is installed and instantiated through an SDK or CLI onto a network of Hyperledger Fabric peer nodes, enabling interaction with that network’s shared ledger.
You can call the chaincode APIs available to you like query, invoke, get history for a key, etc through SDK or CLI, but you can't get the entire code of chaincode.
Try to understand in this way. In a traditional app, you've your backend service and your frontend service, and they may run on the same or different servers. The frontend is able to interact with your backend service generally through the means of Rest APIs but does backend service ever allow you to see the entire codebase of it? Never.
The same concept applies here as well. Though the chaincode package is signed by every organization's member who is involved, and that is done to keep transparency in the network.
Also, I don't think there'll come any scenario where being able to see the chaincode from SDK or CLI would become crucial. The access to the chaincode codebase should be limited and the authorized member of the concerned organizations always have access to it.
Related
Since Hyperledger Fabric v1.2 there is the possibility to use "Private Data", see https://hyperledger-fabric.readthedocs.io/en/release-1.2/whatsnew.html
Is there a way to implement "Private Data Collections" via Hyperledger Composer - or is this only possible at the Fabric level?
To configure private data you need to define a JSON file and include it as part of the instantiation request. It's not possible to pass this configuration to the composer network start command so you cannot configure the private collection for a business network.
Composer has no explicit APIs or knowledge of private data. You could use the getNativeAPI to gain access to the stub to interact with the chaincode private apis but that won't be enough
From a client side composer does not support the transient map for invoke, nor does it support peer targetting (which you could get around by defining unique connection profiles in a card) which you need in order to use private data. In theory again you could use the getNativeAPI call to gain access to the node sdk client and try and do it yourself by knowing how to construct the correct JSON and appropriate function to invoke on the composer runtime chaincode, but then you will need to do all the work of collecting the responses and submitting to the orderer and waiting for events, this is not something that is recommended or anything composer would support.
As far as I know, you need to write your private data implementation in golang so composer doesn't support such feature. Maybe you can start to learn chaincode for fabric.
I have a multi-org fabric network where all the orgs are on a single channel.
I understand that using the composer acl file we can hide data from the users based on their roles and other conditions.
However, the data will be visible when we get into the peer container of any org and issue a peer channel fetch.
So, my question is, is there a way to encrypt this ledger data when the orgs shares the same channel? Here, they mention about encrypting the data. Is there any example/reference that can get me started on that one?
Currently, I'm not planning to use different channels between different orgs.
Yes, there are few ways to protect the ledger data. Like your mentioned in your question, Hyperledger Fabric FAQ, official gives five different ways to help us to achieve security and access control.
In the newest version of Fabric, which is tagged v1.2.0, provided a new definition called private data. I prefer to use this method to build my access control in my apps.
Since I am using Fabric Node SDK to deploy and control the fabric network, and it provides a convenient way for me to embed it into the exists projects.
Using the configuration file to define who can persist data, how many peers the data is distributed to, how many peers are required to disseminate the private data, and how long the private data is persisted in the private database. All the upgrade that you need to do is adding some parameters when install and instantiate, modifying some function to invoke the private data, writing some codes to handle the configuration file and users control.
It gives some examples for us to use this new feature:
Chaincode example
SDK example
I’m interested into the development of Blockchain Apps using Fabric and Composer.
I’ve got just one question: while Ethereum is a public blockchain so you can deploy your Smart Contract on it and use them freely, can we do the same thing with Fabric? Let me explain: Ethereum has a running Blockchain on which we can work and access, but Fabric has not, right? Should I set up an entire new blockchain network before (setting up all the nodes, giving permissions etc.)?
Thank you
Hyperledger Fabric is different to the blockchain systems you mention in it is private and permissioned. Rather than an open permissionless system that allows unknown identities to participate in the network (requiring protocols like “proof of work” to validate transactions and secure the network), the members of a Hyperledger Fabric network enroll through a trusted Membership Service Provider (MSP). Member organisations would generally set up their own Fabric infrastructure, if they're participating in the blockchain network (context provided earlier). See more on FAQ here -> http://hyperledger-fabric.readthedocs.io/en/release-1.2/Fabric-FAQ.html and understand more on key Fabric Concepts here -> http://hyperledger-fabric.readthedocs.io/en/release-1.2/key_concepts.html . As for Hyperledger Composer, that is a development framework, with tools etc to accelerate development and abstract things to a business level (ie App development using structure/validated, model driven development as a given). See more here -> https://hyperledger.github.io/composer/latest/introduction/introduction (and also see the architectural and key concept links there).
So yes, you will have a running, private blockchain network (including all of the functionality discussed in the docs) with Hyperledger Fabric.
As in Ethereum we can able to create public blockchain and then the user can able to run smart contract on it, same thing we can do in Hyperledger fabric also.
Hyperledger Fabric has the same functionality as smart contracts called as “chaincode”.
A chaincode is a program that is written to read and update the ledger state. All the business logic handled by chaincode.
For example, if a transaction created then chaincode share and update the ledger throughout the network.
About a Fabric based running blockchain we can work on it and can access it but that's only possible when someone from existing network invites you.
It is quite difficult to say you should setup an entire new blockchain network until I know your use case. Based on your use case you can setup an entire new blockchain network using fabric which will be private.
I have started to learn Hyperledger Fabric and Composer. I am able to create a simple Business Network using Composer and deploy it on Fabric, but I have a question. Let's say I have 2 BNA (instantiated on single channel) files both having same namespace (org.example) and having same participant name as well, as Customer (identifier will be org.example.Customer). Is there any way that I can access the participants created by first Business Network App in another Business Network App? Logically what I can think of is since both have been instantiated in the same channel with different chaincode and same model file, data should be cross accessible. But it isn't.
Although chaincodes share the same ledger when installed on the same channel (and as business networks are just chaincodes this applies to them also). Fabric still partitions the data that a chaincode can read/write by it's chaincode id. So when you install 2 business networks onto the same channel they will have different chaincode id's and so their data is separately partitioned.
As mentioned in the other answer (although the link is not quite correct), what you can do is make use of a feature of composer to be able to invoke another business network on the same or even different channel from the executing business network.
As the 2 business networks are on the same channel you can not only read information but you are also able to invoke transactions that can change information. (You can only read information if the business networks are on different channels).
The correct link for the tutorial is here
https://hyperledger.github.io/composer/latest/tutorials/invoke-composer-network
Unfortunately this tutorial is rather basic and only offers a glimpse of how to interact with other business networks.
Is available a tutorial about how to interact from a bna to another one.
Here the link to the official Hyperledger Composer documentation.
https://hyperledger.github.io/composer/latest/tutorials/invoke-composer-network
I was wandering what is the "best" practice in ordering the steps for the HF development cycle? Here are some questions organized in different topics.
1. Specification of network infrastructure:
What are the mandatory members in one business
network definition (organizations, peers, ca)?
How many pears do we need in our business network (bn)?
I am aware of the semantic in
relationship between the channel and the peer, but I am not sure
about the relationship between the peer and the organization? Also,
what if just one organization (org1.example.com) will use the
developed network, how to specify the endorsement policy in that use
case (since we need at least two organization in chaincode
instantiate command specification)?
2. SDK development lifecycle
When we develop SDK (Node.js), in order to interact with our BN what are required CA certificates needed for our SDK app to be able to connect and issue chain-code functions?
How to issue the CA certificates needed for SDK app?
3. Chain-code development lifecycle
1.If I am using the CLI docker container for management of my BN, is it a good practice to git clone my chain-code to CLI and then to install it and instantiate it to certain peer node?
2.After I change my go chain-code, do I need to install it again with the different id to the same peer, or I can just update the existing instance of my chain-code?
My idea is to make this question sort of place where we can add all the relevant questions about these three topics, so please edit and add additional questions! Thank you for your answers.
Let me try to answer your questions:
What are the mandatory members in one business network definition (organizations, peers, ca)?
The only mandatory network entities are peers and ordering service. Of course to be able to define anything you should have a notion of organizations the parties which are going to transact. Each such party expected to have a number of peers which running chaincodes (smartcontracts) on organization behalf. CA is required to issue certificates and bind peers and clients identities to certain organization.
How many pears do we need in our business network (bn)?
The desired number of peers is completely up to your business logic and requirements, need to accommodate expectations for availability, scalability and your trust model (endorsement policies).
I am aware of the semantic in relationship between the channel and the peer, but I am not sure about the relationship between the peer and the organization?
Peer is the network entity which executes chaincodes on behalf of given organization increasing the organization confidence in correctness of execution results.
Also, what if just one organization (org1.example.com) will use the developed network, how to specify the endorsement policy in that use case (since we need at least two organization in chaincode instantiate command specification)?
You do not have to have at least two organizations to define endorsement policy, while with one org is a bit redundant since, default endorsement policy is to have some peer from the channel to sign on endorsement request.
When we develop SDK (Node.js), in order to interact with our BN what are required CA certificates needed for our SDK app to be able to connect and issue chain-code functions?
You do not need CA certificate, but you need a client certificated signed by root CA to prove client identity and enable peer to validate whenever client has correct access rights.
How to issue the CA certificates needed for SDK app?
You can use fabric-ca to enroll use and get client certificate, or you can simply leverage cryptogen to produce client certs for you.
If I am using the CLI docker container for management of my BN, is it a good practice to git clone my chain-code to CLI and then to install it and instantiate it to certain peer node?
Here is the thing, peer cli is a bit abused, since it's primary usage is to rapid testing in development and for demoing. The proper way to communicate with Hyperledger Fabric is by using SDK's, e.g. you basically need to implement a client which will be capable to install and instantiate chaincodes based on your own logic and parameters relevant for your application.
After I change my go chain-code, do I need to install it again with the different id to the same peer, or I can just update the existing instance of my chain-code?
You have an upgrade procedure which pretty well covered in Hyperledger Fabric documentation. Or you can see a short demo on video.
My idea is to make this question sort of place where we can add all the relevant questions about these three topics, so please edit and add additional questions!
Please consider to login into Rocket.Chat and use #fabric channel to ask your questions.
Additionally please take a look on documentation, since most of the information and details about your questions could be found there and it constantly being updated.