This is a good question. I mean, isn’t Blockchain just a new kind of database? Well, yes, and no. It’s a database in the sense that it is a data store. But it’s not like any traditional database I’ve ever worked with (and I’m talking about relational databases, mostly).
The first question to answer in this dialogue is: What is a “Database”? Once we answer that question we can get the discussion centered around the topic at hand, which is why Blockchain cannot be done with a database.
Then, we have to answer this question: What is the Blockchain, anyway? After all, if we don’t really know what we mean by “Blockchain” (not that we don’t; we just need to all get on the same page w/r/t to the termBlockchain) how can we really talk about what it is and is not?
As I explain in the IBM Code post, the attributes of blockchain that distinguish it from a traditional (relational) database are that it is:
You can’t go many places these days without hearing about blockchain. It is a truly disruptive technology that will change the way people do business with each other. If you have wanted to learn more about Blockchain but think the barrier to entry is too high, I have good news: Hyperledger Composer. Yes, that’s the good news. Read on.
What is Hyperledger Composer again?
Hyperledger Composer is a set of tools that allows you to quickly build, test, and manage blockchain applications. One of several projects under the Hyperledger umbrella, Composer provides:
A Domain-Specific Language (DSL) called CTO that lets you model a blockchain network
A sandbox – called Playground – that lets you quickly prototype a blockchain application
A command line interface (CLI) for managing and interacting with blockchain applications
Security through the use of ACL-style permissions
Tools
Lots more!
Using Composer, you can quickly build, test, and then manage blockchain applications that run on the Hyperledger Fabric.
Composer lowers the bar to building Fabric applications. How? Composer provides a framework that includes many common features of production-quality blockchain applications like management and security. So you spend your time writing business logic, not infrastructure.
Now, before going any further, if you haven’t checked out Part 1 or Part 2 of this series, you should do that now.
How do I work with a real blockchain network?
In Parts 1 and 2 you get your feet wet working with Hyperledger Composer:
The CTO modeling language
Tools (like composer-cli and VSCode)
Unit testing with Cucumber
Using Composer Playground in the IBM Cloud
But surely there’s more to Composer than that, right? You bet! What about Hyperledger Fabric? Check. Working with the Composer CLI? I’ve got you covered. Security? Absolutely!
You’ll also install more tools and generate a Loopback-based REST interface that you can use to interact with the sample network blockchain application.
Part 3 also includes a detailed discussion of Hyperledger Composer security concepts. This part concludes with steps to pull it all together and extend the iot-perishable-network to create a more “real world” version of the Perishable Goods network.
How do I learn more?
Check out these links to learn more about Blockchain and Hyperledger Fabric and Composer:
You can’t go many places these days without hearing about blockchain. It is a truly disruptive technology that will change the way people do business with each other. If you have wanted to learn more about Blockchain but think the barrier to entry is too high, I have good news: Hyperledger Composer. Yes, that’s the good news. Read on.
Wait, what the heck is Hyperledger Composer?
Hyperledger Composer is a set of tools that allows you to quickly build, test, and manage blockchain applications. One of several projects under the Hyperledger umbrella, Composer provides:
A Domain-Specific Language (DSL) called CTO that lets you model a blockchain network
A sandbox – called Playground – that lets you quickly prototype a blockchain application
A command line interface (CLI) for managing and interacting with blockchain applications
Security through the use of ACL-style permissions
Tools
Lots more!
Using Composer, you can quickly build, test, and then manage blockchain applications that run on the Hyperledger Fabric.
Composer lowers the bar to building Fabric applications. How? Composer provides a framework that includes many common features of production-quality blockchain applications like management and security. So you spend your time writing business logic, not infrastructure.
Now, before going any further, if you haven’t checked out Part 1 of this series, you should do that now.
How do I work with a real blockchain network?
In Part 1 of the tutorial series, I showed you about the CTO language, and how to model, deploy, and test a simple blockchain network application using Composer Playground.
Surely there’s more to it than that, right?
Of course. You’ll need tools in order to use Composer to work with real blockchain networks. Tools like:
Node.js
The Composer CLI
VSCode
What about unit testing your chaincode transactions? Composer has you covered. Through Cucumber steps written specifically for Composer, you can test every inch of your blockchain network (okay, maybe not every inch, but Cucumber is super-extensible).
How about a tutorial?
So, you’re convinced Composer is THE tool to use for building Hyperledger Fabric applications. Now what do you do? Sounds like you need a tutorial. Don’t worry, IBM developerWorks and I have you covered.
I’ve written a three part tutorial series on how to use Composer. When you’re finished with this tutorial series, you’ll be ready to build the next hot blockchain application. I talked about Part 1 of the series in a previous blog post. So be sure to check that out if you haven’t already.
In Part 2 of the series, called Hyperledger Composer Basics, Refine and deploy your blockchain network, available at IBM developerWorks, you’ll install the necessary tools to work with real Hyperledger Fabric applications running on your computer, including unit testing your chaincode using Cucumber. Part 2 is all about the development process for building blockchain applications. If you want to be a serious blockchain developer, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
How do I learn more?
Check out these links to learn more about Blockchain and Hyperledger Fabric and Composer:
You can’t go many places these days without hearing about blockchain. It is a truly disruptive technology that will change the way people do business with each other. If you have wanted to learn more about Blockchain but think the barrier to entry is too high, I have good news: Hyperledger Composer. Yes, that’s the good news. Read on.
What is Hyperledger Composer?
Hyperledger Composer is a set of tools that allows you to quickly build, test, and manage blockchain applications. One of several projects under the Hyperledger umbrella, Composer provides:
A Domain-Specific Language (DSL) called CTO that lets you model a blockchain network
A sandbox – called Playground – that lets you quickly prototype a blockchain application
A command line interface (CLI) for managing and interacting with blockchain applications
Security through the use of ACL-style permissions
Tools
Lots more!
Using Composer, you can quickly build, test, and then manage blockchain applications that run on the Hyperledger Fabric.
Composer lowers the bar to building Fabric applications. How? Composer provides a framework that includes many common features of production-quality blockchain applications like management and security. So you spend your time writing business logic, not infrastructure.
How about a tutorial?
So, you want to build a blockchain application, and Composer sounds like a good tool for getting you started. Now what do you do? Sounds like you need a tutorial. Don’t worry, IBM developerWorks and I have you covered.
I’ve written a three part tutorial series on how to use Composer. When you’re finished with this tutorial series, you’ll be ready to build the next hot blockchain application.
In Part 1 of the series, called Hyperledger Composer Basics, Model and test your blockchain network, available at IBM developerWorks, I tell you all about these features of Composer, and show you how to use them as you work with a perishable goods network. You’ll learn how to model a blockchain network’s features – such as assets, participants, and transactions – using the Composer CTO language, and you’ll see how to use the Composer Playground to quickly prototype and test the perishable goods network using an embedded Hyperledger Fabric instance that runs inside a Docker container.
How do I learn more?
Check out these links to learn more about Blockchain and Hyperledger Fabric and Composer:
Blockchain is super hot. It’s one of those disruptive technologies that comes along and rewrites the rules on how the game is played.
Of course, Blockchain is nothing new. You’ve (probably) heard of blockchain in the context of Bitcoin. So the idea of a transparent ledger filled with immutable transactions based on a wide consensus network is nothing new.
Do you want to build one? Yeah, that’s right. Build one. Right now. You can build your very own blockchain network.
“But, Steve, how do I do that? I wouldn’t even know how to get started!” Fear not, my friend. I’ve got ya covered!
Check out this tutorial I wrote for IBM developerWorks on using Hyperledger Composer, specifically Hyperledger Composer Playground. Playground lets you define and test a blockchain network, all from the safety and comfort of your favorite browser. Define assets, transactions (the basis of the smart contract), events, and more.
And when you’re happy your network is perfect, you can deploy it as part of a real blockchain application.
Hyperledger Composer Playground lets you define and test a blockchain network, all from the safety and comfort of your favorite browser
The Playground tutorial is just the beginning. I’m currently writing parts 2 and 3 of the 3 part series on using Hyperledger Composer to build Hyperledger Fabric blockchain networks. Check it out.
j steven perry, The Blog 