How to Set up Blockchain in Your Node.js Project:

By Harikrishna Kundariya

Blockchain can be a complicated concept to understand. Moreover, setting up a blockchain in a node.js project can get even more difficult. The term “blockchain” is associated with banking and cryptocurrency.

Blockchain is basically a record-maintaining technology behind the network called Bitcoin.

What is Blockchain?

Blockchain, in the simplest terms, is a kind of a database. Let us see what a database is to understand the concept of blockchain. A database is something that consists of records and data. These records are stored electronically in a computer system.

The data is stored in such a way that it becomes easier for the users to retrieve the data and the records, as and when required. Moreover, the data stored in the database can be filtered and manipulated using various methods. This data can be managed by any number of users.

The blockchain differs from the database in various ways. But, the most important thing that differentiates the blockchain from a database is the structure of the stored data. The blockchain is known to gather information in the form of groups. These groups are known as blocks.

The blocks contain a set of information or data. These blocks come with a specific amount of storage capacity. When this capacity gets exhausted, a new block is added. The freshly added block takes up all the upcoming information that follows from the process. This new block is then connected to the chain as it exhausts its storage capacity.

Thus, the statement that all the blockchains are databases is correct while vice versa is not true. As the blocks are added in the blockchain, the exact timestamp of their addition is maintained.

What is Node.js?

Node.js is a widely used runtime environment that has been very popular with applications like Twitter, PayPal, LinkedIn and many more. It was developed by Ryan Dahl and released its first version around the year 2011. Node.js is said to be using Google’s V8 open-source JavaScript engine.

The many benefits Node.js offers are as following:

• With asynchronous event-centric programming, blocking processes are completely eliminated. This is said to improve the scalability of the system.
• It offers a high performing runtime environment.
• The developers who are thorough with JavaScript, can easily start working with Node.js. Node.js is also said to improve productivity.
• With Node.js, the implementation of data streaming becomes effortless and easy.
• Various open-source tools and modules enhance the function of the ecosystem. Also, they take pride in their vibrant developer community.
• Open-source NoSQL databases namely MongoDB use JavaScript. Thus it becomes easier for the developers to implement the Node.js environment.

How to set up blockchain in the Node.js project

Blocks are what create a blockchain when they are interconnected to each other. You can use various JavaScript classes to create a currency if you are working the process out from scratch. You can create a class in Java and initialize the properties as per your requirements.

Also, you can take up the crypto-js JavaScript library for the process. Through the constructor technique, you can instantiate the blockchain. As soon as the node is created, the information is beginning to be shared. All the information about the transactions thus started is propagated to the entire network. This happens even before the transaction is committed in the block.

But, if the node would stop working suddenly, you can expect the loss of information. This is an issue only if the node stops functioning in between a translation. Moreover, all the transactions are stored locally on the harddrive the moment they are created and before their propagation through the network begins.

This is a way to survive a node shutdown and in case there is one, the transactions are retrieved from the local storage we mentioned here. In this way, the transaction remains safe. As the node re-initiates, the transaction can be propagated through the network. There are companies that provide the Best NodeJS Development Services whom you can approach and make way for your next project.

In an ideal situation, the nodes of the network communicate with each other. There is now an IP seed which happens to be a regular Node.js service. As a new node is introduced in the network, it communicates with the IP seed asking for the IP of a node. This node is one of the nodes present in the already existing network.

If the IP seed offers an IP in the reply, then the new node can join and sync with the database and existing network. Subsequently, the new node to join the network also provides its own IP to the IP seed. This introduction of a new node is then used in the network in the future.

But if the IP seed does not provide an IP in the reply to the new node, then the new node is the root node, also known as the genesis node. Hence, it can establish a new network. Once it is initiated, it communicates its IP to the IP seed.

As we talk about the existing blockchain, the same mechanism is used for the introduction of new nodes and their communication with the IP seed. But this is established using DNS seeds.

Once the Node.js service is up and running, it asks the IP seed for an IP of the node under the consideration. As the communication happens successfully and IP is granted, the service straightaway gets connected to the node. And this node can use the service as the database. Once the network is established successfully, whatever transactions happen, will propagate through the entire network.

This makes it easier for other services to read the transactions in the real-time environment as soon as the information is propagated. But if you want to know whether the blockchain is set up successfully in the Node.js project, then you need to test it.

You need to subject the network to various tests, analysis and metrics to verify its integrity and functionality. Also, it becomes essential to check the performance and the stability of the system.

Wrapping it up 

Blockchain is an upcoming concept that backs up the digital currencies namely Bitcoin and Ethereum. It is known to maintain records that are growing continuously. These records are called blocks which can be connected securely to each other using cryptography. If the implementation and setting up of a blockchain in a Node.js project is carried out correctly, then it can become a huge success.

About the Author

Harikrishna Kundariya, a marketer, developer, IoT, ChatBot & Blockchain savvy, designer, co-founder, Director of eSparkBiz Technologies. His 8+ experience enables him to provide digital solutions to new start-ups based on IoT and ChatBot.

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