IBM Blockchain Platform Extension for VS Code

The IBM Blockchain Platform extension helps developers to create, test and debug smart contracts, connect to Hyperledger Fabric environments, and build applications that transact on your blockchain network.

For a step-by-step guide on getting started with the extension's features, access our Beginner Tutorial via our integrated Home page. Alternatively, explore, clone and open the Hyperledger Fabric samples, all without leaving VS Code. For more comprehensive documentation, follow this link

Requirements

You will need the following installed in order to use the extension:

• Windows 10, Linux, or Mac OS are currently the supported operating systems.
• VS Code version 1.32 or greater
• Node v8.x or greater and npm v5.x or greater
• Docker version v17.06.2-ce or greater
• Docker Compose v1.14.0 or greater
• Go version v1.12 or greater for developing Go contracts
• Java v8 for developing Java contracts

If you are using Windows, you must also ensure the following:

• Docker for Windows is configured to use Linux containers (this is the default)
• You have installed the C++ Build Tools for Windows from windows-build-tools
• You have installed OpenSSL v1.0.2 from Win32 OpenSSL
  • Install the normal version, not the version marked as "light"
  • Install the Win32 version into C:\OpenSSL-Win32 on 32-bit systems
  • Install the Win64 version into C:\OpenSSL-Win64 on 64-bit systems

You can check your installed versions by running the following commands from a terminal:

• node --version
• npm --version
• docker --version
• docker-compose --version
• go version
• java -version

Smart Contract Development Lifecycle

Please note that all commands contributed by this extension are accessible via the VS Code Command Palette. The commands outlined below are available from burger menus located on the panel headers, or by right-clicking tree items, in the extension's side bar view.

The expected smart contract development lifecycle follows several broad points, all possible entirely within VS Code using this extension:

1. Creating and packaging a smart contract
2. Connecting to an instance of Hyperledger Fabric
3. Running and debugging a smart contract
4. Submitting transactions and generating functional-level smart contract tests

Create and Develop a Fabric smart contract project

A smart contract project is a directory containing all the relevant contract and metadata files that define a smart contract. Use the Create New Project command to create a basic smart contract, available in JavaScript, TypeScript, Go or Java.

Package Open Project

To package a project you have open in your workspace, run the Package Open Project command. Packages are listed in the Smart Contracts panel. The Blockchain output channel lists what files have been packaged during this action. Alternatively run the Import a Package command to import a pre-existing .cds package to be used within VS Code.

If you wish to control which files in the project are packaged, you can create a .fabricignore file in the top level directory of your smart contract project. The file and pattern format for a .fabricignore file is the same as a .gitignore file, for example:

/.classpath
/.git/
/.gradle/
/.project
/.settings/
/bin/
/build/

Connecting to an instance of Hyperledger Fabric

Local Fabric

The extension contains a pre-configured local instance of Hyperledger Fabric named Local Fabric, which the extension will automatically pull and use the correct Docker images for. It is a pre-configured network with one organization, one peer and one channel. It can be enabled and operated under the Fabric Environments panel. The first time it is started, Fabric images will be installed and an admin identity created in the Local Fabric Wallet wallet.

For Local Fabric management tasks such as restart and teardown, right click on Local Fabric in the Fabric Environments panel.

Connecting to another instance of Hyperledger Fabric

The extension allow you to connect to any Hyperledger Fabric instance and perform some operational tasks. The tasks available are: install, instantiate and registering and enrolling identities.

To connect to a Hyperledger Fabric instance on the Fabric Environments panel click the + button. This will ask you for JSON node files that describe how to connect to a Hyperledger Fabric Node i.e. peer, orderer, or certificate authority.

If you are connecting to an instance of IBM Blockchain platform the JSON node files can be exported from the operational console, (see the tutorials for more information). For other instances of Hyperledger Fabric you can create the JSON node files yourself.

JSON Node Files

All node files must contain a name, type, and api_url property. There are three types: fabric-peer, fabric-ca and fabric-orderer. Peer and Orderer nodes must also contain an msp_id property. While Certificate Authority nodes must contain a ca_name property. If you have TLS enabled then then the pem property must also be set.

There are also some additional optional properties. peer and orderer nodes can set the property ssl_target_name_overide, this will override the hostname used to verify the servers TLS certificate. A certificate authority node can contain the properties enroll_id and enroll_secret, these properties are used for identity to connect to the certificate authority.

A JSON node file can contain more than one node definition using array syntax

Here are some examples of node files:

These some basic examples showing the required properties

{
    "name": "ca.org1.example.com",
    "api_url": "http://localhost:17054",
    "type": "fabric-ca",
    "ca_name": "ca.org1.example.com"
}

{
    "name": "peer0.org1.example.com",
    "api_url": "grpc://localhost:17051",
    "type": "fabric-peer",
    "msp_id": "Org1MSP"
}

{
    "name": "orderer.example.com",
    "api_url": "grpc://localhost:17050",
    "type": "fabric-orderer",
    "msp_id": "OrdererMSP"
}

Here is how to have multiple nodes in one JSON file

[
    {
        "name": "peer0.org1.example.com",
        "api_url": "grpc://localhost:17051",
        "type": "fabric-peer",
        "msp_id": "Org1MSP"
    },
    {
        "name": "orderer.example.com",
        "api_url": "grpc://localhost:17050",
        "type": "fabric-orderer",
        "msp_id": "OrdererMSP"
    }
]

Here is a certificate authority with enroll_id and enroll_secret set

{
   "name": "ca.org1.example.com",
   "api_url": "http://localhost:17054",
   "type": "fabric-ca",
   "ca_name": "ca.org1.example.com",
   "enroll_id": "admin",
   "enroll_secret": "adminpw"
}

Here is an example of a peer with TLS enabled, please note the pem property value has been shortened.

{
    "name": "peer0.org1.example.com",
    "api_url": "grpcs://localhost:17051",
    "type": "fabric-peer",
    "msp_id": "Org1MSP",
    "pem": "LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBDRVJUSUZJQ0FURS0tLS0tCk1JSUNJVENDQWNpZ0F3"
 }

Associating identities with nodes

After creating an environment the next step to enable a connection is to associate each node with an identity. To do this click on the name of the environment you just created in the Fabric Environments panel. You wil then see each of the nodes that need some setup. Click on each one to associate an identity with that node. The identity must be an admin identity for the node.

Install and Instantiate smart contract packages

Deploying a smart contract package is a two step process: install the package on a peer and instantiate it on a channel. Run the Install Smart Contract command, followed by the Instantiate Smart Contract command to deploy your smart contract package on the Local Fabric runtime. The deployed smart contracts are listed in the Fabric Environments panel.

Debugging a smart contract

Debugging your smart contract allows you to run through the smart contract transactions with breakpoints and output, to ensure your transaction works as intended. Note: This is only currently available for the Local Fabric, remote debug is not currently available

To debug Go smart contracts, please install the Go extension.

To debug Java smart contracts, please install the Language Support for Java extension and the Debugger for Java extension

To debug Node (JavaScript or TypeScript) chaincode written using the low-level programming model, you must add the program attribute to your launch configuration in launch.json. It should contain the path to the file calling Shim.start. For example:

{
    "type": "fabric:node",
    "request": "launch",
    "name": "Debug Smart Contract",
    "program": "${workspaceFolder}/dist/start.js"
}

where start.js contains the line Shim.start(new Chaincode());.

To debug your smart contract follow these steps:

1. Ensure you are connected to the Local Fabric runtime.
2. Open your smart contract project in your workspace.
3. Open the debug view in Visual Studio Code using the left-hand navigation bar.
4. Select the Debug Smart Contract configuration by using the dropdown in the upper-left and click the play button on the debug toolbar. The extension will automatically instantiate or upgrade the smart contract as appropriate. If you want to test out a function that is called on instantiate or upgrade add the following to the launch configuration, where name is the name of the smart contract and version is different to the previous version used. Alternatively if you are using JavaScript or TypeScript then you can update the version in the package.json file.

    "env": {
        "CORE_CHAINCODE_ID_NAME": <name>:<version>
    }

5. Add breakpoints to the smart contract by clicking on the relevant line numbers in your smart contract files.
6. To submit or evaluate a transaction, click the blockchain icon on the debug toolbar. Alternatively, in the Fabric Gateways panel, you can right click on transactions to submit or evaluate them. Execution will be paused on any breakpoints you've defined.

Making changes to your contract while debugging

To make iterative changes to your smart contract while debugging, after making your changes click the restart button. You can also stop the debugging session, make further changes and start debugging again, without needing to upgrade your smart contract.

Add a gateway to establishing a client connection to your own Hyperledger Fabric instance

To connect to our own Hyperledger Fabric instance, it must be running Hyperledger Fabric v1.4.1 or later.

Add your gateway by providing a name and connection profile via the Add Gateway command; it will be listed in the Fabric Gateways panel. Add a file system wallet to connect to your gateway with via the Add Wallet command.

Connect to a gateway and discover its resources

Connect by clicking on a gateway in the Fabric Gateways panel, and expand the navigation tree to explore its resources. Instantiated Smart Contracts are listed under the channel and from here you can generate functional-level test files on single or multiple smart contracts (Currently you cannot generate Java functional tests). Submit or evaluate individual transactions listed under the instantiated smart contracts, with the result displayed in the Blockchain output channel.

Wallet Management

The extension creates a Local Fabric Wallet file system wallet when it is installed, which is used to connect to the Local Fabric runtime instance and is automatically associated with that gateway. When Local Fabric is started, an admin identity is added to the Local Fabric Wallet and cannot be deleted unless the Local Fabric runtime is torn down.

The Add Identity to Wallet command will ask for a name, MSPID and a method to add an identity. These methods include providing a certificate and private key, a JSON identity file, or a gateway, enrollment id and secret.

For wallets associated with other remote Fabric gateways, the Add Wallet,Edit Wallet ,Export Wallet and Remove Wallet commands are available in the Fabric Wallets panel for wallet management.

Creating an identity with attributes

Identities can be registered and enrolled with attributes from the Local Fabric certificate authority.

The Create Identity (register and enroll) command will ask for an identity name and whether the identity should have any attributes added. Selecting Yes will ask for the identity's attributes that should be provided in the following format:

[{"name": "attr1", "value": "attr1value", "ecert": true}, {"name": "attr2", "value": "attr2value", "ecert": true}]

The key ecert must be set to true in order for a smart contract to be able to read the value of the attribute using 'getAttributeValue'.

Hovering over an identity in the Fabric Wallets panel will show any attributes associated with the identity.

Changing transaction timeout values

In the extension, the default timeout value for transactions is 120 seconds. However, when debugging a transaction it might be necessary to change the time taken before a transaction fails.

The following settings can be changed in the user settings to increase or decrease the time taken for a transaction to timeout:

• ibm-blockchain-platform.fabric.client.timeout - timeout value used for communication to the peers and orderers (changes request-timeout)
• ibm-blockchain-platform.fabric.chaincode.timeout - timeout value for chaincode that's been started by the Local Fabric (changes CORE_CHAINCODE_EXECUTETIMEOUT)

Note: If the value of ibm-blockchain-platform.fabric.client.timeout is changed, you must disconnect from a connected gateway before the new value takes affect

Note: If the value of ibm-blockchain-platform.fabric.chaincode.timeout is changed, you must restart the Local Fabric before the new value takes affect

Useful Commands

The IBM Blockchain Platform extension provides an explorer and commands accessible from the Command Palette, for developing smart contracts quickly:

Contact Us

If you have find any problems or want to make suggestions for future features please create issues and suggestions on Github. For any questions please create a question on Stack Overflow.

Just so you know

The extension uses telemetry reporting to track usage data and help improve future extension versions. Disabling VS Code telemetry reporting also disables the extension's telemetry reporting. For instructions on how to disable telemetry reporting, please visit the Visual Studio Code FAQ

License

The source code files are made available under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (Apache-2.0), located in the LICENSE file.

This software uses the IBM Plex Sans font licensed under the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1. Copyright © 2017 IBM Corp. with Reserved Font Name "Plex"

This Font Software is licensed under the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1. This license is copied below, and is also available with a FAQ at: http://scripts.sil.org/OFL