Learn Blockchain Programming
Ali Dorri
Traditional Programming
• Server runs the code
• User may or may not know the code Code to be
executed
• Complicated algorithms
• Database
t
R eques
se
R e sp o n
DApps: Distributed Applications
DApps: Distributed Applications
Open Source: All nodes have to verify the contract to verify transaction and
state in blockchain.
Decentralized
Incentive: Normally use token/assets to fuel the code
Algorithm/Protocol
Immutable
Different Blockchains, Different Platforms
• To store its transaction, each node has to verify two other transactions
• Self-scaling
• Reduce cost and delay
• Different blockchains
• Can be used to build blockchain and evaluate performance
• Open source
Solidity
• Influenced by C++, Java, and Python
• Runs on Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)
• EVM: The computer that all full nodes agree to run, i.e., runtime
environment for smart contract
• All nodes perform the code execution
• Write Solidity code online in: https://remix.ethereum.org
Accounts
• Each account has an address:
o External accounts: determined by public key
o Smart contract account: creator address and nonce
• Each account has balance in Ether (in “Wei” to be exact, 1
ether is 10**18 wei)
Gas
• Gas Limit
• Gas Price
Transaction fee = Gas limit * Gas price
Gas limit: Amount of liters of gas for a car
Gas price: Cost of liter of gas
Solidity
https://solidity.readthedocs.io/en/develop/introduction-to-smart-contracts.html
You can define Structs in solidity
struct Person {
uint age;
string name;
}
You can define Arrays in solidity as well
// Array with a fixed length of 2 elements:
uint[2] fixedArray;
// another fixed Array, can contain 5 strings:
string[5] stringArray;
// a dynamic Array - has no fixed size, can keep growing:
uint[] dynamicArray;
• Define Function
function setAge(string _name, uint _age) {
Function visibility
• Public
o Your contract can be called by anyone or any other contract
o Default
o Security issue
• Private
o Only functions within the contract can call the function
function setAge(string _name, uint _age) private {
• Internal
o Similar to private, but accessible to contracts that inherit from this contract
• External
o Similar to public, but can “only” be called outside the contract
• Return value
string greeting = "What's up";
function sayHello() public returns (string) {
return greeting;
}
• Function modifiers
• View: the function only views data, but not modifying any value, i.e., only
read action is performed.
• Pure: the function does not access data in blockchain, i.e., the return value
only depends on the input values.
function _multiply(uint a, uint b) private pure returns
(uint) {
return a * b;
}
• Mapping (keyàvalue)
mapping (address => uint) public accountBalance;
mapping (uint => string) userIdToName;
• How to find out the address of the person who called the transaction?
msg.sender
• Running a function with a condition:
function sayHiToVitalik(string _name) public returns (string) {
require(keccak256(_name) == keccak256(”Ali"));
return "Hi!";
}
Contract inheritance
contract Doge {
function catchphrase() public returns (string) {
return "So Wow CryptoDoge";
}}
contract BabyDoge is Doge {
function anotherCatchphrase() public returns (string) {
return "Such Moon BabyDoge";
} }
import "./someothercontract.sol";
Ownable
• “Ownable” is a contract from OpenZeppelin.
• OpenZeppelin is a library for secure smart contract development.
• Has a modifier named “onlyOwner”
contract MyContract is Ownable {
function likeABoss() external onlyOwner {
LaughManiacally("Muahahahaha");
} }
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-solidity
Payable
• Marks a contract as payable
contract OnlineStore {
function buySomething() external payable {
require(msg.value == 0.001 ether);
transferThing(msg.sender);
} }
• Withdraw
uint itemFee = 0.001 ether;
msg.sender.transfer(msg.value - itemFee);
What to do after writing the smart code?
To interact with a contract you need:
1.The address of the smart contract
2.The function you want to call, and
3.The variables you want to pass to that function.
JSON files
Infura
• Maintains a set of Ethereum nodes
• Connects you to the Ethereum
• Use the address in your API.
var web3 = new Web3(new Web3.providers.WebsocketProvider
("wss://mainnet.infura.io/ws"));
https://infura.io/
Metamask
• Browser extension for chrome and Firefox
• Allows users to manage their Ethereum accounts while
connecting to websites.
• As a developer, if you want the users to interact with
your DApp using website, you need to make it
metamask-compatible.
• Check if the user has installed metamask
Contract Application Binary Interface (ABI)
• Your contract in JSON format
• Clarifies how to call functions
Private Ethereum testnet
• Install Node.js,
o brew install node
• Install compiler
o npm install –g solc
• Install Ethereum
o brew tap ethereum/ethereum brew
o install ethereum
Create a
genesis.JSON file
https://medium.com/cybermiles/running-a-quick-ethereum-private-network-for-experimentation-and-testing-6b1c23605bce
Initialize the first node
geth --datadir ~/gethDataDir/ init genesis.json
Start the first node
geth --datadir ./myDataDir --networkid 1114 console 2>> myEth.log
Create account
personal.newAccount("<YOUR_PASSPHRASE>")
Check account
Eth.accounts
Checking account balance Eth.getbalance(eth.coinbase/eth.accounts[0])
Start mining Miner.start(1)
Add another node
geth --datadir ./peer2DataDir --networkid 1114 --port 30304
console 2>> myEth2.log
Node address admin.nodeInfo.enode
Verify peers Admin.peers
How to create your own cryptocurrency (ICO)?
Token
• Token is a smart contract that follows some common rules and
implements a standard set of functions.
Ping me at ali.dorri@unsw.edu.au
