thorify

A web3 adaptor for VeChain Thor RESTful HTTP API.

Usage no npm install needed!

<script type="module">
  import thorify from 'https://cdn.skypack.dev/thorify';
</script>

README

Thorify    Gitter

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A web3 adaptor for VeChain Thor RESTful API.

Table of contents

Install

npm install --save thorify
npm install --save web3@1.*  # Web3 is needed as dependency.

Usage

// ES6 style
import { thorify } from "thorify";
const Web3 = require("web3");		// Recommend using require() instead of import here

const web3 = thorify(new Web3(), "http://localhost:8669");

web3.eth.getBlock("latest").then(res => console.log(res));
// Best block info will be displayed

If you would like to write code in ES5, check below for the initialization code.

// ES5 style
const thorify = require("thorify").thorify;
const Web3 = require("web3");

const web3 = thorify(new Web3(), "http://localhost:8669");

web3.eth.getBlock("latest").then(res => console.log(res));
// Best block info will be displayed

Web3 method supported

web3 instance
├── eth
│   ├── getBlockNumber
│   ├── getBalance
│   ├── getStorageAt
│   ├── getCode
│   ├── getBlock
│   ├── getTransaction
│   ├── getTransactionReceipt
│   ├── sendTransaction
│   ├── sendSignedTransaction
│   ├── call
│   ├── estimateGas
│   ├── getPastLogs
│   ├── subscribe
│   ├── clearSubscriptions
│   ├── getEnergy
│   ├── getChainTag
│   ├── getBlockRef
│   ├── accounts
│   └── Contract
│       ├── Constructor(new Contract())
│       ├── clone
│       ├── deploy
│       ├── methods
│       ├── methods.myMethod.call
│       ├── methods.myMethod.send
│       ├── methods.myMethod.estimateGas
│       ├── methods.myMethod.encodeABI
│       ├── events
│       ├── once
│       ├── events.myEvent
│       ├── events.allEvents
│       └── getPastEvents
└── utils

Send Transaction

In Thor official implementation , the client DOES NOT neither manage user's private-key/keyStore nor use private key to sign a Transaction. Unfortunately, thorify can not directly perform eth_sendTransaction but there is another way to sign a transaction.

In web3.js accounts, it gives the opportunity to add your private-key, stored in your runtime context (In Node.js context, it's stored in memory while in Browser context, it's stored in memory/local storage), to accounts module. When you are trying to send a transaction, the module will check the private key associated with from field. Once the private key and from have been matched, the module will sign the transaction. The APIs that follows the mechanism are:

  • web3.eth.sendTransaction()
  • contract.deploy.send()
  • contract.methods.myMethod.send()

Documentation

API Reference

Play with multi-clause

  1. thor-devkit.js supports multi-clause and sign transaction
  2. send signed transaction using sendSignedTransaction

Which Stack Should I Choose Regarding Connex,Thorify And Web3-Gear

  • Connex: The standard interface to connect VeChain apps with VeChain blockchain and user.
  • Web3-Gear: Proxy Thor's RESTful API to Eth's JSON-RPC, to support Remix, Truffle and more.

Below is an reference when you are planning your technical stack:

tech-stack

Here are some most common scenarios:

  1. Develop a web application: Connex + Connex powered VeChain wallets
  2. Backend service in Node.js: Thorify + Web3
  3. Contract development in Truffle: Web3 + Web3-Gear
  4. Contract development in Remix-IDE: Web3 + Web3-Gear

FAQ

How do I send VTHO token

VTHO is a token that compatible with VIP180(ERC-20), you can build a contract instance using web3 and do what ever you want.

Multi party payment protocol or sponsored contract

It's done by calling the functions of prototype contract, check wiki page for detailed info about prototype contract.

Method not supported

The RESTful API of Thor is different with Ethereum's JSON-RPC, therefore, there are some methods in web3 are not supported by thorify, feel free to open an issue discuss the features.

Notes

  • There are three special block number in Ethereum: earliest,latest,pending. In VeChain Thor, we introduced best block and there is no pending block, so they will be replaced with 0 (aka genesis), best, best

Compatibility

Currently, Thorify is compatible with web3@1.*.

Debugging

DEBUG=thor:* ts-node index.ts

ts-node index.ts can be replaced with command to run your code, this example is only for Node.js environment. For more detailed info, please refer to debug.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT license, Copyright (c) 2017 VeChain Foundation. For more information see LICENSE.md.