js-bigchaindb-driver/docs/source/readme.rst

BigchainDB JavaScript Driver
============================

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Features
--------

* Support for preparing, fulfilling, and sending transactions to a BigchainDB
  node.
* Retrieval of transactions by id.
* Getting status of a transaction by id.

Compatibility Matrix
--------------------

+-----------------------+----------------------------------+
| **BigchainDB Server** | **BigchainDB Javascript Driver** |
+=======================+==================================+
| ``0.10``              | ``0.1.x``                        |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------+
| ``1.0``               | ``0.3.x``                        |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------+
| ``1.3``               | ``3.x.x``                        |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------+
| ``2.0``               | ``4.x.x``                        |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------+



Older versions
--------------------

**Version 4.x.x**

	As part of the changes in the BigchainDB 2.0 server, some endpoints were
	modified. In order to be consistent with them, the JS driver does not have
	anymore the `pollStatusAndFetchTransaction()` method as there are three
	different ways of posting a transaction:

	- `commit` using the `postTransaction` or the `postTransactionCommit`: the response will return after the transaction is committed to a block.
	- `sync` using the `postTransactionSync`: the response will return after the transaction is validated.
	- `async` using the `postTransactionAsync`: the response will return immediately and not wait to see if the transaction is valid.

	By default in the docs we will use the `postTransactionCommit` as is way of
	being sure that the transaction is validated and commited to a block, so
	there will not be any issue if you try to do any other action with the asset immediately.

	Note: In order to not create breaking changes, both methods `postTransaction` and `postTransactionCommit` are kept although
	they do exactly the same


**Version 3.2.x**

	For versions below 3.2, a transfer transaction looked like:

	.. code-block:: js

		const createTranfer = BigchainDB.Transaction.makeTransferTransaction(
		    txCreated,
		    metadata, [BigchainDB.Transaction.makeOutput(
		        BigchainDB.Transaction.makeEd25519Condition(alice.publicKey))],
		    0
		)

		const signedTransfer = BigchainDB.Transaction.signTransaction(createTranfer,
			keypair.privateKey)


	In order to upgrade and do it compatible with the new driver version, this
	transaction should be now:

	.. code-block:: js

		const createTranfer = BigchainDB.Transaction.makeTransferTransaction(
			[{ tx: txCreated, output_index: 0 }],
			[BigchainDB.Transaction.makeOutput(
	        BigchainDB.Transaction.makeEd25519Condition(alice.publicKey))],
			metaData
		)

		const signedTransfer = BigchainDB.Transaction.signTransaction(createTranfer,
			keypair.privateKey)


	The upgrade allows to create transfer transaction spending outputs that belong
	to different transactions. So for instance is now possible to create a transfer
	transaction spending two outputs from two different create transactions:


	.. code-block:: js

		const createTranfer = BigchainDB.Transaction.makeTransferTransaction(
			[{ tx: txCreated1, output_index: 0 },
				{ tx: txCreated2, output_index: 0}],
			[BigchainDB.Transaction.makeOutput(
	        BigchainDB.Transaction.makeEd25519Condition(alice.publicKey))],
			metaData
		)

		const signedTransfer = BigchainDB.Transaction.signTransaction(createTranfer,
			keypair.privateKey)