js-bigchaindb-driver/docs/source

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
--------------------

#### Versions 4.x.x



As part of the changes in the BigchainDB 2.0 server, some endpoint 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.
- `async` using the `postTransaction`: the response will return immediately and not wait to see if the transaction is valid.
- `sync` using the `postTransactionSync`: the response will return after the transaction is validated.
- `commit` using the `postTransactionCommit`: the response will return after the transaction is committed to a block.

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 transfer the asset immediately.


#### Versions 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)