Introduction to Cardano Network

Tutorial 4 of 5

Introduction

In this tutorial, we aim to acquaint you with the Cardano Network, a proof-of-stake blockchain platform known for its balanced and sustainable ecosystem for cryptocurrencies. We will delve into the unique layered architecture of the Cardano Network and demonstrate how to interact with it using JavaScript libraries.

By the end of this tutorial, you will:

Understand the Cardano Network and its architecture
Learn how to interact with the Cardano Network using JavaScript libraries

Before we begin, ensure you have a basic understanding of blockchain technology and JavaScript. Familiarity with cryptocurrency concepts will also be beneficial.

Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding the Cardano Network

The Cardano Network operates on a unique layered architecture:

The Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL), which is used to transfer ADA, the cryptocurrency of the Cardano platform.
The Cardano Computation Layer (CCL), which hosts smart contracts and applications.

This separation allows for greater flexibility and security.

Interacting with the Cardano Network using JavaScript libraries

JavaScript libraries such as cardano-serialization-lib enable developers to interact with the Cardano Network. You can install this library using npm:

npm install @emurgo/cardano-serialization-lib-nodejs

Code Examples

Creating an ADA Wallet

// Import the library
const Cardano = require('@emurgo/cardano-serialization-lib-nodejs');

// Generate a private key
const privateKey = Cardano.Bip32PrivateKey.generate_ed25519();

// Get the corresponding public key
const publicKey = privateKey.to_public();

console.log(`Private Key: ${privateKey.to_bech32()}`);
console.log(`Public Key: ${publicKey.to_bech32()}`);

This code snippet generates a private key using the ed25519 algorithm and derives the corresponding public key. The keys are then displayed in the console.

Summary

In this tutorial, we introduced the Cardano Network and its unique layered architecture. We also learned to interact with it using the cardano-serialization-lib JavaScript library.

For further learning, consider exploring Cardano's smart contracts and how to work with them using JavaScript.

Practice Exercises

Exercise: Create a function in JavaScript that generates a new ADA wallet and returns the public and private keys. You can use the code example provided as a starting point.

Solution:

function generateWallet() {
  const privateKey = Cardano.Bip32PrivateKey.generate_ed25519();
  const publicKey = privateKey.to_public();
  return {
    privateKey: privateKey.to_bech32(),
    publicKey: publicKey.to_bech32(),
  };
}

Exercise: Research and write a function to create a transaction on the Cardano network using the JavaScript library.

Tip: Cardano documentation and community forums are excellent resources for learning more about transactions.