How to Create a Blockchain Using Node.js: A Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to create a blockchain peer-to-peer network using Node.js. This step-by-step guide covers everything from creating a basic P2P network to setting up a name-value database and creating an API.

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In this practical guide, we explore the code behind creating a fully functional blockchain prototype using Node.js. Our examples are designed to be easy to understand for anyone who wants to learn about blockchain technology. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how to create a P2P network, send and receive blocks, and set up a name-value database. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, this guide will help you master the basics of blockchain technology.

Topics Covered

1. Creating a basic P2P network
2. Sending and receiving blocks
3. Registering miners and creating new blocks
4. Setting up a name-value database, LevelDB
5. Creating a private-public wallet
6. Creating an API
7. Creating a command-line interface

Creating a basic P2P network

Peer-to-peer networking is a type of computer network that uses a distributed architecture. In such a network, each peer or node shares the workload and is equal to the other peers, without any privileged peer.

Let's create a folder and name it Blockchain.

Your code needs to find and connect peers, deploy servers that are used to discover other peers, and get an available TCP port. That is done by utilizing these three libraries:

• discovery-swarm: It is used for connecting to peers in a network by using the discovery-channel
• dat-swarm-defaults: Deploys servers that help identify other potential peers
• get-port: Retrieves available TCP ports

To install these libraries, run this command:

npm install crypto discovery-swarm dat-swarm-defaults get-port@5.1.1 --save