Rust client

note

We are currently updating this documentation. While it offers a general overview, some details may be outdated. Please check back soon for the latest version.

The Rust client is used for interacting with the Chromia blockchain deployed to a Postchain single node (manual mode) or multi-nodes managed by the Directory Chain (managed mode).

This library provides functionality for executing queries, creating and signing transactions, and managing blockchain operations.

Installation

Add this to your Cargo.toml:

This is for using only the `postchain_client::utils::operation::Params` enum to construct data for queries and transactions.

[dependencies]
postchain-client = "0.0.3"
tokio = { version = "1.42.0", features = ["rt"] }

For both, use the `postchain_client::utils::operation::Params` enum and the Rust's struct to serialize and deserialize with `serde`:

[dependencies]
postchain-client = "0.0.3"
tokio = { version = "1.42.0", features = ["rt"] }
serde = { version = "1.0.216", features = ["derive"] }
serde_json = { version = "1.0", features = ["preserve_order"] }

1. Setting up the client

use postchain_client::transport::client::RestClient;

let client = RestClient {
    node_url: vec!["http://localhost:7740", "http://localhost:7741"],
    request_time_out: 30,
    poll_attemps: 5,
    poll_attemp_interval_time: 5
};

2. Executing queries

Queries allow us to fetch data from the blockchain:

use postchain_client::utils::operation::Params;

async fn execute_query_with_params(client: &RestClient<'_>) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let query_type = "<query_name>";
    let mut query_arguments = vec![
        ("arg1", Params::Text("value1".to_string())),
        ("arg2", Params::Text("value2".to_string())),
    ];

    let result = client.query(
        "<BLOCKCHAIN_RID>",
        None,
        query_type,
        None,
        Some(&mut query_arguments)
    ).await?;

    Ok(())
}

async fn execute_query_with_struct(client: &RestClient<'_>) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let query_type = "<query_name>";

    #[derive(Debug, Default, serde::Serialize)]
    struct QueryArguments {
        arg1: String,
        arg2: String
    }

    let query_arguments = Params::from_struct_to_vec(&QueryArguments {
        arg1: "value1".to_string(), arg2: "value2".to_string()
    });

    let result = client.query(
        "<BLOCKCHAIN_RID>",
        None,
        query_type,
        None,
        Some(&mut query_arguments_ref)
    ).await?;

    if let RestResponse::Bytes(val1) = result {
        println!("{:?}", gtv::decode(&val1));
    }

    Ok(())
}

3. Creating and sending transactions

3.1 Creating operations

use postchain_client::utils::operation::{Operation, Params};

// Create operation with named parameters (dictionary)
let operation = Operation::from_dict(
    "operation_name",
    vec![
        ("param1", Params::Text("value1".to_string())),
        ("param2", Params::Integer(42)),
    ]
);

// Or create an operation with unnamed parameters (list)
let operation = Operation::from_list(
    "operation_name",
    vec![
        Params::Text("value1".to_string()),
        Params::Integer(42),
    ]
);

3.2 Creating and signing transactions

use postchain_client::utils::transaction::Transaction;

// Create a new transaction
let mut tx = Transaction::new(
    brid_hex_decoded.to_vec(),    // blockchain RID in hex decode to vec
    Some(vec![operation]),      // operations
    None,                       // signers (optional)
    None                        // signatures (optional)
);

// Sign the transaction
let private_key1 = "C70D5A77CC10552019179B7390545C46647C9FCA1B6485850F2B913F87270300";  // Replace with actual private key
tx.sign(&hex::decode(private_key1).unwrap().try_into().expect("Invalid private key 1")).expect("Failed to sign transaction");

// Multi sign the transaction
let private_key2 = "17106092B72489B785615BD2ACB2DDE8D0EA05A2029DCA4054987494781F988C";  // Replace with actual private key
tx.sign(&[
    &hex::decode(private_key1).unwrap().try_into().expect("Invalid private key 1"),
    &hex::decode(private_key2).unwrap().try_into().expect("Invalid private key 2")
    ]).expect("Failed to multi sign transaction");

// Sign the transaction from raw private key
tx.sign_from_raw_priv_key(private_key1);

// Multi sign the transaction from raw private keys
tx.multi_sign_from_raw_priv_keys(&[private_key1, private_key2]);

3.3 Sending transactions

async fn send_transaction(client: &RestClient<'_>, tx: &Transaction<'_>) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    // Send transaction
    let response = client.send_transaction(tx).await?;

    // Get transaction RID (for status checking)
    let tx_rid = tx.tx_rid_hex();

    // Check transaction status
    let status = client.get_transaction_status("<blockchain RID>", &tx_rid).await?;

    Ok(())
}

4. Error and response handling

The response from client.query and client.send_transaction is a postchain_client::transport::client::RestResponse enum if success or a postchain_client::transport::client::RestError enum if failed.

We can handle it as follows:

let result = client.query(/* ... */).await;

match result {
    Ok(resp: RestResponse) => {
        if let RestResponse::Bytes(val1) = resp {
            let params = gtv::decode(&val1);
            /// Do whatever we want with the decoded params
        }
    },
    Error(error: RestError) => {
        /// Do whatever we want with the error
    }
}

let result = client.send_transaction(&tx).await;

match result {
    Ok(resp: RestResponse) => {
        println!("Transaction sent successfully: {:?}", resp);
    },
    Err(error: ) => {
        eprintln!("Error sending transaction: {:?}", err);
    }
}

The response from client.get_transaction_status is a postchain_client::utils::transaction::TransactionStatus enum if success or a postchain_client::transport::client::RestError enum if failed.

We can handle it as follows:

let result = client.get_transaction_status("<blockchain RID>", &tx_rid).await;

match result {
    Ok(resp: TransactionStatus) => {
        /// Do anything else here
    },
    Err(error: RestError) => {
        /// Do whatever we want with the error
    }
}

5. Use `serde` for `serialize` or `deserialize` a struct to `Params::Dict` or vice versa

Please look at all tests in the operation.rs source here: https://github.com/cuonglb/postchain-client-rust/blob/dev/src/utils/operation.rs

6. Logging

The postchain-client uses tracing crate for logging. You can use tracing-subscriber crate to enable all logs.

use tracing_subscriber;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() {
    tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();
    ...
}

7. Parameter types

The library supports various parameter types through the Params enum and Rust struct :

GTV(*)	Rust types	Params enums	Note
null	`Option<T> = None`	Params::Null
integer	bool	Params::Boolean(bool)
integer	i64	Params::Integer(i64)
bigInteger	num_bigint::BigInt	Params::BigInteger(num_bigint::BigInt)	(**)
decimal	bigdecimal::BigDecima	Params::Decimal(bigdecimal::BigDecimal)	(***)
string	String	Params::Text(String)
array	`Vec<T>`	Params::Array(`Vec<Params>`)
dict	`BTreeMap<K, V>`	Params::Dict(`BTreeMap<String, Params>`)
byteArray	`Vec<u8>`	Params:: ByteArray(`Vec<u8>`)

(*) GTV gets converted to ASN.1 DER when it's sent. See more : https://docs.chromia.com/intro/about/architecture/generic-transaction-protocol#generic-transfer-value-gtv

(**) We can use serde custom derive macros in some of cases to:

Handle arbitrary-precision integers:

operation::deserialize_bigint for deserialization. operation::serialize_bigint for serialization.

    use postchain_client::utils::{operation::{deserialize_bigint, serialize_bigint}};
    ...
    #[derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
    struct TestStructBigInt {
        #[serde(serialize_with = "serialize_bigint", deserialize_with = "deserialize_bigint")]
        bigint: num_bigint::BigInt
    }
    ...

Handle arbitrary-precision decimal:

operation::deserialize_bigint for deserialization. operation::serialize_bigint for serialization.

    use postchain_client::utils::{operation::{serialize_bigdecimal, deserialize_bigdecimal}};
    ...
    #[derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
    struct TestStructDecimal {
        #[serde(serialize_with = "serialize_bigdecimal", deserialize_with = "deserialize_bigdecimal")]
        bigdecimal: bigdecimal::BigDecimal
    }
    ...

Examples

Book review application example

Here's a real-world example from a book review application that demonstrates querying, creating transactions, and handling structured data: https://github.com/cuonglb/postchain-client-rust/tree/dev/examples/book-review

This example demonstrates:

Defining and using structured data with Serde
Querying the blockchain and handling responses
Creating and sending transactions
Signing transactions with a private key
Transaction error handling and status checking

How to run

Install Rust (https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install) and Docker with compose.

Start a Postchain single node with the book-review Rell dapp:

$ cd examples/book-review/rell-dapp/
$ sudo docker compose up -d

Start a simple Rust application to interact with the book-review blockchain:

$ cd examples/book-review/client
$ cargo run

Installation​

This is for using only the postchain_client::utils::operation::Params enum to construct data for queries and transactions.​

For both, use the postchain_client::utils::operation::Params enum and the Rust's struct to serialize and deserialize with serde:​

1. Setting up the client​

2. Executing queries​

3. Creating and sending transactions​

3.1 Creating operations​

3.2 Creating and signing transactions​

3.3 Sending transactions​

4. Error and response handling​

5. Use serde for serialize or deserialize a struct to Params::Dict or vice versa​

6. Logging​

7. Parameter types​

Examples​

Book review application example​

How to run​