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Version and Genesis Information

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Description

Section titled “Description”

This example demonstrates how to retrieve node version information and genesis configuration using the AlgodClient methods: version() and genesis().

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”
  • LocalNet running (via algokit localnet start)

Run This Example

Section titled “Run This Example”

From the repository root:

Terminal window
cd examples
npm run example algod_client/02-version-genesis.ts

Code

Section titled “Code”

View source on GitHub

02-version-genesis.ts
/**
 * Example: Version and Genesis Information
 *
 * This example demonstrates how to retrieve node version information and
 * genesis configuration using the AlgodClient methods: version() and genesis().
 *
 * Prerequisites:
 * - LocalNet running (via `algokit localnet start`)
 */


import {
  createAlgodClient,
  printError,
  printHeader,
  printInfo,
  printStep,
  printSuccess,
} from '../shared/utils.js';


async function main() {
  printHeader('Version and Genesis Information Example');


  // Create an Algod client connected to LocalNet
  const algod = createAlgodClient();


  // =========================================================================
  // Step 1: Get Version Information
  // =========================================================================
  printStep(1, 'Getting algod version information with version()');


  try {
    const versionInfo = await algod.version();


    printSuccess('Version information retrieved successfully!');
    printInfo('');
    printInfo('Build information:');
    printInfo(`  - major: ${versionInfo.build.major}`);
    printInfo(`  - minor: ${versionInfo.build.minor}`);
    printInfo(`  - buildNumber: ${versionInfo.build.buildNumber}`);
    printInfo(`  - commitHash: ${versionInfo.build.commitHash}`);
    printInfo(`  - branch: ${versionInfo.build.branch}`);
    printInfo(`  - channel: ${versionInfo.build.channel}`);


    printInfo('');
    printInfo('Network information:');
    printInfo(`  - genesisId: ${versionInfo.genesisId}`);


    // Decode the base64 genesis hash for display
    const genesisHashBase64 = Buffer.from(versionInfo.genesisHashB64).toString('base64');
    printInfo(`  - genesisHash (base64): ${genesisHashBase64}`);


    printInfo('');
    printInfo('Supported API versions:');
    versionInfo.versions.forEach(v => {
      printInfo(`  - ${v}`);
    });
  } catch (error) {
    printError(
      `Failed to get version information: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
    );
  }


  // =========================================================================
  // Step 2: Get Genesis Configuration
  // =========================================================================
  printStep(2, 'Getting genesis configuration with genesis()');


  try {
    const genesisConfig = await algod.genesis();


    printSuccess('Genesis configuration retrieved successfully!');
    printInfo('');
    printInfo('Genesis fields:');
    printInfo(`  - network: ${genesisConfig.network}`);
    printInfo(`  - id: ${genesisConfig.id}`);
    printInfo(`  - proto (protocol version): ${genesisConfig.proto}`);
    printInfo(`  - fees (fee sink address): ${genesisConfig.fees}`);
    printInfo(`  - rwd (rewards pool address): ${genesisConfig.rwd}`);


    if (genesisConfig.timestamp !== undefined) {
      const timestampDate = new Date(genesisConfig.timestamp * 1000);
      printInfo(`  - timestamp: ${genesisConfig.timestamp} (${timestampDate.toISOString()})`);
    }


    if (genesisConfig.devmode !== undefined) {
      printInfo(`  - devmode: ${genesisConfig.devmode}`);
    }


    if (genesisConfig.comment) {
      printInfo(`  - comment: ${genesisConfig.comment}`);
    }


    // Display allocation (genesis accounts) information
    printInfo('');
    printInfo(`Genesis allocations (${genesisConfig.alloc.length} accounts):`);


    // Show first few accounts as examples
    const accountsToShow = Math.min(3, genesisConfig.alloc.length);
    for (let i = 0; i < accountsToShow; i++) {
      const account = genesisConfig.alloc[i];
      const algoAmount = Number(account.state.algo) / 1_000_000;
      printInfo(`  Account ${i + 1}:`);
      printInfo(`    - addr: ${account.addr}`);
      printInfo(`    - comment: ${account.comment}`);
      printInfo(
        `    - algo: ${algoAmount.toLocaleString('en-US')} ALGO (${account.state.algo} microALGO)`,
      );
      printInfo(`    - onl (online status): ${account.state.onl}`);
    }


    if (genesisConfig.alloc.length > accountsToShow) {
      printInfo(`  ... and ${genesisConfig.alloc.length - accountsToShow} more accounts`);
    }
  } catch (error) {
    printError(
      `Failed to get genesis configuration: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
    );
  }


  // =========================================================================
  // Step 3: Decode and Verify Genesis Hash
  // =========================================================================
  printStep(3, 'Demonstrating genesis hash decoding');


  try {
    const versionInfo = await algod.version();


    // The genesisHashB64 is already a Uint8Array containing the raw bytes
    const hashBytes = versionInfo.genesisHashB64;


    printSuccess('Genesis hash decoded successfully!');
    printInfo('');
    printInfo('Genesis hash representations:');
    printInfo(`  - Raw bytes length: ${hashBytes.length} bytes`);
    printInfo(`  - Base64 encoded: ${Buffer.from(hashBytes).toString('base64')}`);
    printInfo(`  - Hex encoded: ${Buffer.from(hashBytes).toString('hex')}`);


    printInfo(
      'The genesis hash is a SHA512/256 hash (32 bytes) that uniquely identifies the network',
    );
    printInfo(
      'It is used in transaction signing to ensure transactions are bound to a specific network',
    );
  } catch (error) {
    printError(
      `Failed to decode genesis hash: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
    );
  }


  // =========================================================================
  // Summary
  // =========================================================================
  printHeader('Summary');
  printInfo('This example demonstrated:');
  printInfo('  1. version() - Retrieves algod version and build information');
  printInfo('  2. genesis() - Retrieves the full genesis configuration');
  printInfo('  3. Decoding the base64 genesis hash');
  printInfo('');
  printInfo('Key version fields:');
  printInfo('  - build.major/minor/buildNumber: Software version numbers');
  printInfo('  - build.commitHash: Git commit that built the node');
  printInfo('  - genesisId: Human-readable network identifier (e.g., "devnet-v1")');
  printInfo('  - genesisHash: Cryptographic hash uniquely identifying the network');
  printInfo('');
  printInfo('Key genesis fields:');
  printInfo('  - network: The network name');
  printInfo('  - proto: Initial consensus protocol version');
  printInfo('  - alloc: Pre-allocated accounts at network genesis');
  printInfo('  - fees: Address of the fee sink account');
  printInfo('  - rwd: Address of the rewards pool account');
}


main().catch(error => {
  console.error('Fatal error:', error);
  process.exit(1);
});

Other examples in Algod Client

Section titled “Other examples in Algod Client”