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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”