A Comprehensive Guide
Lisk is a blockchain protocol that introduces an account-based blockchain system structured into modules. These modules define account properties and transactions, facilitating a flexible and scalable environment for decentralized applications (dApps) development. Lisk's architecture includes sidechains, enhancing scalability and interoperability within its ecosystem.
The Three Domains of a Blockchain
At the heart of the Lisk blockchain protocol lie three distinct domains, each playing a vital role in the network's operation:
Application Domain: This domain is responsible for verifying data and managing the transition of the blockchain's state using deterministic logic. Utilizing a state machine, the application domain ensures that all data modifications adhere to predefined rules and consensus mechanisms.
Consensus Domain: The consensus domain is tasked with maintaining the integrity and consistency of the blockchain across all network nodes. By following a consensus protocol, nodes replicate the same sequence of states, ensuring that the blockchain remains immutable and secure. This domain collaborates closely with the application and network domains to achieve consensus among participants.
Network Domain: Serving as the communication backbone of the blockchain network, the network domain facilitates peer-to-peer communication among nodes. Nodes exchange data, propagate transactions and blocks, and synchronize their local copies of the blockchain to maintain network coherence and integrity.
These three domains form the cornerstone of the Lisk blockchain and underpin its core functionality. Defined within the Lisk Improvement Proposals (LIPs), they provide a robust framework for building decentralized applications and ensuring the reliability and scalability of the Lisk protocol.
While these domains represent the core pillars of the Lisk blockchain, developers have the flexibility to implement additional components within the blockchain client, such as transaction pools, in accordance with their specific requirements without compromising the integrity of the Lisk protocol.
Key Functionalities of Lisk Core Nodes.
Lisk Core nodes play a crucial role in maintaining the Lisk blockchain network. They enable connectivity with a subset of peers, synchronize with the blockchain, manage the transaction pool, and generate new blocks in the network. Additionally, Lisk Core nodes store essential data such as addresses, balances, and transactions.
Networks
Lisk Core can connect to various networks, including the mainnet, testnet, betanet, alphanet, and devnet. Each network serves different purposes and allows developers to test and deploy their applications in different environments.
Modules in Lisk Core v4
The latest version of Lisk Core utilizes modules defined by Lisk SDK v6. These modules, along with the Legacy module, provide essential functionalities for managing accounts, balances, and transactions within the Lisk ecosystem.
Understanding Lisk Blockchain
A blockchain, including Lisk, is a distributed ledger system where interconnected blocks store transactional data across a peer-to-peer network. In the Lisk ecosystem, multiple interconnected blockchains, including the mainchain and sidechains, form an ecosystem. Sidechains enable interoperability within the Lisk ecosystem through the Lisk Interoperability protocol.
Lisk Applications
Lisk applications comprise blockchain clients, middleware, and user interfaces tailored for specific use cases. Unlike smart contract-based platforms, Lisk applications operate on independent blockchains, enhancing scalability and reducing network congestion. Middleware such as Lisk Service facilitates data aggregation and enrichment for seamless application integration.
Network Topology
The Lisk blockchain ecosystem consists of interconnected applications, each maintaining its own independent blockchain network. These networks communicate with each other through relayer nodes, ensuring interoperability and data exchange within the Lisk ecosystem.
Architecture of Lisk Applications
Lisk applications follow a layered architecture, including the application layer and the engine layer. The application layer handles state changes and logic execution, while the engine layer manages transaction processing, consensus, and network communication.
Communication Interfaces and APIs
Blockchain clients utilize various communication channels to interact with internal components and external services. These channels support three standard communication protocols:
nter-Process Communication (IPC): Enables communication between processes running on the same machine.
Web Sockets (WS): Facilitates real-time bidirectional communication between the client and external services over the web.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): Allows for communication over the web using standard HTTP requests and responses.
The communication protocol can be configured based on specific requirements. Clients can communicate with modules and plugins by invoking endpoints via Remote Procedure Call (RPC) requests or subscribing to events.
For optimal performance, it's recommended to utilize IPC/WebSocket protocols, as they offer enhanced response times. Additional details on the communication architecture can be found in the provided resources.
Lisk Application Architecture Overview
Lisk applications consist of a frontend and a backend (blockchain client), similar to traditional web applications. However, unlike centralized server-client models, Lisk applications operate on a decentralized network of nodes, each running a blockchain client instance.
1. Backend Functionality: Nodes collectively secure and maintain the blockchain, handling complex business logic and providing a flexible API. The blockchain serves as the database layer for the application.
2.Frontend Interaction: Users interact with the blockchain client via the frontend, which can be implemented in various ways:
Standalone UI Development: Developers can use their preferred frameworks/languages to create a user interface and communicate with the blockchain client via available communication interfaces/APIs. However, basic API endpoints may not suffice for complex UIs.
Lisk Service Middleware: Recommended for production environments, Lisk Service aggregates information from the blockchain network and third-party sources, providing an enriched API for frontend interaction over HTTP and WS protocols.
3.Custom Services and Extensions: Developers can create custom services using Lisk Service to support diverse UI projects, including mobile and web applications. Additionally, existing microservices can be extended as needed.
Lisk SDK: Building Scalable Blockchain Applications
The Lisk SDK is an open-source development kit that enables developers to build scalable blockchain applications in JavaScript and TypeScript. It offers modular architecture, consensus algorithms, development tools such as Lisk Commander, and interoperability features for seamless integration with other Lisk applications.
In summary on Understanding Lisk Blockchain: A Comprehensive Guide.
1. Three Domains of a Blockchain:
- Application Domain: Verifies data and manages state transitions.
- Consensus Domain: Ensures integrity across network nodes.
- Network Domain: Facilitates peer-to-peer communication.
2. Key Functionalities of Lisk Core Nodes:
- Connectivity with peers.
- Synchronization with the blockchain.
- Transaction pool management.
- Block generation.
3. Networks: Lisk Core can connect to mainnet, testnet, betanet, alphanet, and devnet.
4. Modules in Lisk Core v4: Utilizes modules defined by Lisk SDK v6, including the Legacy module.
5. Lisk Applications: Consist of blockchain clients, middleware (e.g., Lisk Service), and user interfaces.
6. Network Topology: Consists of interconnected applications and relayer nodes for interoperability.
7. Architecture of Lisk Applications: Follows a layered architecture with application and engine layers.
8. Communication Interfaces and APIs: Utilizes IPC, Web Sockets, and HTTP protocols for interaction.
9. Lisk Application Architecture Overview: Backend handles blockchain maintenance, while frontend interacts with users.
10. Lisk SDK: Enables developers to build scalable blockchain applications in JavaScript and TypeScript.