In today’s fast-paced digital world, securing and authenticating certifications is crucial. This blog will guide you through the process of generating and validating certificates using blockchain technology. By harnessing the power of Ethereum and the Rinkeby test network, you’ll develop a robust application. Let’s dive into the step-by-step process!

Setting Up Your Local Development Environment

Before we create our blockchain application, we’ll need a few tools in our toolkit.

1. Setting Up a Local Blockchain

• To kick things off, install the CLI version of Ganache using the command:

npm install -g ganache-cli

Ganache serves as our personal local blockchain network, providing temporary accounts loaded with fake Ethereum for app testing. Start the RPC server using the command:

npm run ganache

If you’re a Windows user, ensure that you run the above command in a separate terminal.

• Next, deploy the smart contract to the local blockchain with the command:

npm run contract-deploy

Note: You must run these two steps every time you start your project.

2. Setting Up a Local MongoDB Database

You’ll also need MongoDB running in the background.

• Open a terminal and launch MongoDB using:

mongo

• Switch to your desired database:

use certification

• Create a database user and password:

db.createUser({ user: "YOUR USER NAME", pwd: "YOUR USER PASSWORD", roles: [{ role: "dbOwner", db: "certification" }] })

• Include these credentials in your .env file.

3. Starting the Server

With everything set up, you can now start the server using:

npm start

Deploying the Smart Contract

Your smart contract can be deployed across various test networks. We’ll use the Rinkeby test network with the Truffle framework.

• First, create a MetaMask account. Upon creation, a mnemonic will be provided to you. Learn how to obtain your mnemonic here.
• Create a project on Infura to gain access to the Rinkeby network.
• Your endpoint will resemble: https://rinkeby.infura.io/yourapikey.
• Configure a .env file in the root directory, including your mnemonic and endpoint URL. Refer to the provided .env.example for guidance.
• To deploy your smart contract, run:

npm run deploy

• Save the contract address generated during this step for future reference.

Testing Your Application

Before going live, test your app by running:

truffle test

Make sure your RPC server is operational during testing.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during setup or operation, consider the following tips:

• Ensure Ganache is correctly installed and running the right command.
• Check if MongoDB is running in the background; restart the service if necessary.
• Verify that your .env configurations align with your created accounts and endpoints.
• Confirm that your MetaMask is connected to the Rinkeby network.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Useful Resources

For additional instructions and commands for debugging within the Truffle Console, refer to the instructions.

For a deeper understanding of this project, check out this informative YouTube video.

Final Thoughts

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.