Getting Started with ChainLaunch: Install and Deploy Your First Fabric Testnet in Minutes

The blockchain industry has been waiting for a solution that bridges the gap between complex infrastructure setup and rapid deployment. Today, we're excited to show you how ChainLaunch makes it incredibly easy to deploy self-hosted Hyperledger Fabric testnet networks in minutes, not days.

Why ChainLaunch?

Traditional blockchain deployment involves:

• Days of manual configuration
• Complex node setup and networking
• Tedious chaincode development
• High maintenance overhead
• Vendor lock-in concerns

ChainLaunch eliminates these pain points with:

• 🚀 Instant Deployment: Deploy Fabric testnet networks in under 5 minutes
• 🤖 AI-Powered Development: Generate chaincodes with AI
• 🏠 Self-Hosted Control: Full control over your infrastructure
• 📊 Unified Dashboard: Monitor everything from one interface

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have:

• Operating System: macOS or Linux (Windows is not supported)
• Network Access: Internet connection to download ChainLaunch
• System Requirements: At least 4GB RAM, 10GB free disk space
• Permissions: Ability to install software and run commands

Step 1: Install ChainLaunch

Option A: One-Line Installation (Recommended)

The easiest way to get started is with our automated install script:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LF-Decentralized-Trust-labs/chaindeploy/main/install.sh | bash

This script will:

• Detect your system architecture (macOS ARM64, macOS x86_64, or Linux x86_64)
• Download the appropriate ChainLaunch binary
• Install it to ~/.chainlaunch/bin
• Add it to your PATH automatically
• Set up shell completions

Option B: Manual Installation

If you prefer manual installation:

1. Download the binary for your platform:

   # For macOS ARM64 (Apple Silicon)
   curl -L -o chainlaunch.zip https://github.com/LF-Decentralized-Trust-labs/chaindeploy/releases/latest/download/chainlaunch-darwin-arm64.zip
    
   # For macOS x86_64 (Intel)
   curl -L -o chainlaunch.zip https://github.com/LF-Decentralized-Trust-labs/chaindeploy/releases/latest/download/chainlaunch-darwin-amd64.zip
    
   # For Linux x86_64
   curl -L -o chainlaunch.zip https://github.com/LF-Decentralized-Trust-labs/chaindeploy/releases/latest/download/chainlaunch-linux-amd64.zip

2. Extract and install:

   mkdir -p ~/.chainlaunch/bin
   unzip chainlaunch.zip -d ~/.chainlaunch/bin/
   chmod +x ~/.chainlaunch/bin/chainlaunch

3. Add to PATH:

   echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.chainlaunch/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
   source ~/.bashrc

Step 2: Verify Installation

Check that ChainLaunch is installed correctly:

chainlaunch version

You should see output similar to:

ChainLaunch v0.1.4
Build Date: 2024-01-15
Commit: abc123def

Step 3: Start the ChainLaunch Server

Now let's start the ChainLaunch server:

# Set up environment variables
export CHAINLAUNCH_USER=admin
export CHAINLAUNCH_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword
 
# Start the server
chainlaunch serve --data=./chainlaunch-data --db=./chainlaunch.db --port=8100

This command:

• Creates a data directory for your networks
• Sets up a local SQLite database
• Starts the web dashboard on port 8100
• Uses the credentials you specified

You should see output like:

[INFO] Starting ChainLaunch server...
[INFO] Database initialized at ./chainlaunch.db
[INFO] Dashboard available at http://localhost:8100
[INFO] API documentation at http://localhost:8100/swagger/index.html
[INFO] Server started successfully

Step 4: Access the Dashboard

Open your web browser and navigate to:

• Dashboard: http://localhost:8100
• API Documentation: http://localhost:8100/swagger/index.html

The dashboard provides:

• Network management interface
• Real-time monitoring
• Configuration tools
• AI-powered development features

Step 5: Deploy Your First Network

Option A: Using the Dashboard (Recommended)

1. Navigate to the dashboard at http://localhost:8100
2. Click "Create New Network"
3. Configure your Fabric testnet:
   • Network name (e.g., "my-first-network")
   • Number of organizations
   • Number of peers per organization
   • Channel configuration
4. Click "Deploy"

The AI will automatically:

• Generate optimal Fabric testnet configuration
• Set up all required nodes
• Create initial chaincodes
• Deploy everything in under 5 minutes

Option B: Using the Command Line

For advanced users, you can deploy networks via CLI:

# Set API environment variables
export CHAINLAUNCH_API_URL=http://localhost:8100/api/v1
export CHAINLAUNCH_USER=admin
export CHAINLAUNCH_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword
 
# Deploy a Fabric testnet
chainlaunch testnet fabric \
  --name my-first-network \
  --org "Org1MSP,Org2MSP" \
  --peerOrgs "Org1MSP,Org2MSP" \
  --ordererOrgs "OrdererOrg" \
  --channels mychannel \
  --peerCounts "Org1MSP=1,Org2MSP=1" \
  --ordererCounts "OrdererOrg=3"

This creates a Fabric network with:

• 2 organizations (Org1MSP, Org2MSP)
• 1 peer per organization
• 3 orderer nodes
• 1 channel (mychannel)

Step 6: Verify Your Network

After deployment, you can verify everything is working:

Check Network Status

# List all networks
chainlaunch network list
 
# Get detailed network info
chainlaunch network info --name my-first-network

Access Network Components

Your network will be available at:

• Peer endpoints: http://localhost:7051, http://localhost:8051
• Orderer endpoints: http://localhost:7050, http://localhost:8050, http://localhost:9050
• Network explorer: http://localhost:8080 (if enabled)

Step 7: AI-Powered Development

One of ChainLaunch's most powerful features is AI-assisted development:

Generate Chaincodes (Fabric)

# Generate a basic asset transfer chaincode
chainlaunch ai generate-chaincode \
  --name asset-transfer \
  --description "Transfer assets between organizations" \
  --language go

The AI will:

• Analyze your requirements
• Generate production-ready code
• Include proper error handling
• Add security best practices
• Create deployment scripts

Step 8: Connect Multiple Nodes

ChainLaunch makes it easy to connect nodes across different networks:

# Generate a node invitation
chainlaunch nodesharing generate-node-invitation --bidirectional
 
# Accept an invitation from another node
chainlaunch nodesharing accept-node-invitation \
  --invitation_jwt "eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
 
# Sync external nodes
chainlaunch nodesharing sync-external-nodes --peer_node_id "1"

What's Next?

Congratulations! You've successfully installed ChainLaunch and deployed your first network. Here's what you can do next:

Explore Advanced Features

1. Scale Your Network: Add more peers and organizations
2. Custom Chaincodes: Develop custom business logic
3. Network Monitoring: Set up alerts and monitoring
4. Backup & Recovery: Configure automated backups
5. Security Hardening: Implement additional security measures

Get Support

• Documentation: https://github.com/LF-Decentralized-Trust-labs/chainlaunch/tree/main/docs
• GitHub Issues: https://github.com/LF-Decentralized-Trust-labs/chainlaunch/issues
• Community: Join our Discord for discussions and support

Upgrade to Pro

Ready for advanced features? Upgrade to ChainLaunch Pro for:

• Unlimited Networks: Deploy as many networks as you need
• Advanced AI Tools: More sophisticated code generation
• Priority Support: Get help when you need it
• Enterprise Features: Advanced security and compliance tools

Real-World Results

Our users have achieved remarkable results:

• 95% reduction in deployment time
• 80% faster chaincode development
• Zero downtime scaling operations
• Complete infrastructure control

Conclusion

ChainLaunch transforms blockchain deployment from a complex, time-consuming process into a simple, fast operation. What used to take days now takes minutes. What used to require specialized knowledge now requires just a few commands.

The best businesses (and blockchains) are built on models that last. ChainLaunch is that model.

Ready to experience the future of blockchain deployment? Get started today.

Need help? Check out our comprehensive documentation or join our community.