Hyperledger is an open-source community dedicated to creating a collection of stable frameworks, tools, and libraries designed for permissioned, enterprise-grade blockchain deployments. It is a global partnership comprising member organizations at the forefront of finance, banking, the Internet of Things, supply chains, manufacturing, and technology. Hyperledger Fabric, Cello, Besu, and Caliper are among the numerous sub-projects.

What is the Hyberledger Protocol?

Hyperledger is a global enterprise blockchain initiative that provides the requisite framework, standards, guidelines, and tools to construct open-source blockchains and related applications for various industries. Hyperledger is a global collaboration that develops distributed ledger-based technology frameworks and high-performance blockchains. Hyperledger was developed to facilitate the creation of distributed ledgers based on blockchain technology. There is a diverse selection of enterprise-ready, permissioned blockchain platforms.

Hyperledger’s initiatives encompass various enterprise-ready, permissioned blockchain platforms and plug-and-play options. The Hyperledger Foundation supports, maintains, and hosts these initiatives. Since its inception by the Linux Foundation in 2016, the Hyperledger project has received contributions from various organizations, including IBM, Intel, Samsung, Microsoft, Visa, American Express, and blockchain ventures like Blockforce.

The Hyperledger platform enables the development of blockchain services tailored to the specific requirements of corporate operations. Hyperledger has the advantage of establishing a personalized and secure blockchain network, which is not a feature of other platforms for developing blockchain-based software.

These layers are utilized by hyperledger-based technology:

• A consensus layer establishes an accord on order and verifies the accuracy of the transactions in a block.
• A smart contract layer that authorizes and processes transaction requests
• A communication layer that oversees the transport of peer-to-peer (P2P) messages.
• An API that enables other applications to communicate with the blockchain.
• Identity management services are responsible for verifying the identities of users and systems.

Hyperledger Protocol’s Background

The Linux Foundation, situated in San Francisco, California, established the Hyperledger initiative in December 2015. It originated with 30 member firms and has since expanded to approximately 140 member companies.

Brian Behlendorf was appointed as executive director. Behlendorf declared that the Hyperledger initiative would never develop its own cryptocurrency. In 2016, the project also initiated the acceptance of proposals for incubating codebases and other essential element technologies. Hyperledger Fabric and libconsensus were two of the initial blockchain framework codebases that were accepted. Intel’s distributed ledger, Sawtooth, was subsequently incubated.

The production-ready Sawtooth 1.0 was incorporated in 2018. A version of Hyperledger Fabric with long-term support was introduced in 2019. Daniela Barbosa succeeded Behlendorf as executive director in October 2021. In the same month, Hyperledger was rebranded as the Hyperledger Foundation to establish a more distinct distinction between the organization and individual Hyperledger initiatives.

How does the Hyperledger Protocol Works?

Hyperledger is an operating system similar to open-source Linux that operates on a network, computer, laptop, or other device. It is comparable to Linux in that it empowers users to determine their preferences based on their requirements. Therefore, a system can be constructed by utilizing one of the existing Hyperledger projects, which are operating systems specifically designed for specific purposes. This system can be equipped with various modules to meet the varied requirements of the user.

Hyperledger functions as a central center for various distributed ledger frameworks and libraries. Hyperledger Greenhouse, which comprises the frameworks and tools that comprise Hyperledger, is employed by developers to create business blockchain initiatives. The network participants are all acquainted and can engage in consensus-building processes. Hyperledger operates in a manner that enables an application to initiate a contract requirement. This can be understood with the following example:

Let us assume that Peer A sends the agreed-upon product to Peer B via a hyperledger-based network. Then, consult the application to identify the Peer B network address. The application queries the membership service and verifies Peer B membership.

Then Hyperledger will establish a direct connection between the two peers for the transaction associated with the agreement. The result must be identical for both parties to be validated. The consensus cloud then receives the outcome for verification and ordering. Upon validation, the product is delivered to Peer B, and the transaction is recorded in the ledger.

This can be stated as the peers directly associated with the transaction are connected, and their ledgers will be the only ones to be updated regarding the deal. The precise and necessary quantity of information will only be disclosed to the third parties who assist in the transaction through the network’s regulations.

Duties of Hyperledger Peers

The peers in the hyperledger network are divided into three discrete roles at two run times. This unique feature in this network enables a high degree of personalization, which results in significant changes. The three peer responsibilities are as follows:

• Committer: Appends validated transactions to their respective ledgers. The transaction is only added to the designated ledger after the consenter returns it.
• Endorser: The endorser nodes are accountable for simulating unique transactions in their network and preventing non-deterministic and unreliable transactions. While all endorsers serve as committers, committers may or may not be endorsers, contingent upon network constraints.
• Consenter: Their responsibility is verifying the results generated by affiliated peers who wish to proceed with a transaction to validate the transaction. Unlike committers and endorsers, who operate on the same run time, their responsibilities are particular and require separate run times. Their responsibility is to determine which ledger the transaction should be committed to.

Advantages of the Hyperledger Protocol

Security

Hyperledger prioritizes security, offering encryption, identity management, and access control. This makes it an ideal choice for enterprise applications that require a high level of security.

Flexibility

Hyperledger offers a high degree of modularity and flexibility, enabling developers to customize and configure the platform to satisfy their specific requirements.

Scalability

Hyperledger is engineered to accommodate enterprise applications that operate on a large scale and can process thousands of transactions per second.

Interoperability

Hyperledger offers a unified platform for developing blockchain applications, facilitating integration with other systems and applications.

Privacy

Hyperledger enables establishing private, permissioned blockchain networks, ensuring only authorized entities can access the network’s data.

Disadvantages of the Hyperledger Protocol

Complexity

Hyperledger can be challenging to install and operate, particularly for organizations new to blockchain technology. This may necessitate substantial technical proficiency and resources.

Centralization

Hyperledger is a permissioned blockchain platform, meaning only authorized parties can participate in the network. This results in limited decentralization. Although this can enhance security and privacy, it also implies that the network is less decentralized than public blockchain platforms.

Restricted Smart Contract Capability

Hyperledger provides restricted smart contract capabilities when contrasted with other blockchain platforms. Although this may be adequate for specific applications, it may prove detrimental to organizations requiring more sophisticated smart contract capabilities.

Hyperledger Projects

Hyperledger provides a variety of projects and tools. Hyperledger Fabric and Sawtooth are two notable frameworks or projects that are part of Hyperledger, although there are numerous projects.

Hyperledger Fabrics

Hyperledger Fabric is an open-source, permissioned distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform developed specifically for enterprise use. It offers unique features that distinguish it from other prominent distributed ledger or blockchain platforms.

Fabric is a distributed ledger platform that enables smart contracts written in general-purpose programming languages like Java, Go, and Node.js instead of limited domain-specific languages (DSL). The Fabric platform is a permissioned network where users are mutually known, unlike a public permissionless network where individuals are anonymous and consequently not fully trusted.

Hyperledger Fabric Model

Hyperledger Fabric incorporates essential design elements that effectively deliver on its commitment to becoming a comprehensive and adaptable blockchain solution for enterprises. The items encompassed are:

• Assets: In Hyperledger Fabric, assets are depicted as a set of key-value pairs, and any modifications to their state are documented as transactions on a channel ledger. Assets can be expressed in both binary and JSON formats.
• Chaincode: Chaincode refers to software that defines one or more assets and provides instructions for altering these assets through transactions. The execution of chaincode is separated from transaction ordering, reducing the need for trust and verification between different nodes. This approach enhances network scalability and performance.
• Ledger: The ledger consists of a blockchain that stores an unchangeable and ordered record in blocks. It also includes a state database that keeps track of the current state of the fabric. Each channel has one ledger. The unchangeable and collectively accessible record stores all the transaction records for each channel and incorporates a query function similar to SQL for effective auditing and resolving disputes.
• Privacy: Privacy is ensured by using channels and private data gathering, which facilitate confidential transactions between rival enterprises and regulated industries that exchange assets on a shared network.
• Security and Membership Services: Permissioned membership ensures the establishment of a reliable blockchain network in which participants know that authorized regulators and auditors may identify and trace all transactions.
• Consensus Mechanism: The consensus mechanism offers a distinctive method for achieving the organization’s required adaptability and expandability.

Hyperledger Sawtooth

Hyperledger Sawtooth is a blockchain platform introduced by Intel and operates with permissioned and modular features. Hyperledger Sawtooth is a versatile and modular architecture that separates the core system from the application domain. This allows smart contracts to define the business rules for applications without requiring knowledge of the underlying design of the core system. Hyperledger Sawtooth offers a range of consensus methods, such as Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) and Proof of Elapsed Time (PoET). It is specifically meant to be versatile and scalable.

Sawtooth can facilitate both permissioned and permissionless deployments. It incorporates a novel consensus mechanism called Proof of Elapsed Time (PoET). PoET is designed to efficiently engage many dispersed validators while requiring low resource usage. The transaction business logic is separated from the consensus layer and organized into transaction families, which can have restricted or unrestricted semantics.

Features of Hyperledger Sawtooth

The characteristics of a sawtooth include:

• Dynamic Consensus
• Transaction Families
• Proof of Elapsed Time (a specific consensus method)
• Parallel Transaction Execution (enabling the formation of separate chains)
• Private Transactions
• The execution of Ethereum smart contracts

Additionally, there are software development kits (SDKs) accessible for Python, Go, JavaScript, Rust, Java, and C++. Sawtooth is designed to cater to the needs of enterprises requiring a blockchain platform that is permissioned and adaptable.

Other Hyperledger Projects

Hyperledger Iroha

Hyperledger Iroha is a blockchain platform designed for seamless integration with preexisting networks. It is also designed to be uncomplicated and effortless to integrate into infrastructural or IoT projects that require distributed ledger technology.

Hyperledger Iroha is characterized by its straightforward and precise architecture, modular and domain-driven C++ design, focus on client application development, and implementation of a new consensus method dubbed YAC, which ensures fault tolerance in the event of a crash. It finds use in sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and education.

Hyperledger Indy

Hyperledger Indy is a framework designed to implement decentralized identities. The product includes many components, tool sets, and libraries. Additionally, it encompasses self-sovereignty, which entails the secure storage of all documentation related to one’s identification.

Hyperledger Besu

Hyperledger Besu is a publicly accessible Ethereum codebase available on private, permissioned platforms and the Ethereum public network. The system includes the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), consensus methods, user-facing APIs, and monitoring capabilities.

Hyperledger Cello

Hyperledger Cello is a blockchain-as-a-service toolkit for creating, terminating, and managing blockchain services. It functions as the operational dashboard for blockchain, streamlining the process of establishing, administering, and utilizing blockchains. The cello offers a functional interface for efficiently managing blockchain and operating on infrastructures such as bare metal, virtual machines, and other container platforms.

Hyperledger Bevel

Hyperledger Bevel is a catalyst for implementing distributed ledger technology (DLT). Bevel facilitates establishing, implementing, and incorporating DLT with new organizations.

Hyperledger Firefly

Hyperledger FireFly is the initial open-source supernode, which provides a comprehensive framework for businesses to construct and expand secure Web3 applications. The FireFly API facilitates the development of production-ready applications on popular chains and protocols by providing enhanced speed for building digital assets, data flows, and blockchain transactions.

Hyperledger Cacti

Hyperledger Cacti is a framework for achieving interoperability by establishing connections and facilitating transactions between diverse ledgers.

Hyperledger Solang

Solang is a Solidity compiler written in Rust. It employs llvm as its backend and can compile Solidity for Substrate and Solana.

Hyperledger Aries

Hyperledger Aries is an assortment of tools designed to create, transmit, and store digital credentials and administrate decentralized keys.

Hyperledger Anoncreds

Hyperledger Anoncreds is a verifiable certification independent of any specific ledger or accounting system.

Hyperledger Caliper

Hyperledger Caliper is a tool designed to evaluate and measure the performance and capabilities of a blockchain system. A caliper is utilized to assess the efficacy of blockchain deployments.

Conclusion

The Hyperledger open-source collaborative initiative, housed within the Linux Foundation, is dedicated to developing blockchain frameworks and technologies suitable for business use. Businesses can establish confidential, permissioned blockchain networks for a variety of applications. Hyperledger is recognized for its modular and adaptable solutions in supply chain management and smart contracts.