Hyperledger FireFly is the first open source Supernode: a complete stack for enterprises to build and scale secure Web3 applications. The FireFly API for digital assets, data flows, and blockchain transactions makes it radically faster to build production-ready apps on popular chains and protocols.
Hyperledger FireFly

Hyperledger FireFly is the first open source Supernode: a complete stack for enterprises to build and scale secure Web3 applications.
The FireFly API for digital assets, data flows, and blockchain transactions makes it radically faster to build production-ready apps on popular chains and protocols.
Start using Hyperledger FireFly
The best place to learn about FireFly is in the documentation.
There you will find our Getting Started Guide, which will get you a running FireFly network of Supernodes on your local machine in a few minutes.
Your development environment will come with:
FireFly CLI | FireFly Explorer UI | FireFly Sandbox | :----------------------------:|:-----------------------------------:|:----------------:|
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Engage with the community
Technical architecture
Hyperledger FireFly has a pluggable microservices architecture. Everything is pluggable, from the Blockchain technology, token ERC standards, and custom smart contracts, all the way to the event distribution layer and private database.
So if there aren't yet instructions for making FireFly a Supernode for your favorite blockchain technology - don't worry. There is almost certainly a straightforward path to plugging it in that will save you from re-building all the plumbing for your blockchain application from scratch.
Start contributing to Hyperledger FireFly
There are lots of places you can contribute, regardless of whether your skills are front-end, backend-end, or full-stack.
Check out our Contributor Guide, and welcome!.
Other repos
You are currently in the "core" repository, which is written in Go and hosts the API Server and central orchestration engine. Here you will find plugin interfaces to microservice connectors written in a variety of languages like TypeScript and Java, as well as heavy-lifting runtime components.
Other repositories you might be interested in containing those microservice components, user experiences, CLIs and samples.
Note that only open source repositories and plugins are listed below
Blockchain connectivity
- Transaction Manager -
- RLP & ABI encoding, KeystoreV3 utilities and secp256k1 signer runtime -
- FFCAPI reference connector for EVM Chains -
- Permissioned Ethereum connector -
- Hyperledger Fabric connector -
- Tezos connector -
- Cardano connector -
- Corda connector starter:
Token standards
- Tokens ERC20/ERC721 -
- Tokens ERC1155 -
Private data bus connectivity
- HTTPS Data Exchange -
Developer ecosystem
- Command Line Interface (CLI) -
- Explorer UI -
- Node.js SDK -
- Sandbox / Exerciser -
- Samples -
- FireFly Performance CLI:
- Helm Charts for Deploying to Kubernetes:
FireFly Core code hierarchy
โโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ cmd โโโโค firefly [Ff]โ - CLI entry point
โโโโโโโโโโโโ โ โ - Creates parent context
โ โ - Signal handling
โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ
โ
โโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ - HTTP listener (Gorilla mux)
โ internal โโโโค api [As]โ * TLS (SSL), CORS configuration etc.
โโโโโโโโโโโโ โ server โ * WS upgrade on same port
โ โ - REST route definitions
โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Simple routing logic only, all processing deferred to orchestrator
โ
โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ - REST route definition framework
โ openapi [Oa]โ * Standardizes Body, Path, Query, Filter semantics
โ spec | - OpenAPI 3.0 (Swagger) generation
โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Including Swagger. UI
โ
โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ - WebSocket server
โ [Ws]โ * Developer friendly JSON based protocol business app development
โ websockets โ * Reliable sequenced delivery
โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Event interface [Ei] supports lower level integration with other compute frameworks/transports
โ
โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ - Extension point interface to listen for database change events
โ admin [Ae]โ * For building microservice extensions to the core that run externally
โ events | * Used by the Transaction Manager component
โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Filtering to specific object types
โ
โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ - Core data types
โ fftypes [Ft]โ * Used for API and Serialization
โ โ * APIs can mask fields on input via router definition
โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ
โ
โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ - Core runtime server. Initializes and owns instances of:
โ [Or]โ * Components: Implement features
โโโโโโโโโฌโโโโค orchestrator โ * Plugins: Pluggable infrastructure services
โ โ โ โ - Exposes actions to router
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Processing starts here for all API calls
โ โ
โ Components: Components do the heavy lifting within the engine
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Integrates with Blockchain Smart Contract logic across blockchain technologies
โ โโโโโค contract [Cm]โ * Generates OpenAPI 3 / Swagger definitions for smart contracts, and propagates to network
โ โ โ manager โ * Manages listeners for native Blockchain events, and routes those to application events
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Convert to/from native Blockchain interfaces (ABI etc.) and FireFly Interface [FFI] format
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Maintains a view of the entire network
โ โโโโโค network [Nm]โ * Integrates with network permissioning [NP] plugin
โ โ โ map โ * Integrates with broadcast plugin
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Handles hierarchy of member identity, node identity and signing identity
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Broadcast of data to all parties in the network
โ โโโโโค broadcast [Bm]โ * Implements dispatcher for batch component
โ โ โ manager | * Integrates with shared storage interface [Ss] plugin
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Integrates with blockchain interface [Bi] plugin
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Send private data to individual parties in the network
โ โโโโโค private [Pm]โ * Implements dispatcher for batch component
โ โ โ messaging | * Integrates with the data exchange [Dx] plugin
โ โ โโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ * Messages can be pinned and sequenced via the blockchain, or just sent
โ โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ - Groups of parties, with isolated data and/or blockchains
โ โ โ group [Gm]โ * Integrates with data exchange [Dx] plugin
โ โ โ manager โ * Integrates with blockchain interface [Bi] plugin
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Private data management and validation
โ โโโโโค data [Dm]โ * Implements dispatcher for batch component
โ โ โ manager โ * Integrates with data exchange [Dx] plugin
โ โ โโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ * Integrates with blockchain interface [Bi] plugin
โ โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ - JSON data schema management and validation (architecture extensible to XML and more)
โ โ โ json [Jv]โ * JSON Schema validation logic for outbound and inbound messages
โ โ โ validator โ * Schema propagation
โ โ โโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ * Integrates with broadcast plugin
โ โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ - Binary data addressable via ID or Hash
โ โ โ blobstore [Bs]โ * Integrates with data exchange [Dx] plugin
โ โ โ โ * Hashes data, and maintains mapping to payload references in blob storage
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Integrates with blockchain interface [Bi] plugin
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Download from shared storage
โ โโโโโค shared [Sd]โ * Parallel asynchronous download
โ โ โ download โ * Resilient retry and crash recovery
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Notification to event aggregator on completion
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โโโโโค identity [Im] โ - Central identity management service across components
โ โ โ manager โ * Resolves API input identity + key combos (short names, formatting etc.)
โ โ โ โ * Resolves registered on-chain signing keys back to identities
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Integrates with Blockchain Interface and pluggable Identity Interface (TBD)
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Keeps track of all operations performed against external components via plugins
โ โโโโโค operation [Om]โ * Updates database with inputs/outputs
โ โ โ manager โ * Provides consistent retry semantics across plugins
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Private data management and validation
โ โโโโโค event [Em]โ * Implements dispatcher for batch component
โ โ โ manager โ * Integrates with data exchange [Dx] plugin
โ โ โโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ * Integrates with blockchain interface [Bi] plugin
โ โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ - Handles incoming external data
โ โ โ [Ag]โ * Integrates with data exchange [Dx] plugin
โ โ โ aggregator โ * Integrates with shared storage interface [Ss] plugin
โ โ โ โ * Integrates with blockchain interface [Bi] plugin
โ โ โ โ - Ensures valid events are dispatched only once all data is available
โ โ โโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ * Context aware, to prevent block-the-world scenarios
โ โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ - Subscription manager
โ โ โ [Sm]โ * Creation and management of subscriptions
โ โ โ subscription โ * Creation and management of subscriptions
โ โ โ manager โ * Message to Event matching logic
โ โ โโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ - Manages delivery of events to connected applications
โ โ โ event [Ed]โ * Integrates with data exchange [Dx] plugin
โ โ โ dispatcher โ * Integrates with blockchain interface [Bi] plugin
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Token creation/transfer initiation, indexing and coordination
โ โโโโโค asset [Am]โ * Fungible tokens: Digitized value/settlement (coins)
โ โ โ manager โ * Non-fungible tokens: NFTs / globally uniqueness / digital twins
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Full indexing of transaction history
โ โ [REST/WebSockets]
โ โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโ โโ
โ โ โ ERC-20 / ERC-721 โโโโโค ERC-1155 โโโโโค Simple framework for building token connectors
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโ โโ
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โโโโโค sync / [Sa] โ - Sync/Async Bridge
โ โ โ async bridge โ * Provides synchronous request/reply APIs
โ โ โ โ * Translates to underlying event-driven API
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Aggregates messages and data, with rolled up hashes for pinning
โ โโโโโค batch [Ba]โ * Pluggable dispatchers
โ โ โ manager โ - Database decoupled from main-line API processing
โ โ โ โ * See architecture diagrams for more info on active/active sequencing
โ โ โโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ - Manages creation of batch processor instances
โ โ โ
โ โ โโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ - Short lived agent spun up to assemble batches on demand
โ โ โ batch [Bp]โ * Coupled to an author+type of messages
โ โ โ processor โ - Builds batches of 100s messages for efficient pinning
โ โ โ โ * Aggregates messages and data, with rolled up hashes for pinning
โ โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Shuts down automatically after a configurable inactivity period
โ ... more TBD
โ
Plugins: Each plugin comprises a Go shim, plus a remote agent microservice runtime (if required)
โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Blockchain Interface
โโโโโโโโโโโโโค [Bi]โ * Transaction submission - including signing key management
โ โ blockchain โ * Event listening
โ โ interface โ * Standardized operations, and custom on-chain coupling
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌ-โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌ-โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ ethereum โ โ fabric โ โ corda/cordapps โ โ tezos โ โ cardano โ
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ [REST/WebSockets]
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโ
โ โ transaction manager [Tm] โโโโโค Connector API [ffcapi] โโโโโค Simple framework for building blockchain connectors
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโ
โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Token interface
โโโโโโโโโโโโโค tokens [Ti]โ * Standardizes core concepts: token pools, transfers, approvals
โ โ interface โ * Pluggable across token standards
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Supports simple implementation of custom token standards via microservice connector
โ [REST/WebSockets]
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโ โโ
โ โ ERC-20 / ERC-721 โโโโโค ERC-1155 โโโโโค Simple framework for building token connectors
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโ โโ
โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - P2P Content Addressed Filesystem
โโโโโโโโโโโโโค shared [Si]โ * Payload upload / download
โ โ storage โ * Payload reference management
โ โ interface โ
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโ ... extensible to any shared storage system, accessible to all members
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ ipfs โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Private Data Exchange
โโโโโโโโโโโโโค data [Dx]โ * Blob storage
โ โ exchange โ * Private secure messaging
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Secure file transfer
โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ ... extensible to any private data exchange tech
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโ
โ โ https / MTLS โ โ Kaleido โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - API Authentication and Authorization Interface
โโโโโโโโโโโโโค api auth [Aa]โ * Authenticates security credentials (OpenID Connect id token JWTs etc.)
โ โ โ * Extracts API/user identity (for identity interface to map)
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Enforcement point for fine grained API access control
โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ ... extensible other single sign-on technologies
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโ
โ โ apikey โ โ jwt โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Database Interactions
โโโโโโโโโโโโโค database [Di]โ * Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD) actions
โ โ interface โ * Filtering and update definition interface
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Migrations and Indexes
โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโ ... extensible to NoSQL (CouchDB / MongoDB etc.)
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ sqlcommon โ
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโ ... extensible other SQL databases
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ postgres โ โ sqlite3 โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Connects the core event engine to external frameworks and applications
โโโโโโโโโโโโโค event [Ei]โ * Supports long-lived (durable) and ephemeral event subscriptions
โ โ interface โ * Batching, filtering, all handled in core prior to transport
โ โโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ * Interface supports connect-in (websocket) and connect-out (broker runtime style) plugins
โ โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฌโโโโโโโโโโ ... extensible to additional event buses (Kafka, NATS, AMQP etc.)
โ โโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโดโโโโโโโโโ
โ โ websockets โ โ webhooks โ
โ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ ... more TBD
Additional utility frameworks โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - REST API client โ rest [Re]โ * Provides convenience and logging โ client โ * Standardizes auth, config and retry logic โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Built on Resty
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - WebSocket client โ wsclient [Wc]โ * Provides convenience and logging โ โ * Standardizes auth, config and reconnect logic โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Built on Gorilla WebSockets
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Translation framework โ i18n [In]โ * Every translations must be added to en_translations.json - with an FF10101 key โ โ * Errors are wrapped, providing extra features from the errors package (stack etc.) โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Description translations also supported, such as OpenAPI description
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Logging framework โ log [Lo]โ * Logging framework (logrus) integrated with context based tagging โ โ * Context is used throughout the code to pass API invocation context, and logging context โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Example: Every API call has an ID that can be traced, as well as a timeout
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ - Configuration โ config [Co]โ * File and Environment Variable based logging framework (viper) โ โ * Primary config keys all defined centrally โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ * Plugins integrate by returning their config structure for unmarshaling (JSON tags)
