Agoric REPL
Note: This page describes the Agoric REPL. If you are instead looking for information about node
or the Node.js REPL, see Node.js documentation.
Introduction
When you run agoric start --reset
, you start a local ag-solo.
You use agoric start
to start what we call an ag-solo, which is a single personal local Agoric node. You need an ag-solo running on your machine to interact with Agoric network services, whether a built-in simulated chain (also started by agoric start
), or a fully-decentralized public Agoric blockchain.
All deployment happens via the local running Agoric process. This is usually the ag-solo process, and frequently referred to as that or just as ag-solo. It is also sometimes described as/called an Agoric VM or a local server.
An ag-solo communicates with either a locally running or remote chain. This local process (the ag-solo) has a home object, which contains references to services on-chain, including Zoe, the Board for sharing objects, and an application user's Wallet, among others. Developers can use these service references to call the service's associated API commands.
Contract code starts in a file on a user's computer, either written by them or imported from agoric/zoe
. The code is bundled; turned into a particularly formatted blob of code that exists in memory while a deploy script is running. When E(zoe).install()
is called, the blob is sent to and stored on-chain so that Zoe can access it.
An ag-solo has an associated REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop). From the REPL and the home
object, developers can use all the on-chain commands that deployment scripts use to deploy contracts and Dapps. In addition to the on-chain commands, they can also run any other JavaScript commands from the REPL.
Accessing the REPL
Once an ag-solo is running and on-chain, you can access its associated REPL in two ways.
- In a browser tab, go to
localhost:8000
. Depending on the browser's width, you will see the Wallet UI and REPL either in separate columns or separate rows.
- From a shell, run
agoric open --repl
This opens the user's Wallet UI and its associated REPL. To open only the REPL, runagoric open --repl only
Using the REPL
You can run JavaScript commands from the REPL. You can also use the REPL's home
object's predefined connections to other objects and services. To see what’s available, just type home
into the REPL:
Command[1] home
History[1] {"chainTimerService":[Presence o-50],"contractHost":[Presence o-52],"ibcport":[Presence o-53],"registrar":[Presence o-54],"registry":[Presence o-55],"zoe":[Presence o-56],"localTimerService":[Presence o-57],"uploads":[Presence o-58],"spawner":[Presence o-59],"wallet":[Presence o-60],"network":[Presence o-61],"http":[Presence o-62]}
The results of what is entered into the REPL is saved under history[N]
The following sections describe the home
objects developers can use. Click on the section header to go to more detailed documentation about that object. Several home
objects are either for internal Agoric use only or have been deprecated. These are listed together in the final section. External developers should ignore them and not try to use them.
wallet
Holds on-chain digital assets and object capabilities on behalf of the user. The header link takes you to the standard non-REPL specific wallet
API documentation. When calling wallet
API methods from the REPL, wallet
must be prefaced by home.
and use E()
. For example, E(home.wallet).getPurses()
. Full Wallet API documentation.
chainTimerService
On-chain time authority used to schedule events. Full chainTimerService
documentation.
localTimerService
Local off-chain time authority used to schedule events. Full localTimerService
documentation.
board
Shared on-chain location where users can post generally accessible values. Full board
documentation.
ibcport
IBC implementation that lets vats open and close listening ports, connect and disconnect to/from remote ports, and send and receive data over those connections. Full ibcport
documentation.
zoe
Deploy and interact with smart contracts. Zoe protects smart contract users by escrowing digital assets and guaranteeing users get either what they want or get a refund of what they escrowed. Even if the contract is buggy or malicious. The header link takes you to the standard, non-REPL specific, zoe
API documentation. When calling any of the zoe
API methods from the REPL, zoe
must be prefaced by home.
and use E()
. For example, E(home.zoe).getFoo()
. Full Zoe API documentation.
priceAuthority
Get price quotes for pairs of digital assets. Full priceAuthority
documentation.
scratch
An off-chain, private, place to store key-value pairs on your ag-solo for later use. Full scratch
documentation.
Deprecated and Internal-Only Objects
contractHost
: Replaced by thespawner
object.faucet
: Internal for chain setup.http
:api/deploy.js
uses this to install new HTTP and WebSocket handlers in an ag-solo. You should not need to use it.network
: Privileged object for internal use. Full Network documentation.plugin
: Privileged object for internal use.priceAuthorityAdmin
: Privileged object for internal use.registrar
: Deprecated.registry
: Deprecated.spawner
: Privileged object for internal use.uploads
: Deprecated name forscratch
.vattp
: Privileged object for internal use.