docs/grpc: add instructions for writing gRPC clients in node.js

This commit adds a basic set of instructions for installing the necessary
gRPC dependencies to be able to drive `lnd` from node.js. In the future,
this section will be expanded with additional example
scripts/applications.
This commit is contained in:
François 2017-03-01 01:13:55 +01:00 committed by Olaoluwa Osuntokun
parent 564d44f64f
commit b2aa45db03

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docs/grpc/javascript.md Normal file

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# How to write a simple lnd client in Javascript using nodejs?
First, you need to initialize a simple nodejs project:
```
npm init (or npm init -f if you want to use the default values without prompt)
```
Then you need to install the Javascript grpc library dependency:
```
npm install grpc --save
```
You also need to copy the `lnd` `rpc.proto` file in your project directory (or at least somewhere reachable by your Javascript code).
The `rpc.proto` file is located in the `lnrpc` directory of the `lnd` sources.
I had to comment the following line in the `rpc.proto` file otherwise `grpc` would crash:
```
//import "google/api/annotations.proto";
```
Let's now write some Javascript code that simply displays the getinfo command result on the console:
```
var grpc = require('grpc');
var lnrpcDescriptor = grpc.load("rpc.proto");
var lnrpc = lnrpcDescriptor.lnrpc;
var lightning = new lnrpc.Lightning('localhost:10009', grpc.credentials.createInsecure());
lightning.getInfo({}, function(err, response) {
console.log('GetInfo:', response);
});
```
You just have to lauch your newly created Javascript file `getinfo.js` using `nodejs`:
```
node getinfo.js
```
You should get something like this in your console:
```
GetInfo: { identity_pubkey: '03c892e3f3f077ea1e381c081abb36491a2502bc43ed37ffb82e264224f325ff27',
alias: '',
num_pending_channels: 0,
num_active_channels: 0,
num_peers: 0,
block_height: 1087612,
block_hash: '000000000000024b2acc37958b15010057c6abc0a48f83c8dd67034bee2cb823',
synced_to_chain: true,
testnet: true }
```
Enjoy!