Top features of a Hyperledger Sawtooth

A corporate blockchain platform called Hyperledger Sawtooth is used to create distributed ledger networks and applications. The design philosophy focuses on maintaining distributed ledgers and securing smart contracts, especially for enterprise applications.

 

By isolating the underlying technology from the application area, Sawtooth makes the creation of blockchain applications simpler. Application developers don't need to be familiar with the underlying architecture of the core system in order to express the business rules suited for their application in the language of their choosing.

 

Sawtooth is very modular as well. Because of this modularity, businesses and consortiums can decide on policies in their areas of expertise. Applications can select the transactional, permissioning, and consensus algorithms that best suit their particular business requirements thanks to Sawtooth's basic design.

 

Sawtooth provides a distinct separation between the application level and the core system level, making it simple to create and deploy an application. Application developers can create contract logic in the language of their choice thanks to Sawtooth's smart contract abstraction.

 

A smart contract virtual machine or native business logic can both be considered applications. Both kinds of applications can actually coexist on the same blockchain, in reality. Sawtooth enables these architectural choices to be made on the transaction-processing layer, allowing many application types to coexist in the same blockchain network instance.

 

For its specific needs, each application defines its own set of proprietary transaction processors. For low-level operations (such as preserving chain-wide settings and keeping on-chain rights) as well as for particular purposes (like performance analysis and saving block metadata), Sawtooth offers a number of example transaction families that can be used as models.

 

Also Read: Difference between On-Chain and Off-Chain Transactions

 

 

What Is Hyperledger Sawtooth?

 

Under the Hyperledger brand, the open-source Hyperledger Sawtooth project functions as a blockchain system for businesses that are used to build and run distributed ledger networks and applications.

 

Without having to be familiar with the internal workings of the main system, Hyperledger Sawtooth is an open-source enterprise blockchain-as-a-service platform that can run customized smart contracts. The Linux Project, IBM, Intel, SAP, and other companies are all sponsors of the umbrella blockchain development group known as Hyperledger. Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) and Proof of Elapsed Time are two examples of the consensus methods that Hyperledger Sawtooth supports (PoET).

 

The core design philosophy of Hyperledger Sawtooth, created by the Linux Foundation in partnership with IBM, Intel, and SAP, intends to maintain the ledgers truly distributed and make smart contracts far safer, and thus useful for enterprises. It uses blockchain technology as a service (BaaS).

 

The majority of conventional blockchain-based systems host and run their core and applications on the same platform, which could cause performance problems and security difficulties.

 

By separating the underlying ledger system from the environment relevant to each application, Hyperledger Sawtooth makes it easier to design applications while maintaining system security. With the help of this architecture, a developer can create applications in their preferred programming language that can be hosted, managed, and used outside of the main blockchain network.

 

C++, Go, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Rust are among the languages that are supported. A Sawtooth application may be built and operated as a smart contract virtual machine that has a self-governing mechanism for generating, informing, and carrying out contracts between various participants on the blockchain. Alternatively, a Sawtooth application may be based on the core business logic necessary for a business need.

 

The core system decides on the necessary permissioning mechanism, chooses the necessary transaction rules, and defines the consensus algorithms that are used to finalize the operation of the digital ledger in a way that best supports the needs of an enterprise. Applications can coexist on the same blockchain thanks to the core system.

 

Also Read | Top 6 Smart Contract Platforms in 2022

 

How Hyperledger Sawtooth Works?

 

Sawtooth supports selective permissions, making it simple to deploy particular chosen clusters of Sawtooth nodes with various permissions on a single blockchain. The essential information regarding the identities, nodes and permissions is stored in the ledger.

 

The parallel transaction execution technique, which has an advantage over the serial execution mechanism and frequently becomes a bottleneck when dealing with big volumes of transactions on many popular cryptocurrency networks, boosts the operating performance of the Sawtooth network.

 

Sawtooth supports the Proof of Elapsed Time (POET) consensus process, which is frequently used on permissioned blockchain networks to select who gets to mine coins or who gets to win blocks and has the advantages of low resource usage and low energy consumption.

 

Examples of practical Sawtooth-based applications include Sawtooth Supply Chain, which helps an enterprise keep track of contextual and logistics-related data of an asset represented on the blockchain, Sawtooth Marketplace, which enables participants to trade in predetermined amounts of digital assets on the blockchain, and Sawtooth Private UTXO, which simplifies the creation and trading of digital assets, including off-ledger and privately-held transactions.

 

The open-source blockchain project Hyperledger Sawtooth is run by the business blockchain firm Hyperledger. It's the ideal method for creating distributed ledger applications and networks.

 

Actually, they wanted the design to be so perfect that it would be absolutely safe for use in businesses.

 

The Hyperledger Sawtooth documentation claims that it truly makes the entire process of application design simpler. The application domain and the core system are actually completely different. Thus, it makes it easier to test out applications without having any impact on the main system.

 

Furthermore, you can create the application using any programming language. However, you won't need to be aware of the fundamental system's true design.

 

Its tremendous degree of modularity is another fantastic feature of this platform. More importantly, it aids in the organization's decision-making on the general network policy. The Hyperledger Sawtooth course is obviously best suited for consortia or other similar environments.

 

Furthermore, you can select permissions, transaction rules, consensus protocols, and much more based on your requirements. In other words, you have a versatile setting for any form of business.

 

Hyperledger Sawtooth Vs. Fabric: What are the differences?

 

The key differences between them are discussed as follows:

 

• The permission level between Hyperledger Sawtooth and Hyperledger Fabric differs significantly, to start with. In fact, Sawtooth supports networks with both permissions and without them. There is therefore no limitation there. The Hyperledger Fabric architecture, on the other hand, only allows for permissioned blockchain access. Therefore, it is only intended for enterprise use cases. But in addition to Sawtooth, other publicly traded firms may also use Fabric.

 

• When comparing Hyperledger Fabric with Sawtooth, the use of consensus techniques is another significant distinction. There are now several different consensus algorithms available in Sawtooth. It provides features like Devmode, Raft, PoET CFT, Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance, and Proof of Elapsed Time, for instance. The Hyperledger Fabric design, however, only supports Kafka, Solo, and Raft.

 

• As a matter of fact, Sawtooth offers Byzantine Fault Tolerance, ensuring that your network is secure and protected from any kind of contamination. However, the architecture of Hyperledger Fabric only provides crash fault tolerance. Therefore, Fabric won't offer the highest level of fault tolerance. Despite the fact that CFT is now operating flawlessly. Fabric is still far behind Sawtooth in this regard.

 

• The technology of smart contracts is the next area of comparison between Hyperledger Sawtooth and Hyperledger Fabric. Smart contracts can actually be thought of as just another kind of business logic, allowing you to automate and digitize your business contracts on the network. As a result, this feature is managed by the transaction families in Sawtooth. To help your business logic, you must employ these families. Contrarily, Fabric provides Chaincode for it. All types of logic execution and asset management are handled by this functionality.

 

• You receive an installed version of Chaincode with Hyperledger Fabric. It implies that the contract's language cannot be changed in this case. It's a little bit limiting. You can acquire both installed and on-chain contracts with Sawtooth, though. As a result, it guarantees that you can personalize your contracts and do it using your preferred programming language. It is covered in greater detail in the Hyperledger Fabric tutorial. Anyway, let's move on to the following comparison between Sawtooth and Hyperledger Fabric.

 

• Nothing now outperforms Fabric in terms of transaction speed. Contrary to popular belief, Hyperledger Fabric employs a different method to boost network speed. As a result, it offers over 2000 transactions per second. Conversely, Sawtooth only provides close to 1000 transactions per second. Although this is a little less than Fabric, it is better suited for businesses that don't require a significant volume of transactions.

 

Features of Hyperledger Sawtooth:

---

 

Features of Hyperledger Sawtooth

---

The features of Hyperledger Sawtooth are listed below:

 

1. Simplified Application Development:

 

Separating the application domain from the underlying system makes it easier to design applications. The primary goal of this separation, according to the Hyperledger Sawtooth literature, is to guarantee that no new additions to the application layer will ever have an impact on any core features.

 

Additionally, it means that while you are spending resources to develop dApps at the application layer, other users of the core system won't be impacted. Therefore, there are no difficulties with slowing down or low efficiency here.

 

This makes this platform ideal for creating apps. An application can be anything, according to the Hyperledger Sawtooth manual, which is another fantastic feature. Additionally, native business logic and another smart contract VM can simply coexist. As a result, it expands the possibilities for the Hyperledger Sawtooth course.

 

2. Permissioning Features:

 

You must be aware that Hyperledger Sawtooth is a platform with permissions. Additionally, not just anyone may gain access to the network. Because of this, the enterprise environment is a good fit for this platform. You can also configure Hyperledger Sawtooth for a public setting, according to the manual.

 

For instance, you can utilize the same technology for both customer interactions and your internal networking system.

 

This kind of adaptability in an industrial blockchain infrastructure is actually fairly uncommon. They are either public or private, as is typically the case. Anyhow, you can choose in advance which nodes can access the platform with the aid of an identity management protocol. The Hyperledger Sawtooth course will teach you how to distinguish between the two.

 

3. Private Network:

 

There is a Hyperledger Sawtooth course to address any problem that arises in a private or permissioned network. The Hyperledger Sawtooth manual also states that anyone can set up a group of nodes within a distinct network channel.

 

Additionally, a private session would be created just for those nodes through this process. On the other side, the business does require private spaces. There are numerous aspects of a business that shouldn't be exposed to curious eyes.

 

Also, no one can just peek at the critical information you placed on the site because there isn't any centralized authority. But you must keep in mind that the transaction values will vanish from the ledger, even if you are on a private channel. No one will be able to see it, though.

 

4. Execution of Parallel Transaction:

 

The platform has a distinct method for transactions, according to the Hyperledger Sawtooth documentation. The blockchain for enterprise systems often employs a serial transaction procedure. However, when more people begin to use the platform, it becomes more difficult to handle each transaction individually.

 

Therefore, instead of moving quickly, it does it gently. But they carry out all of the transactions concurrently to keep Sawtooth from losing efficiency. It implies that several transactions can be carried out simultaneously.

 

Actually, it speeds up production and saves a tonne of time. Scaling up for this platform is straightforward as a result.

 

5. Modular Structure:

 

One of the key characteristics of all Hyperledger platforms, and Sawtooth is no exception, is their modular architecture. The Hyperledger Sawtooth whitepaper claims that the modular design gives businesses a different kind of flexibility.

 

The use of any consensus mechanism or feature is up to the developers with the aid of this feature. It's a plug-and-play situation, and it's really simple to complete. The Hyperledger Sawtooth course they offer will also teach you a lot about it.

 

The ability of several consensuses to operate simultaneously in various components of the same platform is another major feature. So that you may select the ideal combination for your industry.

 

Conclusion:

Compared to other blockchain networks, the Hyperledger Sawtooth offers unique and noteworthy characteristics. With the help of these features, it is simple to establish a secure, decentralized, and reliable environment for business activities in organizations dealing with healthcare, banking, retail, and other industries.