How it works...

We installed several prerequisites, so let's explain what each software package is and how they work together to build the Hyperledger Fabric platform:

• cURL: A tool used to transfer data from or to a server, using one of the supported protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, FTPS, SCP, SFTP, TFTP, DICT, TELNET, LDAP, or FILE). The command is designed to work without user interaction.
• Docker: A tool to create, deploy, and run applications using containers. Containers allow developers to package applications with all of the parts it needs, such as libraries and other dependencies, and ship it out as one package.
• Docker Compose: It is a tool which is used for defining and running Multi-container application. You can create and start all the services with help of a single command from your configuration YAML file.
• Go: An open source programming language that makes it easy to build simple, reliable, and efficient software. Hyperledger Fabric is primarily developed using the Go language.
• Node.js: A platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime to easily build fast and scalable network applications. Node.js is considered to be more lightweight and efficient since it uses event-driven, non-blocking I/O models, which make it more feasible for data-intensive real-time applications.
• npm package manager: A tool that will allow you to install third-party libraries (other people's code) using the command line.
• Python: A general-purpose programming language for developing both desktop and web applications. Python is also used to develop complex scientific and numeric applications. It is designed with features to facilitate data analysis and visualization.

With this Hyperledger Fabric installation, it will download and install samples and binaries to your system. The sample applications installed are useful for learning the capabilities and operations of Hyperledger Fabric:

• balance-transfer: A sample Node.js app to demonstrate fabric-client and fabric-ca-client Node.js SDK APIs.
• basic-network: A basic network with certificates and key materials, predefined transactions, and one channel, mychannel.
• bin: Binary and scripts for fabric-ca, orderer, and peer.
• chaincode: Chaincode developed for fabcar, marbles, and a few other examples.
• chaincode-docker-devmode: Develops chaincode in dev mode for rapid code/build/run/debug.
• config: YAML files to define transaction, orderer, organization, and chaincode.
• fabcar: A sample Node.js app to demonstrate the capabilities with chaincode deployment, query, and updating the ledger.
• fabric-ca: Uses the Fabric CA client and server to generate all crypto material and learn how to use attribute-based access control.
• first-network: Builds the first hyperledger fabric network with byfn.sh and eyfn.sh.
• Jenkinsfile: Jenkins is a suite of plugins that supports implementing and integrating continuous-delivery pipelines. The definition of a Jenkins pipeline is typically written into a text file, Jenkinsfile, which in turn is checked into a project's source-control repository.
• scripts: There are two scripts in this directory: bootstrap.sh and Jenkins_Scripts.

Now that we have successfully installed Hyperledger Fabric on an AWS EC2 virtual machine, in the next recipe, we will set up the first Hyperledger Fabric network.