title: Node.js
tigerbeetle-node
The TigerBeetle client for Node.js.
Prerequisites
Linux >= 5.6 is the only production environment we
support. But for ease of development we also support macOS and Windows.
Setup
First, create a directory for your project and cd
into the directory.
Then, install the TigerBeetle client:
npm install tigerbeetle-node
Now, create main.js
and copy this into it:
const { createClient } = require("tigerbeetle-node");
console.log("Import ok!");
Finally, build and run:
node main.js
Now that all prerequisites and dependencies are correctly set
up, let's dig into using TigerBeetle.
Sample projects
This document is primarily a reference guide to
the client. Below are various sample projects demonstrating
features of TigerBeetle.
- Basic: Create two accounts and transfer an amount between them.
- Two-Phase Transfer: Create two accounts and start a pending transfer between
them, then post the transfer.
- Many Two-Phase Transfers: Create two accounts and start a number of pending transfer
between them, posting and voiding alternating transfers.
Sidenote: BigInt
TigerBeetle uses 64-bit integers for many fields while JavaScript's
builtin Number
maximum value is 2^53-1
. The n
suffix in JavaScript
means the value is a BigInt
. This is useful for literal numbers. If
you already have a Number
variable though, you can call the BigInt
constructor to get a BigInt
from it. For example, 1n
is the same as
BigInt(1)
.
Creating a Client
A client is created with a cluster ID and replica
addresses for all replicas in the cluster. The cluster
ID and replica addresses are both chosen by the system that
starts the TigerBeetle cluster.
Clients are thread-safe and a single instance should be shared
between multiple concurrent tasks.
Multiple clients are useful when connecting to more than
one TigerBeetle cluster.
In this example the cluster ID is 0
and there is one
replica. The address is read from the TB_ADDRESS
environment variable and defaults to port 3000
.
const client = createClient({
cluster_id: 0n,
replica_addresses: [process.env.TB_ADDRESS || "3000"],
});
The following are valid addresses:
3000
(interpreted as 127.0.0.1:3000
)127.0.0.1:3000
(interpreted as 127.0.0.1:3000
)127.0.0.1
(interpreted as 127.0.0.1:3001
, 3001
is the default port)
Creating Accounts
See details for account fields in the Accounts
reference.
let account = {
id: 137n,
debits_pending: 0n,
debits_posted: 0n,
credits_pending: 0n,
credits_posted: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
reserved: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 718,
flags: 0,
timestamp: 0n,
};
let accountErrors = await client.createAccounts([account]);
Account Flags
The account flags value is a bitfield. See details for
these flags in the Accounts
reference.
To toggle behavior for an account, combine enum values stored in the
AccountFlags
object (in TypeScript it is an actual enum) with
bitwise-or:
AccountFlags.linked
AccountFlags.debits_must_not_exceed_credits
AccountFlags.credits_must_not_exceed_credits
AccountFlags.history
For example, to link two accounts where the first account
additionally has the debits_must_not_exceed_credits
constraint:
let account0 = {
id: 100n,
debits_pending: 0n,
debits_posted: 0n,
credits_pending: 0n,
credits_posted: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
reserved: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 1,
timestamp: 0n,
flags: 0,
};
let account1 = {
id: 101n,
debits_pending: 0n,
debits_posted: 0n,
credits_pending: 0n,
credits_posted: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
reserved: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 1,
timestamp: 0n,
flags: 0,
};
account0.flags = AccountFlags.linked |
AccountFlags.debits_must_not_exceed_credits;
accountErrors = await client.createAccounts([account0, account1]);
Response and Errors
The response is an empty array if all accounts were
created successfully. If the response is non-empty, each
object in the response array contains error information
for an account that failed. The error object contains an
error code and the index of the account in the request
batch.
See all error conditions in the create_accounts
reference.
let account2 = {
id: 102n,
debits_pending: 0n,
debits_posted: 0n,
credits_pending: 0n,
credits_posted: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
reserved: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 1,
timestamp: 0n,
flags: 0,
};
let account3 = {
id: 103n,
debits_pending: 0n,
debits_posted: 0n,
credits_pending: 0n,
credits_posted: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
reserved: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 1,
timestamp: 0n,
flags: 0,
};
let account4 = {
id: 104n,
debits_pending: 0n,
debits_posted: 0n,
credits_pending: 0n,
credits_posted: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
reserved: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 1,
timestamp: 0n,
flags: 0,
};
accountErrors = await client.createAccounts([account2, account3, account4]);
for (const error of accountErrors) {
switch (error.result) {
case CreateAccountError.exists:
console.error(`Batch account at ${error.index} already exists.`);
break;
default:
console.error(
`Batch account at ${error.index} failed to create: ${
CreateAccountError[error.result]
}.`,
);
}
}
To handle errors you can either 1) exactly match error codes returned
from client.createAccounts
with enum values in the
CreateAccountError
object, or you can 2) look up the error code in
the CreateAccountError
object for a human-readable string.
Account Lookup
Account lookup is batched, like account creation. Pass
in all IDs to fetch. The account for each matched ID is returned.
If no account matches an ID, no object is returned for
that account. So the order of accounts in the response is
not necessarily the same as the order of IDs in the
request. You can refer to the ID field in the response to
distinguish accounts.
const accounts = await client.lookupAccounts([137n, 138n]);
console.log(accounts);
Create Transfers
This creates a journal entry between two accounts.
See details for transfer fields in the Transfers
reference.
let transfers = [{
id: 1n,
debit_account_id: 102n,
credit_account_id: 103n,
amount: 10n,
pending_id: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
timeout: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 720,
flags: 0,
timestamp: 0n,
}];
let transferErrors = await client.createTransfers(transfers);
Response and Errors
The response is an empty array if all transfers were created
successfully. If the response is non-empty, each object in the
response array contains error information for a transfer that
failed. The error object contains an error code and the index of the
transfer in the request batch.
See all error conditions in the create_transfers
reference.
for (const error of transferErrors) {
switch (error.result) {
case CreateTransferError.exists:
console.error(`Batch transfer at ${error.index} already exists.`);
break;
default:
console.error(
`Batch transfer at ${error.index} failed to create: ${
CreateTransferError[error.result]
}.`,
);
}
}
To handle errors you can either 1) exactly match error codes returned
from client.createTransfers
with enum values in the
CreateTransferError
object, or you can 2) look up the error code in
the CreateTransferError
object for a human-readable string.
Batching
TigerBeetle performance is maximized when you batch
API requests. The client does not do this automatically for
you. So, for example, you can insert 1 million transfers
one at a time like so:
for (let i = 0; i < transfers.len; i++) {
const transferErrors = await client.createTransfers(transfers[i]);
}
But the insert rate will be a fraction of
potential. Instead, always batch what you can.
The maximum batch size is set in the TigerBeetle server. The default
is 8190.
const BATCH_SIZE = 8190;
for (let i = 0; i < transfers.length; i += BATCH_SIZE) {
const transferErrors = await client.createTransfers(
transfers.slice(i, Math.min(transfers.length, BATCH_SIZE)),
);
}
Queues and Workers
If you are making requests to TigerBeetle from workers
pulling jobs from a queue, you can batch requests to
TigerBeetle by having the worker act on multiple jobs from
the queue at once rather than one at a time. i.e. pulling
multiple jobs from the queue rather than just one.
Transfer Flags
The transfer flags
value is a bitfield. See details for these flags in
the Transfers
reference.
To toggle behavior for a transfer, combine enum values stored in the
TransferFlags
object (in TypeScript it is an actual enum) with
bitwise-or:
TransferFlags.linked
TransferFlags.pending
TransferFlags.post_pending_transfer
TransferFlags.void_pending_transfer
For example, to link transfer0
and transfer1
:
let transfer0 = {
id: 2n,
debit_account_id: 102n,
credit_account_id: 103n,
amount: 10n,
pending_id: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
timeout: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 720,
flags: 0,
timestamp: 0n,
};
let transfer1 = {
id: 3n,
debit_account_id: 102n,
credit_account_id: 103n,
amount: 10n,
pending_id: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
timeout: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 720,
flags: 0,
timestamp: 0n,
};
transfer0.flags = TransferFlags.linked;
transferErrors = await client.createTransfers([transfer0, transfer1]);
Two-Phase Transfers
Two-phase transfers are supported natively by toggling the appropriate
flag. TigerBeetle will then adjust the credits_pending
and
debits_pending
fields of the appropriate accounts. A corresponding
post pending transfer then needs to be sent to post or void the
transfer.
Post a Pending Transfer
With flags
set to post_pending_transfer
,
TigerBeetle will post the transfer. TigerBeetle will atomically roll
back the changes to debits_pending
and credits_pending
of the
appropriate accounts and apply them to the debits_posted
and
credits_posted
balances.
let transfer2 = {
id: 4n,
debit_account_id: 102n,
credit_account_id: 103n,
amount: 10n,
pending_id: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
timeout: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 720,
flags: TransferFlags.pending,
timestamp: 0n,
};
transferErrors = await client.createTransfers([transfer2]);
let transfer3 = {
id: 5n,
debit_account_id: 102n,
credit_account_id: 103n,
amount: amount_max,
pending_id: 4n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
timeout: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 720,
flags: TransferFlags.post_pending_transfer,
timestamp: 0n,
};
transferErrors = await client.createTransfers([transfer3]);
Void a Pending Transfer
In contrast, with flags
set to void_pending_transfer
,
TigerBeetle will void the transfer. TigerBeetle will roll
back the changes to debits_pending
and credits_pending
of the
appropriate accounts and not apply them to the debits_posted
and
credits_posted
balances.
let transfer4 = {
id: 4n,
debit_account_id: 102n,
credit_account_id: 103n,
amount: 10n,
pending_id: 0n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
timeout: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 720,
flags: TransferFlags.pending,
timestamp: 0n,
};
transferErrors = await client.createTransfers([transfer4]);
let transfer5 = {
id: 7n,
debit_account_id: 102n,
credit_account_id: 103n,
amount: 10n,
pending_id: 6n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
timeout: 0,
ledger: 1,
code: 720,
flags: TransferFlags.void_pending_transfer,
timestamp: 0n,
};
transferErrors = await client.createTransfers([transfer5]);
Transfer Lookup
NOTE: While transfer lookup exists, it is not a flexible query API. We
are developing query APIs and there will be new methods for querying
transfers in the future.
Transfer lookup is batched, like transfer creation. Pass in all id
s to
fetch, and matched transfers are returned.
If no transfer matches an id
, no object is returned for that
transfer. So the order of transfers in the response is not necessarily
the same as the order of id
s in the request. You can refer to the
id
field in the response to distinguish transfers.
transfers = await client.lookupTransfers([1n, 2n]);
console.log(transfers);
Get Account Transfers
NOTE: This is a preview API that is subject to breaking changes once we have
a stable querying API.
Fetches the transfers involving a given account, allowing basic filter and pagination
capabilities.
The transfers in the response are sorted by timestamp
in chronological or
reverse-chronological order.
let filter = {
account_id: 2n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
code: 0,
timestamp_min: 0n,
timestamp_max: 0n,
limit: 10,
flags: AccountFilterFlags.debits |
AccountFilterFlags.credits |
AccountFilterFlags.reversed,
};
const account_transfers = await client.getAccountTransfers(filter);
Get Account Balances
NOTE: This is a preview API that is subject to breaking changes once we have
a stable querying API.
Fetches the point-in-time balances of a given account, allowing basic filter and
pagination capabilities.
Only accounts created with the flag
history
set retain
historical balances.
The balances in the response are sorted by timestamp
in chronological or
reverse-chronological order.
filter = {
account_id: 2n,
user_data_128: 0n,
user_data_64: 0n,
user_data_32: 0,
code: 0,
timestamp_min: 0n,
timestamp_max: 0n,
limit: 10,
flags: AccountFilterFlags.debits |
AccountFilterFlags.credits |
AccountFilterFlags.reversed,
};
const account_balances = await client.getAccountBalances(filter);
Query Accounts
NOTE: This is a preview API that is subject to breaking changes once we have
a stable querying API.
Query accounts by the intersection of some fields and by timestamp range.
The accounts in the response are sorted by timestamp
in chronological or
reverse-chronological order.
var query_filter = {
user_data_128: 1000n,
user_data_64: 100n,
user_data_32: 10,
code: 1,
ledger: 0,
timestamp_min: 0n,
timestamp_max: 0n,
limit: 10,
flags: QueryFilterFlags.reversed,
};
const query_accounts = await client.queryAccounts(query_filter);
Query Transfers
NOTE: This is a preview API that is subject to breaking changes once we have
a stable querying API.
Query transfers by the intersection of some fields and by timestamp range.
The transfers in the response are sorted by timestamp
in chronological or
reverse-chronological order.
query_filter = {
user_data_128: 1000n,
user_data_64: 100n,
user_data_32: 10,
code: 1,
ledger: 0,
timestamp_min: 0n,
timestamp_max: 0n,
limit: 10,
flags: QueryFilterFlags.reversed,
};
const query_transfers = await client.queryTransfers(query_filter);
Linked Events
When the linked
flag is specified for an account when creating accounts or
a transfer when creating transfers, it links that event with the next event in the
batch, to create a chain of events, of arbitrary length, which all
succeed or fail together. The tail of a chain is denoted by the first
event without this flag. The last event in a batch may therefore never
have the linked
flag set as this would leave a chain
open-ended. Multiple chains or individual events may coexist within a
batch to succeed or fail independently.
Events within a chain are executed within order, or are rolled back on
error, so that the effect of each event in the chain is visible to the
next, and so that the chain is either visible or invisible as a unit
to subsequent events after the chain. The event that was the first to
break the chain will have a unique error result. Other events in the
chain will have their error result set to linked_event_failed
.
const batch = [];
let linkedFlag = 0;
linkedFlag |= TransferFlags.linked;
batch.push({ id: 1n });
batch.push({ id: 2n, flags: linkedFlag });
batch.push({ id: 3n, flags: linkedFlag });
batch.push({ id: 2n, flags: linkedFlag });
batch.push({ id: 4n, flags: 0 });
batch.push({ id: 2n, flags: 0 });
batch.push({ id: 2n, flags: linkedFlag });
batch.push({ id: 3n, flags: 0 });
batch.push({ id: 3n, flags: linkedFlag });
batch.push({ id: 4n, flags: 0 });
const errors = await client.createTransfers(batch);
Imported Events
When the imported
flag is specified for an account when creating accounts or
a transfer when creating transfers, it allows importing historical events with
a user-defined timestamp.
The entire batch of events must be set with the flag imported
.
It's recommended to submit the whole batch as a linked
chain of events, ensuring that
if any event fails, none of them are committed, preserving the last timestamp unchanged.
This approach gives the application a chance to correct failed imported events, re-submitting
the batch again with the same user-defined timestamps.
const accountsBatch = [];
for (let index = 0; i < historicalAccounts.length; i++) {
let account = historicalAccounts[i];
historicalTimestamp += 1;
account.timestamp = historicalTimestamp;
account.flags = AccountFlags.imported;
if (index < historicalAccounts.length - 1) {
account.flags |= AccountFlags.linked;
}
accountsBatch.push(account);
}
accountErrors = await client.createAccounts(accountsBatch);
const transfersBatch = [];
for (let index = 0; i < historicalTransfers.length; i++) {
let transfer = historicalTransfers[i];
historicalTimestamp += 1;
transfer.timestamp = historicalTimestamp;
transfer.flags = TransferFlags.imported;
if (index < historicalTransfers.length - 1) {
transfer.flags |= TransferFlags.linked;
}
transfersBatch.push(transfer);
}
transferErrors = await client.createAccounts(transfersBatch);