hc Command

hc command line holochain service app reference

This command has been deprecated

hc --help

To get help from the command line, type $ hc --help

You'll see this response:

NAME:
   hc - holochain peer command line interface

USAGE:
   hc [global options] command [command options] [arguments...]

VERSION:
   0.0.6 (holochain 12)

COMMANDS:
     init, i           bootstrap the holochain service
     clone, cl, c      clone a holochain instance from a source
     test, t           run validation against test data for a chain in development
     genesis, gen, g   generate genesis entries or keys for a cloned holochain
     web, serve, w     serve a chain to the web on localhost:<port> (defaults to 3141)
     call, ca          call an exposed function
     dump, d           display a text dump of a chain
     dht               display a text dump of an app's dht
     join, c           joins a holochain by copying an instance from a source and generating genesis blocks
     reset, r          reset a chain. Warning this destroys all chain data!
     seed              seed calculates DNA hash and builds DNA file without generating genesis entries.  Useful only for testing and development.
     status, s         display information about installed chains
     template, dev, t  generate a configuration file template suitable for editing
     help, h           Shows a list of commands or help for one command

GLOBAL OPTIONS:
   --debug        debugging output
   --path value   path to holochain directory (default: ~/.holochain)
   --verbose, -V  verbose output
   --help, -h     show help
   --version, -v  print the version

You can also get help on any of the sub-commands by calling hc help structured like this: hc <command> help

hc init <id_string>

This command initializes the system with a default identity and generates default public/private keys for interacting with other networked peers. You provide a single string of identifying information which will be visible as your _agent_name. This is often an email address.

Usage: hc init `fred@flintstone.com'

hc join <Source_Holochain>

This is how you join with an existing holochain that has already been created. You can specify a source by its unique DNA hash identifier (A string of characters that looks something like this: QmeHrPW2Y2xGeTLWv7vTYHNr9ViV1LYE3cFKgY2kskUf7G) to retrieve it from the holochain of holochains (assuming it has been shared there by its original author). You can also point to a local file you've gotten from someone you trust.

hc clone <Source_location> <New_Holochain_Name>

As a developer who is building or modifying a holochain application, you can clone a pre-existing holochain application configuration by specifying existing application files.

You can source from files anywhere such as from a git repo you've cloned, from a live chain you're already running in your .holochain directory, or one of the examples included in the holochain repository.

hc clone <SOURCE_PATH> <NAME_FOR_NEW_HOLOCHAIN>```

For example: hc clone ./examples/sample sample

Before you launch your chain, this is the chance for you to customize the application settings like the Application NAME, for example.

If you are developing a holochain application and need to destroy your running version of that holochain to test your new code, you can force it to overwrite with hc clone --force /programming/source/directory target-name

hc gen chain

Builds your genesis entries for starting your new local chain. It can also be used to generate new keys.

hc gen chain <name> Creates genesis entries launching your new local chain hc gen keys <name> Creates new keys on this holochain

hc status

To see what holochains are installed on your system, just type hc status. You'll get a result showing each chain name and the the ID/hash of the DNA of the chain.

For example, results should look something like this:

installed holochains:
     escrow <not-started>  
     flack Qm9yPX4cX3hA9DNkx6kNjdKRmPLdDZeJrPcWChpLv6X7PG

hc test <HOLOCHAIN_NAME> (deprecated: will be moved to hcdev command)

This command runs the test harness for the specified holochain

hc test <HOLOCHAIN_NAME>

hc serve

Launch UI services via web socket to exposed application functions. By default, the browser services are only available via localhost.

hc call <fn_name> (deprecated: will be moved to hcdev command)

Call an exposed function from the hc command line instead of a web socket / browser UI.

hc bs

Contact a bootstrap server specified in the chain's DNA to notify of your existence and search for peers to communicate with.

hc dump <chain_name>

Display all the contents of the specified personal chain

hc dev (deprecated: will be moved to hcdev command)

Secret undocumented developer feature which generates a skeletal holochain app to start developing with.