Aquafier API

Aquafier is a web-based reference implementation of Aqua Protocol v3, providing a user-friendly interface and HTTP API for digital content signing, provenance verification, and integrity validation. It demonstrates how Aqua Protocol features can be integrated into modern web applications.

Overview

Aquafier combines a Fastify backend with React frontend to deliver a complete solution for document notarization and verification. It's designed as both a production tool and a reference implementation for developers building Aqua-based applications.

Features

• Digital Content Signing: Sign documents and data with multiple signature methods
• Provenance Verification: Track and verify document history and authenticity
• Integrity Validation: Cryptographically verify document integrity
• Web Interface: User-friendly React interface for non-technical users
• HTTP API: RESTful API for programmatic access
• Multi-Party Workflows: Support for documents requiring multiple signatures

Technology Stack

Backend:

• Fastify (Node.js web framework)
• Prisma ORM
• PostgreSQL database
• Aqua JavaScript SDK (v3)

Frontend:

• React with TypeScript
• Chakra UI components
• End-to-end testing with Playwright

Hosted Instances

Production: aquafier.inblock.io

• Stable production environment
• For live document notarization and verification

Development/Testing: dev.inblock.io

• Testing environment for new features
• Use for development and experimentation

Use Cases

• Document Notarization: Notarize legal documents, contracts, and agreements
• Certificate Issuance: Issue verifiable certificates and credentials
• Multi-Party Signing: Collect signatures from multiple parties
• Audit Trail Creation: Build immutable audit trails for compliance
• Proof of Concept: Demonstrate Aqua Protocol capabilities
• API Integration: Integrate notarization into existing systems

API Access

Aquafier provides a RESTful HTTP API for programmatic access. Developers can integrate notarization and verification into their applications without building infrastructure from scratch.

Common API operations:

• Create genesis revisions
• Add signatures to existing chains
• Witness chains on blockchain
• Verify chain integrity
• Retrieve chain history

Development

Aquafier-JS is open source and can be self-hosted for custom deployments.

Requirements

• Docker and Docker Compose
• PostgreSQL database
• Node.js environment

Deployment

Deploy using Docker Compose:

1# Prepare environment file
2cp deployment/.env.sample .env
3 
4# Start services
5docker compose -f deployment/docker-compose-prod.yml up -d

Deployment Options:

• Local: No proxy, exposed ports for development
• Dev: With Let's Encrypt SSL and DNS
• Prod: Production configuration with SSL

Configuration

Key environment variables:

1# Database
2DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:password@host:port/database
3 
4# Server
5HOST=0.0.0.0
6PORT=3000
7 
8# Frontend/Backend URLs (for proxy)
9FRONTEND_URL=https://your-domain.com
10BACKEND_URL=https://api.your-domain.com
11 
12# Twilio (optional, for SMS verification)
13TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=your_sid
14TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=your_token

Architecture

Aquafier's modular architecture makes it suitable as a foundation for custom applications:

• API Layer: RESTful endpoints for all Aqua operations
• Service Layer: Business logic for chain management
• Data Layer: Prisma ORM with PostgreSQL
• Storage: File system or S3-compatible storage
• Backup: Automated backup with configurable retention

Protocol Version

Aqua Protocol v3: Aquafier implements the stable JavaScript SDK

For v3 technical details:

• Version 3 Introduction
• Version 3 Concepts
• Version 3 SDK

Repository

GitHub: github.com/inblockio/aquafier-js

Development Team

• Tim Bansemer - Project Manager
• Publius Dirac - Research / Developer
• Arthur Kamau - Developer
• Dalmas Nyaboga Ogembo - Developer
• Florian Zeps - DevOps

Getting Started

1. Visit aquafier.inblock.io to use the hosted version
2. Try the dev environment for testing
3. Explore the API documentation for programmatic integration
4. Check the GitHub repository for self-hosting

For building custom applications, consider using the Aqua JavaScript SDK directly or the Aqua Rust SDK for v4 features.