Connecting to the Nimiq Network! 🌐

Welcome to your first hands-on lesson! In this part, you’ll connect directly to the Nimiq blockchain and see it in action.

What You’ll Build

By the end of this section, you’ll have a working application that:

• Connects to the Nimiq network - No third parties needed!
• Establishes consensus - Syncs with the global blockchain
• Reads live blockchain data - See real transactions and blocks
• Works in any environment - Browser, Node.js, anywhere JavaScript runs

Quick Preview

Here’s what your code will look like:

// 1. Import the Nimiq Client
import { Client, ClientConfiguration } from '@nimiq/core'

// 2. Configure the client for the testnet
const config = new ClientConfiguration()
config.network('TestAlbatross')
// ... more configuration for seed nodes and sync mode ...

// 3. Create the client and connect
const client = await Client.create(config.build())

// 4. Wait for consensus to be established
await client.waitForConsensusEstablished()
console.log('✅ Consensus established!')

// 5. Interact with the blockchain
const headBlock = await client.getHeadBlock()
console.log(`📊 Current block height: ${headBlock.height}`)

Simple, right? Let’s build it step by step.

Project Setup

We’ll build a simple app that connects to the Nimiq testnet (a safe playground version of the blockchain).

Look at the package.json file. We’ve already configured everything you need:

• @nimiq/core - The complete Nimiq Web Client
• "type": "module" - Modern JavaScript support
• Ready-to-run scripts

Check the console — we have already run the commands npm install and npm run dev automatically. Just update the code and the script will run again with your changes.

Now, update the code to print 'Hello Nimiq!' in the console.

Tip: You can also click the ‘Solve’ button in the top right corner to view the solution.

What We’ll Code Next

In the next step, we’ll create an index.js file that:

1. Imports the Nimiq client
2. Connects to the test network
3. Waits for consensus
4. Shows live blockchain data

You’ll see real blockchain information appear in your terminal - blocks being created, transactions happening, the network staying in sync!

The beauty of Nimiq is its simplicity. With just a few lines of code, you’ll be talking directly to a global blockchain network.

No complex setup, no massive downloads, no third-party APIs needed.

Let’s start coding!