Laboratory environment for SSB. Using docker containers on a separate docker network to simulate multiple nodes with different configuration profiles.

Clone this repo.

First build the base container. This builds the node modules, which takes a little while. Good thing is that this build of node_modules is available when a container is created which makes creation very quick. Note: If big changes are made to package.json it could be a time saver to rebuild the image again instead if updating using yarn install in each container instance.

./ssb-node.sh build

Now use the start command which sets up volumes and creates a docker network, then starts an instance with the given node name.

./ssb-node.sh start <node_name>

By default no incoming connections are allowed to the node. To enable incoming connections (for simulating a hub/portal) issue:

source script/fw-hub.sh

Now enter the ssb-laboratory CLI:

yarn start

Inside the CLI use,

help

to find out which commands are available.

In this scenario we will start three nodes A, B and C, where B will act as a hub/portal letting A and C communicate directly without any direct network contact between them.

Tip: Open three terminal windows and perform the steps in parallel for all three nodes.

Be careful to execute the steps in order, as globally numbered (for all ssb-node instances).

./ssb-node.sh start ssb-A.local
yarn start 

# Connect to hub and establish tunnel (see Node B below for $PORTALADDRESS)
start --tunnel $PORTALADDRESS

# Find out A's ID so we can send a message from C
getId
# Lets denote the ID as $ID_A

./ssb-node.sh start ssb-B.local
# Open network port for incoming connections, since B is a hub
source script/fw-hub.sh
yarn start

# Start the ssb-server in portal mode
start --portal
# Find the address to connect tunnels to from A and C
getAddress
# Lets denote the address returned as $PORTALADDRESS

./ssb-node.sh start ssb-C.local
yarn start

# Connect to hub and establish tunnel (see step 2 below for $PORTALADDRESS)
start --tunnel $PORTALADDRESS     

# Get the $ID_A from step 4 above and then send a message from C to A
chat "Hello this is C calling A!" $ID_A

# Now the message should be printed in A's console. 
# How about trying to send a message back from A to C?

• https://scuttlebot.io/docs/config/configure-scuttlebot.html

• https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-server

• https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-client

• https://github.com/ssbc/scuttlebot-release

• https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-config

• https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-invite

• https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-tunnel

• https://github.com/dthree/vorpal/wiki

• Investigate why invites do not work, could be that the custom app-key is not applied.