From Setting Up the Development Environment to Sending Transactions

Essential Tools and Environments

To begin developing on Algorand, you'll need the following tools:

Software Development Kits (SDKs)

Algorand officially supports four SDKs for application development:

JavaScript
Java
Python
Go

Community-maintained SDKs are also available to extend development capabilities. Refer to the SDK documentation for installation instructions.

Command Line Interface (CLI) Tools

Algorand provides three CLI utilities bundled with node software:

goal: Primary node management tool for key management, transaction signing, asset creation, and SDK-like functionality
kmd: Key management daemon CLI
algokey: Standalone utility for account generation and transaction signing

While not strictly required, goal significantly enhances testing capabilities, especially for private network setups.

Indexer

The algorand-indexer maintains a searchable local database of blockchain transactions and accounts, accessible via REST API for advanced queries.

Environment Variables Setup

Recommended configurations:

Set ALGORAND_DATA variable for goal convenience
Add CLI tools to your system PATH

Background Concepts

Developing on Algorand means your application directly or indirectly reads/writes to the blockchain through transactions. Key components include:

Nodes: Distributed network participants maintaining local state
algod: Core consensus protocol process (node software)
Clients: Connect via algod REST endpoints using API tokens

Connecting to the Network

Obtaining algod Credentials

Three primary methods to get started:

Third-Party Services
- Fastest setup (seconds)
- No CLI tool access
- Ideal for quick prototyping
Docker Sandbox
- Complete toolset access
- Bypasses node catchup time
- Not production-ready
Running Your Own Node
- Full control and customization
- Production-ready
- Requires days for initial sync

Comparison Table:

Method	Setup Time	CLI Tools	Production Ready
Third-Party Services	Seconds	❌	✅
Docker Sandbox	Minutes	✅	❌
Own Node	Days	✅	✅

Establishing Client Connection

Initialize your algod client with network credentials:

const algodClient = new algosdk.Algodv2(
  "YOUR_API_TOKEN", 
  "http://localhost", 
  4001
);

Verify node synchronization by checking:

Last round matches network
Catchup time is 0
Blocks progress every ~5 seconds

Sending Your First Transaction

1. Create an Account

Generate a key pair:

private_key, address = account.generate_account()
passphrase = mnemonic.from_private_key(private_key)
print(f"Address: {address}")

2. Fund the Account

Use TestNet/BetaNet faucets to deposit test ALGOs.

3. Build Transaction

Construct a payment transaction:

txParams, _ := algodClient.SuggestedParams().Do(context.Background())
txn, _ := transaction.MakePaymentTxn(
  senderAddress,
  receiverAddress,
  1000000, // 1 ALGO
  note,
  txParams
)

4. Sign Transaction

Authorize with your private key:

SignedTransaction signedTxn = myAccount.signTransaction(txn);
System.out.println("TxID: " + signedTxn.transactionID);

5. Submit Transaction

Send to network:

txid = algod_client.send_transaction(signed_txn)
print(f"Submitted TX: {txid}")

6. Wait for Confirmation

Verify inclusion in blockchain:

while(true) {
  let status = await algodClient.pendingTransactionInformation(txId).do();
  if(status.confirmedRound) {
    console.log(`Confirmed in round ${status.confirmedRound}`);
    break;
  }
  await algodClient.statusAfterBlock(lastRound++).do();
}

7. Verify Transaction

Read confirmed transaction details:

confirmedTxn, _ := algodClient.PendingTransactionInformation(txID).Do(ctx)
fmt.Printf("Note: %s\n", string(confirmedTxn.Transaction.Txn.Note))

FAQs

What's the minimum transaction fee?

Currently 1000 microALGOs (0.001 ALGO). Use suggested_params() for dynamic fees.

How long does transaction confirmation take?

Typically 5 seconds on average.

Can I test without running a full node?

Yes, using third-party API services or Docker sandbox.

👉 Explore more Algorand development resources

👉 Master Algorand transaction types


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