Start with LSF
LSF runs small programs called capsules. A node loads a capsule when you call it, runs the requested function, and returns the result. You can deploy several capsules to one node without starting a separate server for each one.
Build your first application
Start with Application development. You will set up
a development node, create a greeting in your chosen language, send it Ada, and
receive Hello, Ada!. Then try a word counter or shipping calculator. You will
have working source that you can edit, build, test and deploy yourself.
- Get the developer tools.
- Set up a workspace, using the Windows or Linux steps.
- Create a capsule in Rust, C, TypeScript, Go, Java or C#.
- Change and test it.
The tools generate the node credentials and install the matching compiler. No LSF source checkout or host language compiler is needed for this path.
Choose another starting point
| What you want to do | Start here |
|---|---|
| Call a capsule from an existing application | Client SDK guide |
| Build and deliver an Angular website | Angular application guide |
| Install a persistent node | Native installation |
| Learn individual node commands or contribute to LSF | Run your first node from source |
| Find a development command | Developer commands |
A few terms you will use
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Capsule | Your program, packaged as a WebAssembly component with a description of its functions |
| Contract | The names and types of the inputs and outputs a capsule accepts |
| Publication | The node's record of a capsule you uploaded |
| Deployment | A named choice of which published capsule should answer a service's calls |
| Activation | One call to a capsule function |
You do not need to understand LSF's internal architecture to complete the first application. Follow the working example and open the references when you need them.