Forknet UI

A modern, user-friendly desktop application for managing Forknet blockchain nodes. Built with React and Electron, this application provides a comprehensive interface for node management, blockchain exploration, and account management.

Features

✅ Currently Available

• Account Management: Create accounts, login with seedphrase/private key/backup files
• Security Features: Encrypted backup files, private key management, secure authentication
• Node Management: Monitor node health, peers, sync status, and minting accounts
• Blockchain Explorer: Search and view all blockchain transactions with detailed filtering
• Peer Management: Add/remove peers, force sync with specific peers
• Node Control: Start, stop, and restart node operations (desktop version only)
• Real-time Monitoring: Auto-refresh data, connection status, sync progress

🚧 Coming Soon

• Wallet Functionality: Send and receive FRK transactions
• Minting Details: Detailed blockchain statistics and minting rewards

Prerequisites

• Forknet Core: Must be running locally on port 10391

Installation

Build from Source

Prerequisites for Building

# Install Node.js 18+ and npm
# Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install nodejs npm

# macOS (with Homebrew):
brew install node

# Windows: Download from nodejs.org

Build Steps

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bydodgers/Forknet-UI.git
cd Forknet-UI

# 2. Install dependencies
npm install

# 3. Build for your platform
npm run build-electron

# 4. Find your built app
# macOS: dist/Forknet UI.app
# Windows: dist/Forknet UI Setup.exe  
# Linux: dist/Forknet UI.AppImage

Cross-Platform Building

# Build for all platforms (requires platform-specific tools)
npm run build-electron-all

# Or build for specific platforms
npm run build-mac      # macOS
npm run build-win      # Windows
npm run build-linux    # Linux

Usage

First Time Setup

1. Start Forknet Core first (must be running on localhost:10391)
2. Launch Forknet UI
3. Create a new account or login:
   • New Users: Click "Create New Account" for a secure seedphrase
   • Existing Users: Login with seedphrase, private key, or backup file

Key Features Walkthrough

🏠 Dashboard

• View account balance and level
• Access all major features
• Quick security actions (backup, private key access)
• System status overview

🏗️ Node Management

• Peer Management: Add/remove blockchain peers
• Sync Control: Force sync with network
• Minting Setup: Configure block minting (requires Level 1+)
• Node Control: Start/stop/restart your Forknet node

🔍 Blockchain Explorer

• Transaction Search: Filter by type, address, block range
• Real-time Data: Latest transactions and blocks
• Detailed View: Expand transactions for full details
• Advanced Filters: Custom search parameters

🔐 Security Features

• Backup Creation: Encrypted JSON backups with password
• Private Key Access: Secure viewing with multi-step confirmation
• Auto-logout: Secure session management

🔧 Configuration

API Connection

The app connects to Forknet Core at http://localhost:10391. Admin features require an API key that Forknet Core generates automatically.

Auto-refresh Settings

• Default: 30-second refresh intervals
• Customizable: 10 seconds to 5 minutes
• Smart Detection: Automatically detects node restarts

Security Settings

• Private Key Protection: Multi-step access with warnings
• Backup Encryption: AES-256 encryption with user passwords
• Session Management: Automatic logout on app close

Development

Technology Stack

• Frontend: React 19.1.0 with TypeScript
• UI Framework: Material-UI 7.1.0
• State Management: Redux Toolkit
• Desktop: Electron 28.3.3
• Routing: React Router 7.x (HashRouter for Electron compatibility)
• Cryptography: Noble curves/hashes (Forknet-compatible)
• Build Tools: Create React App, Electron Builder

Development Scripts

# Development mode
npm start                 # Web version (limited functionality)
npm run electron-dev      # Electron development with hot reload

# Building
npm run build            # Web build
npm run build-electron   # Desktop app for current platform
npm run build-electron-all  # All platforms (requires setup)

# Analysis
npm run analyze          # Bundle size analysis
npm test                 # Run tests

API Integration

The application connects to Forknet Core API running on http://localhost:10391. Admin features require an API key automatically generated by Forknet Core at ~/forknet-core/apikey.txt.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"No API key found"

• Ensure Forknet Core is running and has generated ~/forknet-core/apikey.txt

"Connection refused"

• Check that Forknet Core is running on localhost:10391
• Verify firewall settings

"Invalid backup file"

• Ensure you're using a valid Forknet backup JSON file
• Check that you have the correct password

"Application entry file not found" during build

• Make sure you're using npm run build-electron instead of npm run dist
• Verify that electron-is-dev is in dependencies (not devDependencies)

"404 Page Not Found" when opening desktop app

• This indicates a routing issue - the app should use HashRouter for Electron compatibility
• Try rebuilding with npm run build-electron

"Cannot find module 'electron-is-dev'" error

• Run npm install to ensure all dependencies are properly installed
• Check that electron-is-dev is listed in dependencies in package.json

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⚠️ Important Notes

Testnet Environment

• Forknet Testnet: This application is designed for the Forknet test network
• Blockchain Resets: The testnet may restart periodically
• Backup Strategy: Always maintain secure backups of your account credentials
• Development Status: Some features are still in development