ln-constr-parser

Convenient, dependency-free Lightning connection string parser for front- and backend.

Usage

import {parseConnectionString} from '@synonymdev/ln-constr-parser';

const connectionString = '0200000000a3eff613189ca6c4070c89206ad658e286751eca1f29262948247a5f@127.0.0.1:9735';
const {host, hostType, port, pubKey} = parseConnectionString(connectionString);

console.log(host); // 127.0.0.1
console.log(hostType); // ipv4. Depending on the address provided, it could also be ipv6, torv3 or domain.
console.log(port); // 9735
console.log(pubKey); // 0200000000a3eff613189ca6c4070c89206ad658e286751eca1f29262948247a5f

The port is optional. You can make the port mandatory so the parser will throw an error. This also avoids the ipv6 ambiguity problem (see below).

parseConnectionString(connectionString, {portMandatory: true})

Parse Errors

In case of an invalid connection string, the parser will throw a detailed error of what is wrong.

import {parseConnectionString, ParseFailureCode, ParseError} from '@synonymdev/ln-constr-parser';

try {
    const connectionString = 'pubkey@host:port';
    parseConnectionString(connectionString);
} catch (e) {
    if (e instanceof ParseError) {
        console.log('Parse failed. Reason:', e.code)
        if (e.code === ParseFailureCode.INVALID_HOST) {
            console.log('Host value is invalid.')
        } else if (e.codee === ParseFailureCode.INVALID_IPV6) {
            console.log('IPv6 host is invalid.')
        } else if (e.codee === ParseFailureCode.AMBIGUOUS_IPV6) {
            console.log('IPv6 host is ambiguous. Use square brackets [] like pubkey@[ipv6]:port.')
        } else if (e.code === ParseFailureCode.INVALID_PORT) {
            console.log('Invalid port.')
        } else if (e.code === ParseFailureCode.INVALID_PUBKEY) {
            console.log('Invalid lightning pubkey.')
        } else if (e.code === ParseFailureCode.INVALID_ATS) {
            console.log('The connection string must contain one single @ symbol.')
        }
    }
}

Supported Address Formats

The library supports all commonly used address formats in the form of

• pubkey@host:port
• pubkey@host
• pubkey@[host]:port
• pubkey@[host]

ipv4

• Regular [email protected]:port.
• No port [email protected].
• Square brackets pubkey@[127.0.0.1]:port.
• Square brackets no port pubkey@[127.0.0.1].

ipv6

• Square brackets pubkey@[2001:db8:3333:4444:5555:6666:7777:8888]:port.
• Square brackets compressed pubkey@[2001:db8::8888]:port.
• Square brackets no port pubkey@[2001:db8:3333:4444:5555:6666:7777:8888].
• Square brackets compressed no port pubkey@[2001:db8::8888].
• Regular uncompressed pubkey@2001:db8:3333:4444:5555:6666:7777:8888:port.
• No port uncompressed pubkey@2001:db8:3333:4444:5555:6666:7777:8888.

⚠️ Ambiguity problem If you don't make the port mandatory, it is adviced to use square brackets [] with IPv6. It is impossible to separate a compressed IPv6 from the port. Example: 2001:db8::8888:9735 may as well be a IPv6 (2001:db8::8888:9735) OR a IPv6:port (2001:db8::8888 and port 9735). The library will do its best to parse it correctly but will throw an error in case of ambiguity.

torv3

• Regular pubkey@giexynrrloc2fewstcybenljdksidtglfydecbellzkl63din6w73eid.onion:port.
• No port pubkey@giexynrrloc2fewstcybenljdksidtglfydecbellzkl63din6w73eid.onion.
• Square brackets pubkey@[giexynrrloc2fewstcybenljdksidtglfydecbellzkl63din6w73eid.onion]:port.
• Square brackets no port pubkey@[giexynrrloc2fewstcybenljdksidtglfydecbellzkl63din6w73eid.onion].

domain

• Regular [email protected]:port.
• No port [email protected].
• Square brackets pubkey@[synonym.to]:port.
• Square brackets no port pubkey@[synonym.to].

Parse Subcomponents

The library also provides functions to parse the individual components of a connection string.

import {parseAddress, parseHost, parsePort, parsePubkey} from '@synonymdev/ln-constr-parser';

const {host, hostType, port} = parseAddress('127.0.0.1:9000')
const {host, hostType} = parseHost('127.0.0.1')
const port = parsePort('900')
const pubkey = parsePubkey('0200000000a3eff613189ca6c4070c89206ad658e286751eca1f29262948247a5f')

May the ⚡ be with you.