The conch repository hosts the Contract Compliance Checkert (CCC) tool that we have implemented for monitoring and enforcing smart contracts at run time.
-
Off blockchain architecture: In the implementation hosted in conch, the CCC is expected to be deployed as a web server on a Trusted Third Party, thus it is a centralised smart contract enforcer.
-
Hybrid architecture: we have also implemented a hybrid architecture where the CCC playing the role of the off blockchain component integrates with the Rinkeby Ethereum Network. This implementation is hosted in the TECOmate repository and discussed in the Implementation of Smart Contracts Using Hybrid Architectures with On- and Off-Blockchain Components) technical report. The reader might like also to have a look at the contraval repository which hosts a contract validator tool that complements each other with conch.
An executable contract (also called a smart contract) is (at least under my personal definition) a conventional contract that can be converted into executable code, executed and enforced programmatically at run-time.
The main feature of a smart contract is that its executable and capable of monitoring and enforcing contractual commitments (rights, obligations and prohibitions) at run--time.
A smart contract can be implemented using a centralised or a distributed approach. The distributed approach involves the achievement of consensus between several remote parties, consequently, the implementation of distributed smart contracts is significantly simplified by the support of middleware services offered by blockchain technology.
The current implementation of conch follows a centralised approach and therefore, does not rely on blockchain.
The installation procedure is detailed in UsersGuide1.2.pdf.
- Massimo Strano developed the underlying Java components that integrate drools with the Contract Compliance Checker as part of his PhD dissertation (2010) at University of Newcastle, UK.
- Ionnis Sfyrakis from University of Newcastle, UK (Ioannis.Sfyrakis@newcastle.ac.uk) implemented the Web server interfaces to the Contract Compliance Checker as part of his Masters degree (2012) at Newcastle and since them he has been actively contributing to the hybrid architecture.
- Carlos Molina-Jimenez from The Department of Computer Science and Technology (Computer Laboratory), University of Cambridge (Carlos.Molina@cl.cam.ac.uk) has been the main architect of the architecture. He has been maintaining, documenting and testing the tool. He is currently (2018) working in the TESCON project (EPSRC grant Grant: RG90413 NRAG/536).
Feel free to email carlos.molina + @ + cl.cam.a.uk if you have comments, bugs to report or questions.
The contraval tool is released under the Apache License, Version 2.0 which is available from Apache’s web pages.