Lightning

Methods for working with the Lightning Network

LND Authentication

To connect to an LND node, authentication details are required.

Export credentials via CLI: balanceofsatoshis: npm install -g balanceofsatoshis and export via bos credentials --cleartext

Or export them manually:

Run base64 on the tls.cert and admin.macaroon files to get the encoded authentication data to create the LND connection. You can find these files in the LND directory. (~/.lnd or ~/Library/Application Support/Lnd)

base64 ~/.lnd/tls.cert | tr -d '\n'
base64 ~/.lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/mainnet/admin.macaroon | tr -d '\n'

You can then use these to interact with your LND node directly:

const {authenticatedLndGrpc} = require('lightning');

const {lnd} = authenticatedLndGrpc({
  cert: 'base64 encoded tls.cert file',
  macaroon: 'base64 encoded admin.macaroon file',
  socket: '127.0.0.1:10009',
});

To access unauthenticated methods like the wallet unlocker, use unauthenticatedLndGrpc instead.

Methods

There are two libraries, ln-service and this library.

Methods exported by this library support typescript, but ln-service includes additional metthods.

• addPeer: Connect to a new peer

• authenticatedLndGrpc: Instantiate connection to authenticated lnd methods.

• broadcastChainTransaction: Publish an on-chain transaction to the network.

• cancelHodlInvoice: Cancel an open invoice.

• cancelPendingChannel: Cancel a pending channel.

• closeChannel: Close a channel out to the chain.

• changePassword: Update the wallet encryption passphrase.

• connectWatchtower: Connect a new watchtower.

• createChainAddress: Generate a chain address to receive on-chain funds.

• createHodlInvoice: Make a new off-chain invoice that will not automatically accept payment.

• createInvoice: Make a new off-chain invoice.

• createSeed: Generate a random wallet HD seed.

• createWallet: Make a new wallet.

• decodePaymentRequest: Get parsed details for a payment request.

• createWallet: Make a new wallet.

• deleteFailedPayAttempts Remove failed payment paths from database.

• deleteFailedPayments Remove failed payments from the database.

• deleteForwardingReputations Clear pathfinding reputations of routing nodes and channels.

• deletePayments: Remove all past payment records.

• diffieHellmanComputeSecret: Calculate a shared secret to enable symmetric encryption of data to another node.

• disableChannel: Signal disabled forwarding to a peer

• disconnectWatchtower: Remove a connected watchtower

• enableChannel: Signal forwarding enabled towards a peer.

• fundPendingChannels: Provide a signed funding source for opening channels.

• fundPsbt: Make a PSBT with funds and change to setup a future on-chain spend.

• getAccessIds: List the access tokens granted permission to access the node.

• getAutopilot: Retrieve channel open autopilot configuration.

• getBackup: Get recovery details for a specific channel.

• getBackups: Get recovery details for all channels.

• getChainBalance: Get the amount of on-chain funds.

• getChainFeeEstimate: Estimate a chain fee to send funds to an address.

• getChainFeeRate: Get an estimate for an on-chain fee rate.

• getChainTransactions: List past on-chain transactions.

• getChannel: Lookup network graph details about a channel.

• getChannelBalance: Calculate the total off-chain balance on the node.

• getChannels: List open channels on the node.

• getClosedChannels: List closed channels on the node.

• getConnectedWatchtowers: List watchtowers that were added

• getFeeRates: List routing fee rates and routing policies of channels on the node.

• getForwardingConfidence: Calculate the pathfinding confidence score for routing a payment.

• getForwardingReputations: List the pathfinding reputations for payment routing.

• getForwards: List past forwards routed through the node.

• getHeight: Lookup the current best chain height.

• getIdentity: Derive the identity public key of the node.

• getInvoice: Lookup the status of an invoice.

• getInvoices: List details of all past open invoices and received payments.

• getMethods: List RPC methods and permissions required to use them.

• getNetworkCentrality: Calculate the graph centrality score of a node.

• getNetworkGraph: List all graph routing nodes and all channels.

• getNetworkInfo: Calculate network graph statistics.

• getNode: Retrieve graph details for a node and optionally list its channels.

• getPathfindingSettings: List out configuration options set for routing.

• getPayment: Lookup details about a past payment.

• getPayments: List details about past payment attempts and paid payment requests.

• getPeers: List details of connected nodes.

• getPendingChainBalance: Calculate the unconfirmed on-chain balance.

• getPendingChannels: List details of opening or closing channels.

• getPublicKey: Derive a public key at a given index.

• getRouteThroughHops: Calculate a route through specified nodes.

• getRouteToDestination: Calculate a route through the graph to a destination.

• getSweepTransactions: List transactions that are sweeping funds on-chain.

• getUtxos: List unspent transaction outputs in the on-chain wallet.

• getWalletInfo: Lookup general details about the node.

• getWalletVersion: Retrieve the version and build tags of the node.

• grantAccess: Create an access credential macaroon to access the API.

• isDestinationPayable: Check if a destination can be paid

• lockUtxo: Lease a UTXO so it cannot be chosen to be spent.

• openChannel: Create a new channel to another node.

• openChannels: Open multiple channels in a single on-chain transaction batch.

• pay: Make an off-chain payment.

• payViaPaymentDetails: Pay off-chain using details about a destination invoice.

• payViaPaymentRequest: Pay a payment request off-chain.

• payViaRoutes: Pay to a destination using a specified route or routes.

• prepareForChannelProposal: Prepare to receive a custom channel proposal.

• probeForRoute: Run a probe to find a route to pay to a destination.

• proposeChannel: Propose a new channel to a peer who has prepared for the channel proposal.

• recoverFundsFromChannel: Attempt to recover channel funds from a specific channel backup.

• recoverFundsFromChannels: Attempt to recover funds from multiple channels using a multiple channel backup.

• removePeer: Disconnect from a connected peer.

• revokeAccess: Remove the access privileges of a previously issued access token macaroon credential.

• sendToChainAddress: Send funds on-chain to an address.

• sendToChainAddresses: Send funds on-chain to multiple chain addresses.

• setAutopilot: Set the open channel autopilot configuration settings.

• settleHodlInvoice: Take incoming off-chain funds when an invoice has held funds from an incoming payment.

• signBytes: Use node keys to sign over an arbitrary set of bytes.

• signMessage: Use the node identity key to generate a signed message that represents the public graph node identity.

• signPsbt: Sign inputs and finalize a partially signed transaction in the PSBT format to prepare it for broadcast.

• signTransaction: Generate signatures required for inputs on a transaction.

• stopDaemon: Send a shutdown request to cleanly kill the daemon.

• subscribeToBackups: Get notified on channel funds recovery backup file updates.

• subscribeToBlocks: Get notified when the Blockchain is updated.

• subscribeToChainAddress: Get notified when funds are sent to an on-chain address.

• subscribeToChainSpend: Get notified when a UTXO is spent.

• subscribeToChannels: Get notified when the set of active channels is updated.

• subscribeToForwardRequests: Get notified on requests to begin forward flows and interactively accept or reject or settle them.

• subscribeToForwards: Get notified on off-chain routed payment events.

• subscribeToGraph: Get notified of changes to the public routing graph nodes and channels.

• subscribeToInvoice: Get notified of status updates for incoming payments.

• subscribeToInvoices: Get notified of status updates on past created invoices.

• subscribeToOpenRequests: Get notified on requests to open an inbound channel and interactively accept or reject them.

• subscribeToPastPayment: Get notified of the current and ongoing status of a past off-chain payment.

• subscribeToPayViaDetails: Make an off-chain payment using payment details and subscribe to the status of that payment.

• subscribeToPayViaRequest: Make an off-chain payment using a payment request and subscribe to the payment status.

• subscribeToPayViaRoutes: Start an off-chain payment using specific payment routes and subscribe to the payment result.

• subscribeToProbeForRoute: Start an off-chain probe to find a payable route and get notified on the status of the probe.

• subscribeToTransactions: Get notified on on-chain transaction activity.

• subscribeToWalletStatus: Listen to updates to wallet state

• unauthenticatedLndGrpc: Create an lnd object for use with methods that do not require authentication credentials.

• unlockUtxo: Release a lease on a wallet UTXO to allow it to be selected for spending again.

• unlockWallet: Decrypt the wallet and start the daemon

• updateChainTransaction: Edit the metadata of an on-chain transaction record.

• updateConnectedWatchtower: Edit the settings on an added watchtower

• updatePathfindingSettings: Edit the configuration for routing calculations

• updateRoutingFees: Set the forwarding fees or other routing policies for a channel or all channels.

• verifyBackup: Check if a channel fund recovery backup file is valid.

• verifyBackups: Check if multiple channel fund recovery backups are valid.

• verifyBytesSignature: Check that a signature over arbitrary bytes is valid.

• verifyMessage: Check that a message from a node in the graph has a valid signature.