Canton Network Repos

---
name: canton-network-repos
description: Canton Network open-source ecosystem guide covering DAML SDK, Canton runtime, and Splice applications. Use when working with Canton Network, DAML smart contracts, or building decentralized applications.
---

# Canton Network Open-Source Repositories

This skill provides comprehensive knowledge about the Canton Network open-source ecosystem, repository relationships, and build processes.

## Activation

Use this skill when:
- Working with Canton Network, DAML, or Splice repositories
- Investigating version compatibility issues
- Understanding enterprise vs community differences
- Debugging LF version or package ID mismatches
- Building Canton participants or Splice applications

## Repository Hierarchy

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Splice Version (e.g., 0.5.4)                 │
│         github.com/digital-asset/decentralized-canton-sync     │
│   Applications: Validator, SV, Wallet, Scan, Amulet (CC)       │
└─────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────┘
                          │ depends on
                          ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                   Canton Version (e.g., 3.4.9)                  │
│               github.com/digital-asset/canton                   │
│     Runtime: Participant, Sequencer, Mediator, Admin API       │
└─────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────┘
                          │ depends on
                          ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    DAML SDK (e.g., 3.4.9)                       │
│                github.com/digital-asset/daml                    │
│    Compiler: damlc, LF Engine, Ledger API, stdlib, protobuf    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

## Repository Details

### 1. DAML SDK (`github.com/digital-asset/daml`)

**Purpose**: Smart contract language, compiler, and runtime libraries.

**Key Directories**:
```
daml/
├── sdk/
│   ├── compiler/damlc/          # Haskell compiler source
│   │   └── lib/DA/Cli/Options.hs  # --target version validation
│   ├── daml-lf/
│   │   ├── language/            # LF version definitions (Scala)
│   │   ├── engine/              # LF execution engine
│   │   └── archive/             # DALF protobuf format
│   └── canton/                  # Canton runtime (submodule)
├── ledger-api/                  # gRPC API definitions
└── VERSION                      # SDK version string
```

**LF Version Definitions** (`LanguageVersion.scala` at v3.4.9):
```scala
// V2 versions defined
val List(v2_1, v2_2, v2_dev) = AllV2  // Line 51 - v2_2 IS defined

// Version ranges
case Major.V2 => VersionRange(v2_1, v2_2)  // Line 171 - StableVersions includes v2_2
def AllVersions = VersionRange(v2_1, v2_dev)

// Features at v2_2:
val flatArchive = v2_2
val kindInterning = flatArchive
val exprInterning = flatArchive
val explicitPkgImports = v2_2
val unsafeFromInterfaceRemoved = v2_2
```

**Note**: v2_2 IS in SDK v3.4.9 source. Older snapshots may not include it.

**damlc Target Validation** (`Options.hs`):
```haskell
lfVersionOpt :: Parser LF.Version
-- Validates against LF.supportedOutputVersions
-- Error: "Unknown Daml-LF version: X" if not in list
```

### 2. Canton (`github.com/digital-asset/canton`)

**Purpose**: Distributed ledger runtime implementing the Canton Protocol.

**Key Directories**:
```
canton/
├── community/                   # Open-source Canton
│   ├── app/                     # CantonCommunityApp entry point
│   ├── participant/             # Participant node implementation
│   ├── domain/                  # Embedded domain (sequencer/mediator)
│   └── common/src/main/daml/    # Built-in DAML packages
│       └── AdminWorkflows/      # Ping, party replication DARs
├── daml/                        # DAML SDK submodule
├── daml_dependencies.json       # LF library versions
├── VERSION                      # Canton version
└── version.sbt                  # SBT version config
```

**Built-in DARs** (embedded in JAR):
- `canton-builtin-admin-workflow-ping.dar`
- `canton-builtin-admin-workflow-party-replication-alpha.dar`
- `CantonExamples.dar`

**Enterprise vs Community**:
| Feature | Enterprise | Community |
|---------|------------|-----------|
| Main class | CantonEnterpriseApp | CantonCommunityApp |
| Transaction processing | Parallel | Sequential |
| Pruning | Available | Limited |
| Database | PostgreSQL, Oracle | PostgreSQL only |
| HA Domain | Supported | Embedded only |

### 3. Splice (`github.com/digital-asset/decentralized-canton-sync`)

**Purpose**: Decentralized synchronizer governance, Amulet (Canton Coin), and network applications.

**Key Directories**:
```
decentralized-canton-sync/
├── project/
│   ├── CantonDependencies.scala  # Version config, LF versions
│   └── DamlPlugin.scala          # DAR build logic
├── daml/
│   ├── splice-amulet/            # Canton Coin token contracts
│   ├── splice-wallet/            # Wallet contracts
│   ├── splice-dso-governance/    # DSO governance
│   └── */daml.yaml               # Package configs with --target
├── apps/
│   ├── sv/                       # Super Validator app
│   ├── validator/                # Validator app
│   ├── wallet/                   # Wallet backend
│   └── scan/                     # Payment scan service
├── cluster/images/               # Docker image builds
│   └── canton-community/         # Community participant image
└── daml-compiler-sources.json    # Compiler version reference
```

**Critical Configuration** (`CantonDependencies.scala`):
```scala
object CantonDependencies {
  val version: String = "3.4.9"
  val daml_language_versions = Seq("2.1")  // ← LF target version
  val daml_libraries_version = version
  val daml_compiler_version = sys.env("DAML_COMPILER_VERSION")
}
```

**Package Target** (`daml/splice-amulet/daml.yaml`):
```yaml
sdk-version: 3.3.0-snapshot.20250502.13767.0.v2fc6c7e2
build-options:
  - --target=2.1  # Explicit LF 2.1 target
```

## Version Mapping

| Splice | Canton | DAML SDK | Protocol | LF (Default) | LF (With SDK 3.4.9) |
|--------|--------|----------|----------|--------------|---------------------|
| 0.5.4  | 3.4.9  | 3.4.9    | PV34     | 2.1*         | 2.2 (verified)      |
| 0.5.3  | 3.4.8  | 3.4.8    | PV34     | 2.1*         | 2.2                 |
| 0.4.x  | 3.3.x  | 3.3.x    | PV33     | 2.1          | 2.1                 |

*Open-source Splice 0.5.4 ships with SDK snapshot `3.3.0-snapshot.20250502` which predates LF 2.2.

**Root Cause (Verified)**: The public Splice release uses an SDK snapshot from **May 2, 2025**, but LF 2.2 was added to the SDK on **October 3, 2025**. Updating to SDK 3.4.9 enables LF 2.2 builds.

**Key insight**: LF 2.2 is fully available in open-source SDK v3.4.9. The Splice project simply needs to be updated to use the newer SDK.

## LF Version Implications

### Package ID Derivation
Package IDs are cryptographic hashes derived from:
1. Package source content
2. **LF version used** (`--target`)
3. SDK/stdlib versions
4. Dependency package IDs

**Changing LF version = Different package IDs = Incompatible packages**

### Upgrade Validation
Canton validates package upgrades:
- Upgraded packages must use equal or newer LF version
- LF 2.1 package cannot "upgrade" to LF 2.2 package (different IDs)
- Mixing LF versions on same ledger causes validation failures

## Building from Open-Source

### Community Canton Participant
```bash
cd canton
sbt "community/app/assembly"
# Output: community/app/target/scala-2.13/canton-community.jar
```

### Splice Applications
```bash
cd decentralized-canton-sync
sbt compile  # Requires DAML_COMPILER_VERSION env var
```

### Building with LF 2.2 (Verified Working)

LF 2.2 is available in SDK v3.4.9. The following steps have been **verified to work**:

1. Edit `project/CantonDependencies.scala`:
   ```scala
   val daml_language_versions = Seq("2.2")
   ```

2. Update `nix/daml-compiler-sources.json`:
   ```json
   { "version": "3.4.9" }
   ```

3. Update all `daml/*/daml.yaml` files:
   ```yaml
   sdk-version: 3.4.9
   build-options:
     - --target=2.2
   ```

4. Remove invalid warning flags (not present in SDK 3.4.9):
   ```bash
   # Remove -Wno-ledger-time-is-alpha from all daml.yaml files
   ```

5. Build packages:
   ```bash
   cd decentralized-canton-sync
   nix-shell -p daml-sdk --run "daml build -p daml/splice-util"
   nix-shell -p daml-sdk --run "daml build -p daml/splice-amulet"
   ```

**Verified**: splice-util and splice-amulet build successfully with LF 2.2 and SDK 3.4.9.

## Fully Open-Source LF 2.2 Build (Verified)

Both Splice and Canton can be built with LF 2.2 from entirely open-source code:

### Canton Built-in DARs

Update Canton's daml.yaml files:
```bash
cd canton/community
# Update all daml.yaml files to sdk-version: 3.4.9 and --target=2.2
perl -pi -e 's/sdk-version: 3\.3\.0-snapshot\.[^\n]*/sdk-version: 3.4.9/g' **/daml.yaml
perl -pi -e 's/--target=2\.1/--target=2.2/g' **/daml.yaml
```

Rebuild Canton:
```bash
sbt "canton-community-app/assembly"
```

### Verified Results (2025-12-24)

Community-built DARs have **identical package IDs** to enterprise:
- `canton-builtin-admin-workflow-ping-3.4.9-fbeb863dab36da66d99...`

This confirms full compatibility with enterprise deployments.

## Key Files Reference

| Purpose | Repository | File |
|---------|------------|------|
| LF versions (Scala) | daml | `sdk/daml-lf/language/.../LanguageVersion.scala` |
| damlc validation | daml | `sdk/compiler/damlc/lib/DA/Cli/Options.hs` |
| Canton version | canton | `VERSION` |
| Canton DARs | canton | `community/common/src/main/daml/` |
| Splice LF config | splice | `project/CantonDependencies.scala` |
| Package targets | splice | `daml/*/daml.yaml` |
| Docker builds | splice | `cluster/images/*/Dockerfile` |

## Troubleshooting

### "Unknown Daml-LF version: 2.2"
- **Cause**: damlc binary doesn't support 2.2 in `supportedOutputVersions`
- **Check**: `daml damlc --help` for supported targets
- **Fix**: Use SDK version that includes 2.2, or use 2.1

### Package ID Mismatch
- **Cause**: Different LF versions between builds
- **Check**: `unzip -p package.dar META-INF/MANIFEST.MF | grep Sdk-Version`
- **Fix**: Ensure consistent `--target` across all builds

### Upgrade Validation Failed
- **Cause**: Trying to swap enterprise (LF 2.2) with community (LF 2.1) packages
- **Fix**: Use DAR injection to maintain LF 2.2 compatibility

## External References

- [DAML SDK Releases](https://github.com/digital-asset/daml/releases)
- [Canton Releases](https://github.com/digital-asset/canton/releases)
- [Splice Documentation](https://docs.dev.sync.global/)
- [DAML-LF Governance](https://github.com/digital-asset/daml/blob/main/daml-lf/governance.rst)
- [Canton Network Docs](https://docs.digitalasset.com/)