blog/source/docs/migrating_from_3.x.md

title: Migrating from Embark 3.x layout: docs

With the release of version 4, Embark has introduced a few breaking changes that require developers to take action, if they plan to upgrade.

In this guide we'll discuss the few steps to take a project from Embark 3.2.x to 4.x.

Upgrading to v4

In order to take an existing Embark 3.2.x project to version 4.x, the following steps are required:

1. Adding a generationDir to the project's embark.json
2. Updating "magic" EmbarkJS imports
3. Installing a blockchain connector
4. Updating blockchain account configurations

Let's walk through them step by step!

Adding a generationDir to embark.json

Since version 4, Embark generates project specific artifacts. We need to tell Embark where to generate those artifacts. For new projects, this is not a problem as Embark will create the necessary configuration. However, for existing projects, we'll have to add a generationDir property to our project's embark.json file.

...
"generationDir": "artifacts"
...

The value of generationDir is the name of the folder in which we want Embark to generate artifacts. For new projects, artifacts is the default.

Updating "magic" EmbarkJS imports

Before version 4, EmbarkJS provided a couple of "magic" imports for applications that made it very convenient to get access to EmbarkJS itself, as well as Smart Contract instances.

The EmbarkJS library as well as Smart Contract instances will now be generated artifacts, meaning we'll have to update our imports to point to the right location.

For EmbarkJS, replace this import:

import EmbarkJS from 'Embark/EmbarkJS';

with

import EmbarkJS from './artifacts/embarkjs';

{% notification info 'Attention!' %} Notice that the import path has to match the path we've specified in generationDir earlier. {% endnotification %}

For Smart Contract instances, replace:

import CONTRACT_NAME from 'Embark/contracts/CONTRACT_NAME';

with

import CONTRACT_NAME from './artifacts/contracts/CONTRACT_NAME';

Remove web3 imports

Prior to version 4, EmbarkJS exported a Web3 instance as well. This is no longer the case as it caused a lot of compatibility issues with different Web3 versions. Please rely on the globally available Web3 instance instead.

Remove the following import from your application:

import web3 from 'Embark/web3';

Updating blockchain configurations

Embark 4 adds some new blockchain account configurations. To try to keep things as simple as possible, these additions are really similar to the ones in the Smart Contract configuration. For more information, please read the Accounts Blockchain configuration guide in our docs.

However, we did introduce some small breaking changes. We removed:

• account: This is completely replaced by the new accounts property (notice the s at the end of accounts). It gives the developer more flexibility. To have exactly the same behavior as before, just use the nodeAccounts account type as described in the docs
• simulatorMnemonic: Removed in favor of Ganache’s default mnemonic. If this functionality is still needed, please specify the desired mnemonic in the blockchain config’s mnemonic account type.

Updating to v5

Summary:

• Contract config
  • Removed the deployment section (now all part of blockchain config)
  • contracts renamed deploy to match beforeDeploy and afterDeploy and for tests
• Blockchain config
  • A lot of new defaults, so less that you need to configure Source
  • A lot of renamed parameters
    • isDev: miningMode: 'dev'
    • mineWhenNeeded: miningMode: 'auto'
    • ethereumClientName: client
  • New endpoint parameter that let's you connect to an external endpoint or configure more easily which local endpoint to start Source
  • Now is the only source for accounts Source
• Tests
  • Can now configure module configuration
    • Storage, namesystem (ENS) and communication modules can now be configured
      • Configure them just like in the configuration files
      • Tests default to the test environment
      • Modules are turned off by default
      • Config merges with test and default so no need to rewrite all the provider configs
  • deployement section removed
    • You can now configure the accounts and the endpoint in the blockchain section
  • contracts renamed deploy and put inside the contracts section