Corda Use Case for a Blockchain-Based Application

Blockchain is a buzzword today, with companies from numerous business sectors trying to take advantage of the privacy, decentralization, and interoperability that this technology enables. Many open-source blockchain platforms are available for customization of business solutions (e.g., Corda, Hyperledger Fabric, Quorum, Ethereum), but unique client requirements and project specifications mostly predetermine their selection. Here we share an experience of working with a new blockchain platform – R3’s Corda – to create a healthcare-related application for our new client. 

Client Requirements 

The client came to 4ire Labs with the following set of requirements:

• The system needed to be designed in a way that enables participants’ timely and concerted actions according to predefined scripts, in a sequential manner, by verifying each previous participant’s actions. 
• Sensitive client data has to be stored in compliance with high privacy and security standards.
• The blockchain platform should enable easy scalability for the future addition of participants to the system. 
• Data access categorization should be possible, with certain nodes having access to specific data parts only.
• The system should be written in Java to simplify its maintenance by the client’s in-house programmer team. 
• The Proof-of-Concept principle should be implemented for participant authentication. 

Corda Blockchain Selection 

The team of 4ire Labs considered three blockchain solutions for this project: Corda, Hyperledger Fabric, and Quorum. There were no specialists with practical expertise in Corda implementation. Yet, the project’s peculiarities pointed to the ideal fit of Corda. Thus, the team agreed to take additional time and effort to master Corda to meet the client’s needs and expectations. 

The web application’s UI was developed using Python Django, with the 4ire Labs experts applying it to customize the Corda blockchain using R3’s CorDapp templates. 

Key Takeaways 

The team of 4ire Labs had some rewarding experiences and challenges in the process of Corda blockchain integration. The key benefits noted by our specialists include:

• Use-friendliness of Corda for developers even with middle level of Java/Kotlin proficiency. Only blockchain integration experience plays an instrumental role in successful Corda project execution.
• R3 has done a great job providing instructional videos, training materials, and live support for developers and businesses using Corda. Thus, with their consultations and troubleshooting suggestions, Corda implementation gets easier even for people new to it.
• The data privacy standard guaranteed by Corda suits businesses dealing with sensitive client data. A distinctive feature of Corda is that it doesn’t store information on the network’s nodes, ensuring trust even in zero-trust environments. 
• However, Corda has a limited sphere for implementation. Corda does not presuppose nodes’ consensus, so it suits only isolated environments in which all participants know each other, with no new users added continuously. 
• Corda’s live distributed applications aid the blockchain’s implementation and customization for various project needs. 
• Corda offers the advantage of apps’ interoperability with other apps and networks unavailable in most popular blockchain products.  

Corda: to use or not to use? 

Corda’s use proved to be a valuable experience for the 4ire Labs team, and we are happy to say that we have added this technology to our broad spectrum of blockchain options offered to our clients. R3’s robust developer support and numerous useful features make Corda an excellent solution for many business applications, such as financial transactions, healthcare organizations, corporations and governments fine-tuning inter-departmental interactions, etc. The expertise we developed in this pioneering project enables us to offer Corda solutions on a high professional level, enabling us to customize the web app products to your unique project’s needs.