fabric

Hyperledger Fabric is an open-source blockchain framework built for businesses and enterprises that need a private, controlled network rather than a fully public one. Unlike public blockchains where anyone can join, Fabric is "permissioned," meaning only approved participants can access the network — making it suitable for industries like finance, healthcare, and supply chain.

At its core, Fabric is a distributed ledger — a shared record-keeping system where multiple organizations can record and verify transactions without relying on a single central authority. Think of it like a shared spreadsheet that no single company controls, but all participants can trust because every entry is cryptographically verified and agreed upon by the network.

What makes Fabric distinctive is its modular design. Different components — such as the consensus mechanism (the process by which participants agree a transaction is valid) and identity management — can be swapped or configured based on your specific needs. It also prioritizes confidentiality, so sensitive transaction data can be shared only with relevant parties rather than broadcast to the entire network.

Fabric is written in Go and is part of the Hyperledger project, an open-source initiative focused on enterprise blockchain tools. The current Long-Term Support release is v2.5. You would use Fabric if you're building a business network where multiple organizations need a shared, trustworthy record of transactions — such as tracking goods through a supply chain, settling trades between banks, or managing healthcare records across providers — without putting sensitive data on a fully public blockchain.