Bumped version to v0.5.0, added CHANGELOG entry, some doc and README updates

Author: holgerd77

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/)
 [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 
+## [0.5.0] - 2018-08-27
+- Introduces **support for private chains** by allowing to pass a custom dictionary as the ``chain`` parameter
+  in the constructor or the ``setChain()`` method as an alternative to just passing one of the predefined
+  ``chain`` ``String`` names (e.g. ``mainnet``, ``ropsten``), PR [#24](https://github.com/ethereumjs/ethereumjs-common/pull/24)
+  
+
+[0.5.0]: https://github.com/ethereumjs/ethereumjs-common/compare/v0.4.1...v0.5.0
+
 ## [0.4.1] - 2018-08-13
 - Added ``timestamp`` field to genesis definitions in chain files, set for ``Rinkeby`` and ``null`` for other chains, PR [#21](https://github.com/ethereumjs/ethereumjs-common/pull/21)
 - Updated ``Ropsten`` bootstrap nodes, PR [#20](https://github.com/ethereumjs/ethereumjs-common/pull/20)

README.md

@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ Supported chains:
 - ``ropsten``
 - ``rinkeby``
 - ``kovan``
+- Private/custom chain parameters
 
 The following chain-specific parameters are provided:
 
@@ -115,6 +116,10 @@ The following chain-specific parameters are provided:
 To get an overview of the different parameters have a look at one of the chain-specifc
 files like ``mainnet.json`` in the ``chains`` directory.
 
+If you want to set up a common instance with parameters for a **private/custom chain** you can pass a
+dictionary - conforming to the parameter format described above - with your custom values in
+the constructor or the ``setChain()`` method for the ``chain`` parameter.
+
 # Bootstrap Nodes
 
 There is no separate config file for bootstrap nodes like in the old ``ethereum-common`` library.

docs/index.md

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Common class to access chain and hardfork parameters
 
 **Parameters**
 
--   `chain` **([String][27] \| [Number][28])** String ('mainnet') or Number (1) chain representation
+-   `chain` **([String][27] \| [Number][28] | Dictionary)** String ('mainnet') or Number (1) chain
 -   `hardfork` **[String][27]** String identifier ('byzantium') for hardfork (optional)
 -   `supportedHardforks` **[Array][29]** Limit parameter returns to the given hardforks (optional)
 

index.js

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const hardforkChanges = require('./hardforks')
 class Common {
   /**
    * @constructor
-   * @param {String|Number} chain String ('mainnet') or Number (1) chain representation
+   * @param {String|Number|Dictionary} chain String ('mainnet') or Number (1) chain
    * @param {String} hardfork String identifier ('byzantium') for hardfork (optional)
    * @param {Array} supportedHardforks Limit parameter returns to the given hardforks (optional)
    */

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ethereumjs-common",
-  "version": "0.4.1",
+  "version": "0.5.0",
   "description": "Resources common to all Ethereum implementations",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {