Top Block Explorer API – How to Get All the Blockchain Data You Need

In order for you to construct a block explorer – or implement related performance into your decentralized purposes (dapps) – you’ll probably need to leverage a complete block explorer API. And, if that is the case for you, you’ve come to the proper place!

In at this time’s article, we’ll introduce you to Moralis’ industry-leading Web3 API suite – the final software for constructing block explorers. With our premier interfaces, you possibly can effortlessly get block knowledge, token costs, pockets balances, and rather more. If you happen to’re keen to get going, listed below are three distinguished Moralis API endpoints that may turn out to be useful when constructing a block explorer: 

• getBlock() – Question the contents of a block by its block quantity or hash:

const response = await Moralis.EvmApi.block.getBlock({
  "chain": "0x1",
  "blockNumberOrHash": "18541416"
});

• getWalletTransactions() – Fetch all transactions of any handle:

const response = await Moralis.EvmApi.transaction.getWalletTransactions({
  "chain": "0x1",
  "address": "0x1f9090aaE28b8a3dCeaDf281B0F12828e676c326"
});

• getWalletTokenBalances() – Get the token balances of any pockets: 

const response = await Moralis.EvmApi.token.getWalletTokenBalances({
  "chain": "0x1",
  "address": "0x1f9090aaE28b8a3dCeaDf281B0F12828e676c326"
});

For a extra detailed breakdown of the endpoints above and a tutorial on how to name them, be a part of us on this article as we discover the intricacies of Moralis’ Web3 APIs. Moreover, in the event you want watching movies to study, take a look at the clip under, the place we cowl some distinguished endpoints wanted to construct your personal block explorer: 

Additionally, if you’d like to use our instruments and APIs to save priceless improvement time and sources, don’t neglect to join with Moralis. You can create your account freed from cost, and also you’ll give you the chance to leverage blockchain expertise’s full energy instantly! 

Overview 

We’ll kickstart at this time’s article by diving into the ins and outs of block explorers. From there, we’ll cowl the intricacies of block explorer APIs and clarify why you may want one when constructing dapps. Subsequent, we’ll introduce you to the {industry}’s premier API supplier: Moralis. Moreover, we’ll cowl some distinguished endpoints that you simply’ll want when constructing block explorers or implementing related performance into your tasks. Lastly, to prime issues off, we’re going to offer you a block explorer API tutorial the place we present you ways to get the token balances of any pockets in three steps: 

1. Arrange Moralis
2. Write a Script Calling the getWalletTokenBalances() Endpoint
3. Run the Code

If this sounds intriguing, be a part of us under as we kick issues off by what a block explorer is! 

What’s a Block Explorer? 

Block explorers – additionally generally referred to as blockchain explorers – are software program purposes that permit you to extract, visualize, and overview blockchain knowledge. This contains important details about blocks, sensible contracts, occasions, transactions, pockets balances, and rather more! 

Most blockchain networks have their very own distinct block explorers. For instance, some distinguished examples embody Ethereum’s Etherscan, Polygon’s PolygonScan, and BNB Good Chain’s (BSC) BscScan.

So, what precisely does a block explorer do? To reply this query, let’s take a look at some key options of block explorers. And let’s use Etherscan for example: 

• View Block Data: With Etherscan, you possibly can seamlessly test the contents of any block on Ethereum. This contains info similar to timestamps, transactions, gasoline used, gasoline restrict, and rather more: 

• Discover Token Data: Discover any token handle to get knowledge similar to the whole provide, variety of holders, transfers, costs, market caps, and details about underlying sensible contracts: 

• Verify Pockets Addresses: Verify any pockets handle and get info like native balances, token balances, transactions, inside transactions, switch histories, NFT transfers, and rather more: 

To give you the chance to effortlessly fetch and show the info above, together with block knowledge, token costs, pockets transfers, and so forth., immediately from the blockchain, software program purposes like Etherscan leverage block explorer APIs! 

However what’s a block explorer API? Additionally, why must you use one?

What’s a Block Explorer API? 

A block explorer API (utility programming interface) is a algorithm, protocols, and strategies that permit you to seamlessly work together with a blockchain to combine block explorer performance and knowledge into your tasks. Consequently, a block explorer API primarily gives a structured means to entry knowledge about blocks, transactions, wallets, crypto addresses, and rather more! 

However why do you want a block explorer API?

Querying knowledge immediately from a blockchain community is a tedious and time-consuming process. And from a standard perspective, it required builders to, as an example, run a full node themselves and construct their very own infrastructure for knowledge retrieval. 

Thankfully, that is now not the case with refined instruments like block explorer APIs, as they summary away plenty of complexity related to blockchain expertise, supplying you with a standardized means to talk with the varied networks. 

All in all, a block explorer API makes the strategy of querying knowledge from a blockchain a lot simpler. And with interfaces like these, you possibly can leverage premade strategies and protocols, that means you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Because of this, block explorer APIs permit you to save each plenty of improvement time and sources, underscoring the essential position these interfaces have inside the blockchain house! 

So, which is the greatest block explorer API supplier? 

Introducing Moralis: The Final Block Explorer API Supplier 

Moralis is an industry-leading API supplier, and our suite of premier interfaces makes Web3 improvement as seamless as Web2. Consequently, when working with Moralis, it has by no means been simpler to construct all the pieces from NFT marketplaces to your personal block explorer! 

Moreover, in our suite of Web3 APIs, you’ll discover all the pieces {that a} block explorer API has to supply and extra. As such, when working with Moralis, you possibly can effortlessly fetch block knowledge, transactions, balances, token costs, NFTs, and so forth., with solely single traces of code. 

However why must you be utilizing our Web3 APIs? 

To reply the query above, let’s take a look at three distinguished advantages of Moralis: 

• Scalability: Our Web3 APIs are constructed to scale. Consequently, you don’t have to fear when your tasks develop and see elevated adoption, as Moralis may have no bother dealing with the site visitors.
• Excessive Efficiency: Our APIs are the {industry}’s premier interfaces. Select any metric – whether or not you need to measure by reliability, knowledge protection, pace, or anything – our Web3 APIs outperform the competitors day-after-day of the week. 

• Cross-Chain Compatability: With our Web3 APIs, you possibly can seamlessly construct throughout the hottest blockchain networks, together with Ethereum, BNB Good Chain, Polygon, Avalanche, Gnosis, Chiliz, and lots of others. As such, it has by no means been simpler to construct cross-chain suitable dapps! 

So, what instruments can you discover in Moralis’ Web3 API suite? 

Nicely, right here’s a listing of a few of our most distinguished interfaces: 

In order for you to discover all of them, take a look at our Web3 API web page! 

How to Construct a Block Explorer with Moralis’ API Suite 

Now, with an summary of Moralis’ Web3 API suite, you could be questioning how one can leverage our instruments to construct a block explorer your self. Nevertheless, since block explorers are fairly intensive items of software program, we gained’t give you the chance to cowl all performance on this tutorial. As a substitute, we’ll deal with a number of examples and dive into the important endpoints wanted to: 

• Get Block Data with the Blockchain API
• Fetch Token Costs with the Token API 
• Question Token Balances with the Pockets API

So, with out additional ado, let’s kick issues off by displaying you ways to get block knowledge utilizing Moralis’ Blockchain API! 

Get Block Data with the Blockchain API 

The primary central characteristic of any block explorer that we lined in the ”What’s a Block Explorer?” part was the skill to view block knowledge, together with timestamps, transactions, gasoline limits, and so forth: 

The simplest means to get this info is to leverage Moralis’ Blockchain API and the getBlock() endpoint. All you may have to do is name this endpoint with two parameters: chain and blockNumberOrHash: 

const response = await Moralis.EvmApi.block.getBlock({
  "chain": "0x1",
  "blockNumberOrHash": "18541416"
});

Calling the endpoint above returns the contents of the block in query, together with a timestamp, hash, transactions, gasoline used, gasoline restrict, and rather more. That is what it would appear like:

{
  "timestamp": "2023-11-10T12:02:11.000Z",
  "number": "18541416",
  "hash": "0xe9de65582d5a210f3f5703e0d7dc1daf9fbb5a0670937f5d92283a41ea1bcb2b",
  "parent_hash": "0xb63af7df0e2639cc25c323f22359b784408a117b534dea09cfec14263ea8d4fb",
  "nonce": "0x0000000000000000",
  "sha3_uncles": "0x1dcc4de8dec75d7aab85b567b6ccd41ad312451b948a7413f0a142fd40d49347",
  "logs_bloom": "0x00200//...",
  "transactions_root": "0x0b6895fbd7fdf9b8e0239e5be21a195c89ffae093c1c2bcdea9ad498d720003b",
  "state_root": "0x787cc0fff225d2b6d8acef1cea33522293d134297c1f4b22819a90f157db183d",
  "receipts_root": "0x6d7caa30f12937a232dcedda5f8bc2c973ba917a67062cedeb4ccb52c729058c",
  "miner": "0x95222290DD7278Aa3Ddd389Cc1E1d165CC4BAfe5",
  "difficulty": "0",
  "total_difficulty": "58750003716598352816469",
  "size": "7792",
  "extra_data": "0x6265617665726275696c642e6f7267",
  "gas_limit": "30000000",
  "gas_used": "1372772",
  //...
}

In order for you to know extra about how this works, take a look at our Blockchain API tutorial! 

Fetch Token Costs with the Token API 

One other essential characteristic of most block explorers is the skill to discover token knowledge, together with transfers, holders, and so forth. And on this part, we’ll present you ways to get the value of any token: 

Probably the most simple means to get this knowledge is to leverage Moralis’ Token API. With solely a single name to the getTokenPrice() endpoint, you possibly can seamlessly get the value of any token, and all you may have to do is specify two parameters: chain and handle: 

const response = await Moralis.EvmApi.token.getTokenPrice({
  "chain": "0x1",
  "address": "0x7d1afa7b718fb893db30a3abc0cfc608aacfebb0"
});

In return for calling the getTokenPrice() endpoint, you get the token’s value denominated in the chain’s native forex and USD. Right here’s an instance of what it would appear like: 

{
  "tokenName": "Matic Token",
  "tokenSymbol": "MATIC",
  "tokenLogo": "
  "tokenDecimals": "18",
  "nativePrice": {
    "value": "423085770833740",
    "decimals": 18,
    "name": "Ether",
    "symbol": "ETH",
    "address": "0xc02aaa39b223fe8d0a0e5c4f27ead9083c756cc2"
  },
  "usdPrice": 0.8771902804648514,
  "usdPriceFormatted": "0.877190280464851369",
  "exchangeName": "Uniswap v3",
  "exchangeAddress": "0x1F98431c8aD98523631AE4a59f267346ea31F984",
  "tokenAddress": "0x7d1afa7b718fb893db30a3abc0cfc608aacfebb0"
}

Question Token Balances with the Pockets API 

Lastly, a closing core characteristic of most block explorers is the performance to test knowledge related to a pockets handle, together with transfers, balances, and so forth. And on this part, we’ll present you ways to fetch all token holdings of a pockets: 

The simplest means to get this info is to leverage Moralis’ Pockets API. All you want is a single name to the getWalletTokenBalances() endpoint whereas passing alongside two parameters: chain and handle: 

const response = await Moralis.EvmApi.token.getWalletTokenBalances({
  "chain": "0x1",
  "address": "0x1f9090aaE28b8a3dCeaDf281B0F12828e676c326"
});

In return for calling the endpoint above, you get a listing of all tokens held by the pockets in query. It can look one thing like this: 

[
  {
    "token_address": "0x3c978fc9a42c80a127863d786d8883614b01b3cd",
    "symbol": "USDT",
    "name": "USDTOKEN",
    "logo": null,
    "thumbnail": null,
    "decimals": 18,
    "balance": "10000000000000000000000",
    "possible_spam": true
  },
  {
    "token_address": "0xdac17f958d2ee523a2206206994597c13d831ec7",
    "symbol": "USDT",
    "name": "Tether USD",
    "logo": "
    "thumbnail": "
    "decimals": 6,
    "balance": "209355461",
    "possible_spam": false
  },
  //...
]

In order for you to discover all different endpoints, take a look at our official Web3 API documentation web page! 

What’s extra, in the event you’re in search of a tutorial on how one can combine this knowledge into your dapps, take a look at the Moralis YouTube video under. This clip gives a complete breakdown of how one can construct an Etherscan clone in lower than twelve minutes:

Block Explorer API Tutorial: How to Get the Token Balances of a Pockets in 3 Steps 

On this a part of the article, we’ll current an entire tutorial on how one can name the varied endpoints of Moralis. To spotlight the accessibility of our premier interfaces, we’ll use the getWalletTokenBalances() endpoint for example and present you ways to get the token balances of a pockets in three steps:

1. Arrange Moralis
2. Write a Script Calling the getWalletTokenBalances() Endpoint
3. Run the Code

Nevertheless, you should take care of a number of conditions earlier than we are able to proceed! 

Stipulations 

This will likely be a JavaScript tutorial. As such, you want to have the following prepared: 

Step 1: Set Up Moralis 

For the first step, you want to be a part of Moralis to get your API key. As such, in the event you don’t have already got an account, click on on the ”Begin for Free” button at the prime proper to join: 

From there, go to the ”Settings” tab, scroll down, and replica your API key: 

Maintain it for now, as you’ll want it in the subsequent part! 

Step 2: Write a Script Calling the getWalletTokenBalances() Endpoint 

For the second step, arrange a brand new mission in your IDE, open a brand new terminal, and run the following command in the root folder to set up the Moralis SDK: 

npm set up moralis @moralisweb3/common-evm-utils

Subsequent, create an ”index.js” file and add the following code: 

const Moralis = require("moralis").default;
const { EvmChain } = require("@moralisweb3/common-evm-utils");

const runApp = async () => {
  await Moralis.begin({
    apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY",
    // ...and another configuration
  });

  const handle = "0xbc4ca0eda7647a8ab7c2061c2e118a18a936f13d";

  const chain = EvmChain.ETHEREUM;

  const response = await Moralis.EvmApi.token.getWalletTokenBalances({
    handle,
    chain,
  });

  console.log(response.toJSON());
};

runApp();

From there, add your Moralis API key by changing YOUR_API_KEY: 

Subsequent, configure chain and handle to suit your question: 

From right here, we then cross alongside chain and handle as parameters when calling the endpoint: 

And that’s it for the script! 

Step 3: Run the Code 

For the closing step, open a brand new terminal and run the command under in the mission’s root folder: 

node index.js

In return, you’ll get an array of all tokens held by the pockets in query. And it’ll look one thing like this:

[
  {
    "token_address": "0xefd6c64533602ac55ab64442307f6fe2c9307305",
    "name": "APE",
    "symbol": "APE",
    "logo": null,
    "thumbnail": null,
    "decimals": 18,
    "balance": "101715701444169451516503179"
  },
  {
    "token_address": "0xc02aaa39b223fe8d0a0e5c4f27ead9083c756cc2",
    "name": "Wrapped Ether",
    "symbol": "WETH",
    "logo": "
    "thumbnail": "
    "decimals": 18,
    "balance": "85000000000000000"
  }
]

Congratulations! You now know the way to get the token balances of a pockets with Moralis! 

If questions stay, take a look at the official documentation web page demonstrating how to get all ERC-20 tokens owned by an handle. Additionally, you possibly can comply with the steps above to name another Moralis endpoint. All you may have to do is exchange the endpoint and configure the parameters throughout the second step!  

Abstract: Exploring the Business’s Premier Block Explorer API

In at this time’s article, we launched you to Moralis’ industry-leading suite of Web3 APIs. With our premier interfaces, you get all the pieces you want to construct a block explorer or combine related performance into your tasks, making it the final Etherescan API different. And thanks to the accessibility of our APIs, you may get the knowledge you want with single traces of code! 

As well as to introducing you to Moralis, we additionally confirmed you ways to get the token balances of a pockets in three steps: 

1. Arrange Moralis
2. Write a Script Calling the getWalletTokenBalances() Endpoint
3. Run the Code

Consequently, you probably have adopted alongside this far, you now know the way to get blockchain knowledge utilizing Moralis! 

If you happen to preferred this block explorer API tutorial, think about testing extra content material on the Web3 weblog. As an illustration, take a look at our Ropsten faucet information or find out about the greatest blockchain API suppliers! 

Additionally, if you’d like to leverage our industry-leading Web3 APIs, don’t neglect to join with Moralis at this time!