Exploring Ethereum APIs and Navigating the Blockchain Node Landscape

API is an instrument that cannot be underestimated when it comes to developing innovative applications of all kinds on top of solutions that have already proven to be successfully functioning. While so, it is also a powerful tool for interacting with a blockchain node and effectively using it for Ethereum-based decentralized application development. Follow the article to learn more about nodes and how to leverage their power using Ethereum APIs and cut development costs as a bonus.

It all starts with a node

Any blockchain is maintained by a network of nodes, which are essentially computers or devices set up to perform all vital tasks for the chain. 

In the Ethereum world, for instance, nodes are responsible for hosting the entire network's worth of transactions, validating these transactions, and executing information related to smart contracts.

Consequently, when we need to obtain some data related to ETH, we also refer to nodes to fetch that data for us. As an example, Web3-based applications require a connection to these nodes to query and update the relevant data.

But how do you connect the ETH network with the app’s front end? Here’s where Ethereum APIs enter the picture.  

Using APIs in blockchain 

An API (Application Programming Interface), as the name suggests, is a type of interface used in application programming to enable the exchange of data between web-based software based on the “send a query – get a response” model.

Essentially, different types of APIs allow sending requests to retrieve data from external sources and integrate it into any application using a set of simple commands. The most used API methods include REST, JSON-RPC, and WebSockets. 

This tool has long been used by software developers to accelerate development and nowadays it is a perfect gateway for decentralized applications (dApps) to talk to blockchain nodes. 

Ethereum API use cases

An OG cryptocurrency and protocol for deploying dApps of all kinds, Ethereum is especially popular in the fields of decentralized finance and NFTs. With the help of APIs, developers can leverage the ecosystem functionality without the need to host and manage an ETH node. 

Some use of the cases might be:

• submitting transactions to the chain;
• accessing the blockchain network as a database to obtain information on transactions, accounts, block numbers, gas prices, and many more instances; 
• on-chain data analysis.

Let’s look at an example of querying the GetBlock node for a specific account balance using the WebSocket API method and an eth_getBalance command:

Thus, Ethereum API is a powerful tool when it comes to analyzing ETH-related data for trading purposes or integrating the technology into various types of applications with less effort.  

Access blockchain nodes via GetBlock API

GetBlock is a go-to node service provider serving Web3 developers with access to APIs while also helping to save resources that otherwise would be channeled at maintaining a crypto node. 

The platform currently supports over 50 protocols like Bitcoin, Arbitrum, and Solana to deploy nodes and build dApps. For ETH developers, GetBlock provides private API keys ready to be integrated into, for example, a node.js application to connect to the blockchain node and simplify the Web3 journey. 

How to start making Ethereum API calls using GetBlock as a provider

The first step after a free signup to the website is to select between two different types of services.

Shared node functionality allows sending 60 requests per second to a node that is already used by other clients. You may want to go for this option for deploying the application to Ethereum testnets to fine-tune the software before going fully in. Additionally, this variant is accessible within the free 40,000 daily requests provided to every new user upon registration.

Since full-fledged applications require more powerful solutions, dedicated nodes by GetBlock might be the best choice. After opting for this service, clients are able to determine their custom requirements and choose between multiple Ethereum API methods — JSON-RPC, WebSockets, or GraphQL. More to this, there’s also a possibility to choose a specific node location and get connected to archive nodes. 

Closing thoughts

Application Programming Interface toolkit already serving as an underlying layer to most web applications is of great importance for seamless decentralized application deployment. Different API providers remove the necessity for maintaining the whole infrastructure in order to launch services and products based on blockchain, which is a nice prerequisite to hop on the cutting-edge technology bandwagon and contribute to the space.