{"id":656,"date":"2024-05-28T09:40:26","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T09:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nownodes.io\/blog\/?p=656"},"modified":"2024-05-28T09:40:28","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T09:40:28","slug":"what-is-a-block-explorer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nownodes.io\/blog\/what-is-a-block-explorer\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Block Explorer?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A block explorer is like a search engine for the blockchain: you can use it to browse the database of transactions in the same way that you use Google to find some information on the Internet. Block explorer allows you to find data on the latest blocks and transactions of any cryptocurrency, see wallet balances, sources and destination of funds, and much more.\u00a0Check NOWNodes block explorers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blockchain explorer helps everyone who needs to keep track of the current state of the blockchain or particular transactions: traders, miners, wallets, exchange services, and decentralized applications. Let\u2019s see what a block explorer is, how it works, and how you can leverage it on advantageous terms with\u00a0NOWNodes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Blockchain Explorers: What Are They?<\/h2>\n\n\n

    Every blockchain is a database that stores the whole list of wallet addresses and transactions that have ever been made in this blockchain. This database is open and available to everyone \u2014 you don\u2019t need permission to see the balance of any wallet or the status of any transaction. Basically, a blockchain is one large file with information, but this information is not presented there in a human-readable way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here comes the question: what is a block explorer and what does it serve for? Block explorer solves the problem with readability: it helps users easily extract information from the blockchain. Popular block explorers include\u00a0Blockchain.com<\/a>\u00a0for Bitcoin and\u00a0Etherscan<\/a>\u00a0for Ethereum. Most blockchains have their own block explorers: here are two for\u00a0Cardano<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Solana<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Blockchain<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s a part of the Bitcoin blockchain explorer interface: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Block explorers of this kind may even display data that is not written in the blockchain itself. For instance, it\u2019s the size of the mempool (memory pool) \u2014 a pack of transactions waiting to be confirmed and added to the blockchain. The size of the mempool reflects the level of market activity and network congestion, which is an important parameter for traders, miners, and all sorts of crypto projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Bitcoin<\/figure>\n\n\n

    How Do Block Explorers Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n

    As mentioned above, blockchain is a file containing information about the history of all transactions made in this network. But for a proper block explorer\u2019s functioning, simply downloading a full copy of a blockchain is not enough \u2014 it needs to refresh it 24\/7 to keep users updated on the info from the latest blocks. For this, block explorers leverage a full node \u2014  a participant of the decentralized cryptocurrency network that validates transactions, thus having access to the relevant information about them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A full node downloads the whole copy of the blockchain (over 350 GB) and constantly updates it. A blockchain explorer is software that browses this database, collects information, and displays it in a user-friendly way.<\/p>\n\n\n

    How to Use Block Explorers<\/h2>\n\n\n

    Block explorers can be used in 2 main ways. The first one is manual \u2014 you enter an explorer blockchain website such as Blockchain.com or Etherscan and look for the information you need, be it the latest blocks or transactions, mempool size, etc. You can also use a search bar: enter a wallet address to see its balance and history, a transaction hash to see if the payment has been approved, or a block height to see what transactions were in that block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, this way doesn\u2019t work for crypto projects: they need fresh information from the blockchain on dozens of parameters each second. For this, there are Blockchain-as-a-Service solutions \u2014 platforms that offer access to block explorers via API to anyone who wants to launch their crypto project, dApp, or a wallet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Using such platforms is easy: you get an API key and then make requests to the node directly, which allows you to obtain the necessary information instantly in a form that will be convenient for your wallet or app to read.  <\/p>\n\n\n

    NOWNodes \u2014 a Blockchain Explorer Provider<\/h2>\n\n\n

    NOWNodes is a service that offers fast access to\u00a0100+ full nodes and explorers<\/a>\u00a0via API, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polkadot, and many others. We maintain full nodes of these cryptocurrencies, which allows us to draw information from them at any time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s what a block explorer experience with NOWNodes is like: <\/p>\n\n\n\n