EIP-3091: Block Explorer API Routes


  Ethereum Improvement Proposals
        
        
          
            
              
            
          
        

        AllCoreNetworkingInterfaceERCMetaInformational

      



      
        
  
    

  
    
    
    
      ⚠️ Draft
    
    
    
      Standards Track: Interface
    
  
  
    
      EIP-3091: Block Explorer API Routes
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
  

  API Routes for Blockchain explorers

  	Authors	Pedro Gomes (@pedrouid), ligi (@ligi)
	Created	2020-11-02
	Discussion Link	https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/eip-3091-block-explorer-api-routes/4907


  


  

  
    Table of Contents

    	Abstract
	Motivation
	Specification
    	Blocks
	Transactions
	Accounts
	Tokens


  
	Rationale
	Backwards Compatibility
	Security Considerations
	Copyright



  


  
      
      
         Abstract
      
      
    


This proposal brings standardization between block explorers API routes when linking transactions, blocks, accounts and tokens.

  
    
      
      
         Motivation
      
      
    


Currently wallets and dapps link transactions and accounts to block explorer web pages but as chain diversity and layer two solutions grow it becomes harder to maintain a consistent user experience. Adding new chains or layer two solutions becomes harder given these endpoints are inconsistent. Standardizing the API routes to these links improves interoperability between wallets and block explorers.

  
    
      
      
         Specification
      
      
    


Block explorers will route their webpages accordingly for the following data:

  
    
      
      
         Blocks
      
      
    


<BLOCK_EXPLORER_URL>/block/<BLOCK_HASH_OR_HEIGHT>

  
    
      
      
         Transactions
      
      
    


<BLOCK_EXPLORER_URL>/tx/<TX_HASH>

  
    
      
      
         Accounts
      
      
    


<BLOCK_EXPLORER_URL>/address/<ACCOUNT_ADDRESS>

  
    
      
      
         Tokens
      
      
    


<BLOCK_EXPLORER_URL>/token/<TOKEN_ADDRESS>

  
    
      
      
         Rationale
      
      
    


The particular paths used in this proposal are chosen to be compatible with the majority of existing block explorers.

  
    
      
      
         Backwards Compatibility
      
      
    


Incompatible block explorers can use redirects to their existing API routes in order to conform to this EIP.

  
    
      
      
         Security Considerations
      
      
    


None

  
    
      
      
         Copyright
      
      
    


Copyright and related rights waived via CC0.


  Citation

  Please cite this document as:

  
  Pedro Gomes (@pedrouid), ligi (@ligi), "EIP-3091: Block Explorer API Routes [DRAFT]," Ethereum Improvement Proposals, no. 3091, November 2020. [Online serial]. Available: https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-3091.






      
    
  

  

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        Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) describe standards for the Ethereum platform, including core protocol specifications, client APIs, and contract standards.