⚠️ 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

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

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.