Get started building on ApeChain and using the JSON-RPC API
Introduction
ApeChain is a dedicated infrastructure layer designed to power the ApeCoin ecosystem. It's an Arbitrum Orbit chain that utilizes $APE
as its native gas token, significantly enhancing $APE
's utility and fostering a robust, dynamic economy. ApeChain focuses on ecosystem discovery, unique web3 rails, and top-of-funnel exposure to provide developers and users with the best possible blockchain experience.
What is the ApeChain API?
The ApeChain API allows interaction with the ApeChain network through a set of JSON-RPC methods. Its design is familiar to developers who have worked with Ethereum's JSON-RPC APIs, making it intuitive and straightforward to use.
Getting Started Instructions
1. Choose a Package Manager (npm or yarn)
Select a package manager to manage your project's dependencies. Choose between npm
and yarn
based on your preference or project requirements.
npm | yarn |
---|---|
Begin with npm by following the npm documentation. | For yarn , refer to yarn's installation guide. |
2. Set Up Your Project
Open your terminal and execute the following commands to create and initialize your project:
mkdir apechain-api-quickstart
cd apechain-api-quickstart
npm init --yes
mkdir apechain-api-quickstart
cd apechain-api-quickstart
yarn init --yes
This creates a new directory named apechain-api-quickstart
and initializes a Node.js project within it.
3. Make Your First Request
Install Axios, a popular HTTP client, to make API requests:
npm install axios
# Or with yarn
# yarn add axios
Create an index.js
file in your project directory and paste the following code:
const axios = require('axios');
const url = '<https://apechain-mainnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/${your-api-key}>';
const payload = {
jsonrpc: '2.0',
id: 1,
method: 'eth_blockNumber',
params: []
};
axios.post(url, payload)
.then(response => {
console.log('Latest Block:', response.data.result);
})
.catch(error => {
console.error(error);
});
Remember to replace your-api-key
with your actual Alchemy API key that you can get from your Alchemy dashboard.
4. Run Your Script
Execute your script to make a request to the ApeChain mainnet:
node index.js
You should see the latest block information from ApeChain's mainnet outputted to your console:
Latest Block: 0x...
Next Steps
Congratulations! You've made your first request to the ApeChain API on the mainnet. You can now explore the various JSON-RPC methods available on ApeChain and start building your dApps on this innovative platform designed for the ApeCoin ecosystem.