Linea Chain API Quickstart

_To use the Linea Chain API you'll need to create a free Alchemy account first. Also, we're offering up to $20,000 to help you start building. It's easy to qualify. Learn more here!_

Introduction

Linea is an EVM-compatible blockchain designed to provide scalability and efficiency for decentralized applications (dApps). Known for its high throughput and low transaction costs, Linea offers a robust environment for deploying Ethereum-based applications.

What is the Linea Chain API?

The Linea Chain API facilitates interaction with the Linea network through a collection of JSON-RPC methods. Given its compatibility with the Ethereum ecosystem, developers familiar with Ethereum's JSON-RPC APIs will find working with Linea both intuitive and straightforward.

Getting Started Instructions

1. Choose a Package Manager (npm or yarn)

Your first step involves selecting a package manager, which will be crucial for managing your project's dependencies. The choice between npm and yarn depends on your personal preference or project requirements.

2. Set Up Your Project

To kickstart your project, open your terminal and execute the following commands:

mkdir linea-api-quickstart
cd linea-api-quickstart
npm init --yes

mkdir linea-api-quickstart
cd linea-api-quickstart
yarn init --yes

This creates a new directory named linea-api-quickstart and initializes a Node.js project within it.

3. Make Your First Request

For making API requests, we'll use Axios, a widely-used HTTP client. Install Axios with the following command:

npm install axios
# Or with yarn
# yarn add axios

Next, create an index.js file in your project directory. Paste the following code to send a request to the Linea network:

const axios = require('axios');

const url = `https://linea-mainnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/${yourAPIKey}`;

const payload = {
  jsonrpc: '2.0',
  id: 1,
  method: 'eth_blockNumber',
  params: []
};

axios.post(url, payload)
  .then(response => {
    console.log('Block Number:', response.data.result);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.error(error);
  });

Remember to replace yourAPIKey with your actual Alchemy API key that you can get from your Alchemy dashboard.

4. Run Your Script

To execute your script and make a request to the Linea Chain, run:

node index.js

You should see the current block number on Linea Chain (in hexadecimal format) outputted to your console:

Block Number: 0x6d68e

Next Steps

Well done! You've just made your first request to the Linea Chain API. With this foundation, you can dive deeper into the array of JSON-RPC methods available on Linea Chain and start building your dApps on it!