Simple, database-free Bitcoin blockchain explorer, via RPC. Built with Node.js, express, bootstrap-v4.
This tool is intended to be a simple, self-hosted explorer for the Bitcoin blockchain, driven by RPC calls to your own bitcoind node. This tool is easy to run but currently lacks features compared to database-backed explorers.
This tool is intended to be a simple, self-hosted explorer for the Bitcoin blockchain, driven by RPC calls to your own bitcoind node. This tool is easy to run but lacks features compared to database-backed explorers.
Whatever reasons one might have for running a full node (trustlessness, technical curiosity, supporting the network, etc) it's helpful to appreciate the "fullness" of your node. With this explorer, you can not only explore the blockchain (in the traditional sense of the term "explorer"), but also explore the functional capabilities of your own node.
@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Live demo available at: [https://explorer.btc21.org](https://explorer.btc21.org)
* Network Summary "dashboard"
* View details of blocks, transactions, and addresses
* Analysis tools for viewing stats on blocks, transactions, and miner activity
* View JSON content used to generate most pages
* See the raw JSON content returned by bitcoind that's used to generate most pages
* Search by transaction ID, block hash/height, and address
* Optional transaction history for addresses by querying from ElectrumX, blockchain.com, blockchair.com, or blockcypher.com
* Mempool summary, with fee, size, and age breakdowns
@ -28,41 +28,63 @@ See [CHANGELOG.md](/CHANGELOG.md).
# Getting started
The below instructions are geared toward BTC, but can be adapted easily to other coins.
## Prerequisites
1. Install and run a full, archiving node - [instructions](https://bitcoin.org/en/full-node). Ensure that your bitcoin node has full transaction indexing enabled (`txindex=1`) and the RPC server enabled (`server=1`).
2. Synchronize your node with the Bitcoin network.
3. "Recent" version of Node.js (8+ recommended).
2. Synchronize your node with the Bitcoin network (you *can* use this tool while your node is still sychronizing, but some pages may fail).
3. Install a "recent" version of Node.js (8+ recommended).
## Install / Run
## Instructions
If you're running on mainnet with the default datadir and port, the default configuration should *Just Work*. Otherwise, see the **Configuration** section below.
#### Install via `npm`:
```bash
npm install -g btc-rpc-explorer
btc-rpc-explorer
```
If you're running on mainnet with the default datadir and port, this Should Just Work.
Open [http://127.0.0.1:3002/](http://127.0.0.1:3002/) to view the explorer.
See `btc-rpc-explorer --help` for the full list of CLI options.
#### Demo site settings
To match the features visible on the demo site at [https://explorer.btc21.org](https://explorer.btc21.org) you'll need to set the following non-default configuration values:
BTCEXP_DEMO=true # enables some demo/informational aspects of the site
BTCEXP_NO_RATES=false # enables querying of exchange rate data
BTCEXP_SLOW_DEVICE_MODE=false # enables resource-intensive tasks (UTXO set query, 24hr volume querying) that are inappropriate for "slow" devices
## Run via Docker
@ -71,6 +93,8 @@ See `btc-rpc-explorer --help` for the full list of CLI options.
# Support
If you get value from this project, please consider supporting my continued work with a donation. Any and all donations are truly appreciated.