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How to Develop an Explorer Using KS Query APIs

Building an efficient and customizable blockchain Explorer is now more accessible than ever with KS Query APIs. These APIs provide powerful tools for querying blockchain data, allowing developers to create an Explorer with features like transaction tracking, smart contract analysis, and network monitoring. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to develop your own Explorer using KS Query APIs.

1. Understand the KS Query APIs

KS Query APIs offer a comprehensive suite of endpoints to interact with blockchain data. The key features include:

  • Smart Contracts: Query and analyze smart contract information.
  • Blocks: Retrieve details of blocks, including transactions and timestamps.
  • Transactions: Track transaction data across the network.

Before starting, familiarize yourself with the available endpoints through the API Console provided in the KS Query platform.

2. Set Up Your Environment

To begin, ensure you have the following tools: - Postman: For testing APIs. - Browser Development Tools: To inspect API calls and understand the architecture. - A development environment for coding your Explorer (e.g., React, Angular, or plain JavaScript).

3. API Integration Steps

a. Access the API Console

Navigate to the KS Query API Console and locate the All APIs section. Here, you’ll find a list of available endpoints categorized into:

  • Smart Contracts
  • Blocks
  • Transactions
  • Network

b. Select and Copy the required inputs

Choose the endpoint you wish to use and copy its URL. For example this is our KS query explorer URL

c. Check Parameters

Click the Check Params button to retrieve:

  • Network: Specify the blockchain network (e.g., devnet).
  • Blockchain: Specify the blockchain name (e.g., Ethereum or kalp).
  • API Key: Select or generate an active API key from the API Key Generation tab.

d. Test API Calls in Postman

enter image description here 1. Open Postman and create a new GET request. 2. Paste the copied endpoint into the request URL. 3. Add the following Headers: - network: Enter the network name (e.g., devnet). - blockchain: Enter the blockchain name (e.g., kalp). - api-key: Paste your API key. 4. Send the request and verify the response.

4. Develop the Frontend

Once you’ve tested the API responses, start building the frontend for your Explorer. A typical Explorer interface includes: - Tabs for Smart Contracts, Blocks, Transactions, and Network Monitoring. - Search and Filter Options: Enable users to filter data using parameters like smartContractName, from, and to. - Interactive Charts and Tables: Display blockchain data dynamically.

5. Example: Querying Smart Contracts

To create a tab that displays smart contract details: 1. Use the /analytics/chaincode endpoint. 2. Pass query parameters like smartContractName to fetch specific results. 3. Display the results in a table format, including details like contract address, creation date, and associated transactions.

6. Advanced Features

  • Real-Time Updates: Use WebSocket endpoints (if supported) to fetch real-time data.
  • Metrics and Analytics: When Metrics APIs are exposed in the future, integrate them to provide deeper insights.
  • Custom Themes: Customize the Explorer UI to match your branding.

7. Test and Deploy

  • Test your Explorer thoroughly, ensuring all API calls return accurate and complete data.
  • Deploy your Explorer on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or Netlify.

8. Explore with Inspect Tool

For a deeper understanding of the architecture, use the browser’s Inspect Tool to analyze the API calls and responses. This will help you troubleshoot and optimize the integration.

Conclusion

Developing an Explorer using KS Query APIs is a process that combines API testing, frontend development, and integration.