A blockchain explorer is a tool that provides users with the ability to browse and query all the information on a blockchain. It is an essential infrastructure for all blockchain projects.
For most users, a blockchain explorer allows them to query transaction details, token contract addresses, and even observe information related to specific wallet addresses they are interested in. For developers, they can access relevant data from blockchain explorers to obtain accurate information for their products.
A blockchain explorer typically includes basic information about the public blockchain, transaction details, smart contract information, data panels, developer interfaces, and more. Let's use Etherscan as an example for the explanation.
Users can quickly grasp the basic information of public blockchain on the homepage of a blockchain explorer. On Etherscan's homepage, apart from the search bar, you can also find fundamental data about the current Ethereum network, such as token price, market capitalization, transaction volume, gas fees, latest blocks, and latest transactions.
Using the blockchain explorer, you can view detailed information about each block, including block height, transactions included in the block, hash, difficulty, miner information, gas, and more.
On the homepage, we can see transaction hashes listed in chronological order, starting from the most recent transaction.
By clicking on any transaction hash, you can access the detailed information about that particular transaction. This includes the transaction status, the sender and receiver addresses, the value transferred in the transaction, gas paid, and other relevant details.
Transaction information covers not only common token information but also includes details about NFT (Non-Fungible Token) transactions.
Smart contract information represents various details about smart contracts. For example, when looking at BNB (Binance Coin) as shown in the image, you can find data such as the total token supply, the number of holders and their information, market capitalization, current token price, token contract, transaction information, and more.
Similarly, you can also search for information about a specific wallet address. By entering the wallet address into the search bar on the blockchain explorer's homepage, you can see the tokens held in that address, their respective quantities, and detailed information about transaction hashes associated with that wallet address.
Etherscan provides visualized data panels to help users view key data intuitively. While the built-in data panels in the explorer are informative, there are also more professional third-party data websites that offer more comprehensive chart displays in terms of colors and granularity.
Most blockchain explorers offer dedicated API interfaces and documentation to assist developers in accessing their browser data. Developers can use these APIs to streamline the process of obtaining and utilizing blockchain data.
In addition to the mentioned structures, Etherscan blockchain explorer also provides features such as unit conversion, node tracking, domain name query, and more. Etherscan is considered one of the blockchain explorers with the most complete features available in the current market.
We use the process of withdrawing USDT from Ethereum to the MEXC platform to demonstrate how to use a blockchain explorer to check your withdrawal records.
1. Open the MEXC App, select [Wallets] at the bottom right corner, click on [Spot] at the top, and then click on the notebook icon on the right to access the Crypto Transaction History page.
2. On the Crypto Transaction History page, locate the withdrawal record of USDT from Ethereum to the MEXC platform and click on [Completed] to view the details of the deposit.
3. On the Deposit Details page, you can find the TxID for this deposit. Click on the copy button.
4. Open the Ethereum blockchain explorer, Etherscan, and paste the copied TxID into the search bar of the explorer. Please make sure to remove ":0" at the end of the TxID and then click on the search button.
Alternatively, you can click on the [Blockchain Explorer] hyperlink below the TxID to directly navigate to this transaction on the blockchain explorer.
5. By comparing the hash, time, amount, address, and other information, you can verify whether this transaction is the withdrawal transaction you are looking for.
A blockchain explorer is one of the most valuable tools for researching blockchain transactions. It serves as your window into the complex world of cryptocurrencies, providing detailed on-chain data for traders and investors. With the help of a blockchain explorer, you can easily read and understand the information contained on the blockchain.