A blockchain explorer is an online tool that lets you view real-time and historical data from a blockchain network. Some important terms to know when using a block explorer:
Transaction Hash: The unique cryptographic identifier for each transaction.
Status: The confirmation and execution conditions of the transaction.
- Pending: The network has received the funds, and the transaction is being processed.
- Confirmed: The transaction has received all miner confirmations and has been successfully processed by the network.
- Complete: The transaction is successfully accepted and irreversible.
- Failed: Transaction encountered an error and balances are unchanged. The cause of this status may vary.
Timestamp: The exact time the transaction was sent to the network.
Wallet Addresses: A string of alphanumerics from which cryptocurrencies or NFTs can be sent to and from.
Knowing this data can be useful when sending or receiving a transaction, as it helps you monitor the process.
How It Works
After sending funds, use the search bar of a block explorer to view the transaction details. After a few minutes, the transaction will be confirmed or fail. Once confirmed, the transaction is immutable and cannot be reversed. Failures are usually due to network congestion, in which case the transaction is rejected, and the balances remain unchanged.
Blockchains keep records of every transaction, like receipts received after paying at the store. In case you want to pull any transaction history, use a block explorer.
How to View Transaction Status and/or Wallet Address History
- Visit the main page of the blockchain explorer and enter an address or hash into the search bar.
- Searching by transaction hash will display the specific transaction details.
- Use the wallet address to display the transaction page with information for each transaction associated with the wallet.
Each explorer is specific to a single blockchain, meaning separate explorers are needed for Switch, Ethereum, etc.
- Users can find all the transactions from the Switch Blockchain network for a particular Switch wallet address and view all its interactions with smart contracts. The platform can also be utilized to view the distribution of private rewards (SWITCH) and NFT transactions.
Ethereum Block Explorer (Etherscan)
- Users can find all the transactions on the Ethereum network for a particular address and view all the interactions with smart contracts. The platform can also be utilized to check Ethereum gas prices, find pending transactions, and more.
Etherscan Example
- Search Bar: By address or transaction hash.
- Overview: Current wallet balance and value by token. Toggle between tokens by using the dropdown menu.
- Transaction Table: Displays each transaction associated with the displayed wallet.
-Transaction Hash
-Type of Transfer
-Date
-From (wallet that initiated transaction)
-To (smart contract called to perform transaction or wallet that received transaction)
-Value
-Fees - Token Transfers (ERC-20) Tab: Lists all the ERC-20 tokens in and out of the wallet.
- NFT Transfers Tab: Lists all the NFTs in and out of the wallet.
Switch Block Explorer Example
- Search Bar: By address or transaction hash.
- Overview: Current wallet balance.
- Transaction Table: Displays each transaction associated with the displayed wallet.
-Transaction Hash
-Type of Transfer
-From (wallet that initiated transaction)
-To (smart contract called to perform transaction or wallet that received transaction)
-Value
-Time - Token Transfers (ERC-20) Tab: Lists all the ERC-20 tokens in and out of the wallet.
- Internal Transfers Tab: Shows reward distribution history.