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License: MIT

BitShares Blockchain Explorer

A single-file, standalone BitShares Blockchain Explorer that runs directly in the browser without requiring any external dependencies or a backend server.

Features

  • Live Block Monitoring - Real-time polling of the BitShares blockchain for new blocks
  • Block History - View recent blocks with transactions and operation details
  • Advanced Search - Search for blocks, accounts, assets, and objects by ID, name, or symbol
  • Account History - View transaction history for any account
  • Multiple Nodes - Connect to various BitShares public nodes
  • Responsive Design - Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
  • Dark Theme - Modern dark UI optimized for readability

Running the Explorer

Option 1: Direct File Opening

Simply open index.html in a modern web browser. The explorer will connect to the default public node and start displaying blockchain data.

Option 2: Local Server (Recommended)

For the best experience, run a local HTTP server:

# Python 3
python -m http.server 8080

# Node.js (if npx is available)
npx serve .

# PHP
php -S localhost:8080

Then open http://localhost:8080 in your browser.

How It Works

The explorer uses direct WebSocket connections to BitShares blockchain nodes. It communicates using the Graphene API via JSON-RPC over WebSocket:

ws.send(JSON.stringify({
    jsonrpc: '2.0',
    method: 'call',
    params: ['database', 'get_block', [blockNum]],
    id: 1
}));

API Methods Used

  • get_objects - Fetch blockchain objects (blocks, accounts, assets)
  • get_block - Fetch specific block data
  • get_account_by_name - Lookup account by username
  • get_account_history - Fetch account transaction history
  • lookup_asset_symbols - Find assets by symbol

Search Examples

  • Block: Enter a block number (e.g., 12345)
  • Account: Enter an account name (e.g., bitsharesdex)
  • Asset: Enter asset symbol in CAPS (e.g., BTS, USD)
  • Object: Enter object ID (e.g., 1.2.123, 1.3.0)

Architecture

  • Single File: All HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in one file (~100KB)
  • No Dependencies: Pure vanilla JavaScript, no external libraries
  • Direct WebSocket: All blockchain communication via native WebSocket API
  • Polling Mode: Efficient 3-second polling interval for block updates

Public Nodes

The explorer connects to these public BitShares nodes by default:

Node Region
wss://dex.iobanker.com/ws Germany (Frankfurt)
wss://api.bitshares.dev/ws USA (Virginia)
wss://btsws.roelandp.nl/ws Finland (Helsinki)
wss://api.dex.trading/ws France (Paris)
wss://public.xbts.io/ws Germany (Nuremberg)

You can switch nodes by clicking the status indicator in the header.

Files

  • index.html - The complete application (HTML + CSS + JavaScript)
  • README.md - This documentation file

Browser Compatibility

Tested and working in:

  • Firefox (recommended)
  • Chrome
  • Edge
  • Safari

Known Limitations

  1. Polling vs WebSocket: The explorer uses polling instead of WebSocket subscriptions for better reliability across different network conditions
  2. Rate Limiting: Excessive API calls may trigger rate limits on public nodes
  3. Historical Data: Some older blocks may not be available on all nodes

Troubleshooting

Blocks not loading

  • Check your internet connection
  • Try switching to a different node
  • Wait a few moments and refresh

Account search not working

  • Ensure the account name is spelled correctly
  • Account names are case-sensitive (lowercase)
  • Some accounts may not exist on all nodes

Witness names not showing

  • Witness name resolution can be slow due to additional API calls
  • Names are cached after first lookup

License

This project is open source and available for community use and improvement.

Built for the BitShares Community