Block Explorer

November 21, 2023 - Around 2 mins mins to read

Understanding Block Explorers

A block explorer is a tool that directly connects to a specific blockchain, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. Its primary purpose is to allow users to view and query individual blocks, enabling them to see the transactions and other activities associated with specific cryptocurrencies. Block explorers play a vital role in promoting transparency and decentralization within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The universal visibility of transaction data is one of the key factors that sets cryptocurrencies apart from traditional fiat currencies.

There are several online block explorers available, with some of the most popular ones being Mempool, Bitaps, Blockstream, Multihash, Blockchain Info, and Bitupper Explorer. These platforms provide similar information, focusing on the most recent blocks added to the blockchain and those that will be added next.

Each block contains various details, including the block height, age, block reward, the identity of the user or pool of users who mined the block, the transaction list (TX) indicating the number of transactions in the block, and the transaction status (whether it is pending or confirmed). To explore specific blocks or transactions, users need to input a specific query, usually the TXID or transaction hash, which is a unique hexadecimal sequence used to identify a particular transaction.

While there are many block explorers available, only a few of them support SegWit, the Bitcoin blockchain upgrade activated in 2017. Some of the block explorers that are SegWit-enabled include Bitaps, Apirone, Blockchair, Bitupper, Cryptoid Chainz, and Poolin Explorer.