Crypto Expert (Beginner to Pro) #5 - Blockchain Explorer

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Blockchain technology with its whole lot of functionalities has enhanced how we interact with the world. Transparency is one of those unique features of blockchain which keeps information open to all and enhances tracking from all ends without limitations.

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Block Explorer is one amazing tool every beginner should know about as they journey in the crypto ecosystem. Let's take a ride together.

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Block Explorer is a blockchain tool that is utilized to fetch data across a blockchain network right from the Genesis block. The data stored across the chains are immutable as such it's safe and always available for access at all times, which enhances transparency.

Each block explorer is unique to its chain which means exploring data on an incompatible chain will fetch nothing. Evm-compatible (Ethereum Virtual Machine) chains tend to serve almost the same purpose for address checks since the Evm wallets have the same address (but they will only fetch data about the explore (native chain) used).

The block explorer can be utilized to explore data about:

• Blocks.


• Native token market price and market capitalization.


• Token's contract address


• Real-time data on a Blockchain (as they occur).


• Wallet Addresses.


• Transactions (Transfers and Smart contract triggered).


• Token Supply.


• Token Holders.


• Contract code.


• And so on.

In essence, the block explorer is the window to all the data on a blockchain network which can be accessed anytime but remains uneditable to satisfy transparency. Some of the popular explorers are EtherScan (Ethereum blockchain), BNB Scan (BNB Smart Chain), STEEM block explorer (STEEM blockchain), PolyScan (Polygon Layer-2 Chain), and so on.

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We will be considering Vitalik Buterin's (Ethereum blockchain founder) wallet address - 0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045 and check some of data we have highlighted earlier in the previous section.

EtherScan is the block explorer we are utilizing for this purpose.

From the homepage, search using the address (transaction hash, block, token name, domain name…) by pasting it into the field.

_{https://etherscan.io/address/0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045}

_{https://etherscan.io/address/0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045}

We have this basic information about the address we just checked:

• Last transaction: 2 days ago.


• First transaction: 3121 days ago.


• ETH holding: 605.374 ETH ~ $1,805,092.


• Other token holdings: 201 tokens ~ $90,866.65.

And a whole lot of information when we look further. This is how the block explorer guides you to check different data about certain addresses or contracts in real time.

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In conclusion, blockchain technology has simplified the crypto ecosystem where you don't need to ask people about certain information but can easily utilize data from the blockchain directly using the block explorer.

On this concept of blockchain and explorer, we are just getting started. I will see you in the next edition.