What is a blockchain explorer?

The blockchain explorer, also known as a blockchain query tool, is a tool specifically designed to query information on the blockchain. Just as we usually use the browser to browse the Internet, the blockchain explorer allows us to view the information on the blockchain through the browser, including transaction records, transaction quantity, address balance, etc. A blockchain explorer usually provides functions such as account query, block query, transaction query, etc., ensuring that the searcher can easily and quickly query the required information.

How to use blockchain explorers to query on-chain information?

It is very easy to query information using a blockchain explorer. Firstly, enter the address of the blockchain explorer in your browser, usually similar to https://blockchain.info The form of. On the opened page, you can choose functions such as account inquiry, transaction inquiry, and block inquiry to find the required information. Taking querying Bitcoin transaction records on the blockchain as an example, we can retrieve transaction records, as well as information such as addresses and assets contained in exchanges, based on the transaction hash value. The results of the query will be displayed on the page, and if necessary, the records can be exported and saved.

The advantages and disadvantages of blockchain explorers

The emergence of blockchain explorers has greatly facilitated our use of blockchain technology and has become an important component of its development. However, it also has some flaws and shortcomings.

Advantages:

Quick search: Users can quickly find the information they need, making it convenient for us to use this technology.

Information transparency: As blockchain is a public network technology, all information on the blockchain is publicly transparent, so the information queried is true and trustworthy.

Globalization: blockchain explorers have no national borders, and anyone can access information on the blockchain through the browser.

Shortcomings:

Privacy leakage: For some private transaction information, although the information on the blockchain is public, it still poses a certain threat to privacy protection.

Information limitations: Currently, blockchain explorers only support querying specific digital assets, and there are still certain limitations in querying nondigital assets.

Technical threshold: Blockchain technology is still in the development stage, so a certain technical threshold is required when using blockchain explorers for queries.