Flow API Quickstart

To use the Flow API you’ll need to create a free Alchemy account first!

Introduction

Flow is a blockchain designed for the next generation of apps, games, and digital assets. Known for its high performance, scalability, and developer-friendly features, Flow offers a robust environment for deploying decentralized applications (dApps).

What is the Flow API?

The Flow API facilitates interaction with the Flow network through a collection of JSON-RPC methods. Given its developer-friendly design, those familiar with Ethereum’s JSON-RPC APIs will find working with Flow intuitive and straightforward.

Getting Started Instructions

1. Choose a Package Manager (npm or yarn)

Your first step involves selecting a package manager, which will be crucial for managing your project’s dependencies. The choice between npm and yarn depends on your personal preference or project requirements.

2. Set Up Your Project

To kickstart your project, open your terminal and execute the following commands:

mkdir flow-api-quickstart
cd flow-api-quickstart
npm init --yes

This creates a new directory named flow-api-quickstart and initializes a Node.js project within it.

3. Make Your First Request

For making API requests, we’ll use Axios, a widely-used HTTP client. Install Axios with the following command:

$
npm install axios
>
# Or with yarn
>
# yarn add axios

Next, create an index.js file in your project directory. Paste the following code to send a request to the Flow network:

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const axios = require('axios');
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const url = `https://flow-testnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/${yourAPIKey}`;
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const payload = {
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  jsonrpc: '2.0',
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  id: 1,
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  method: 'eth_blockNumber',
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  params: []
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};
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axios.post(url, payload)
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  .then(response => {
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    console.log('Latest Block:', response.data.result);
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  })
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  .catch(error => {
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    console.error(error);
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  });

Remember to replace yourAPIKey with your actual Alchemy API key that you can get from your Alchemy dashboard.

4. Run Your Script

To execute your script and make a request to the Flow network, run:

$
node index.js

You should see the latest block information from Flow’s blockchain outputted to your console:

$
Latest Block: { ... }

Next Steps

Well done! You’ve just made your first request to the Flow API. With this foundation, you can dive deeper into the array of JSON-RPC methods available on Flow and start building your dApps on it!