Unichain API Quickstart

Introduction

Unichain is a DeFi-native Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain, designed to be the home for liquidity across chains. It offers faster and cheaper transactions while supporting cross-chain liquidity.

What is the Unichain API?

The Unichain API allows interaction with the Unichain network through a set of JSON-RPC methods. Its design is familiar to developers who have worked with Ethereum’s JSON-RPC APIs, making it intuitive and straightforward to use.

Getting Started Instructions

1. Choose a Package Manager (npm or yarn)

Select a package manager to manage your project’s dependencies. Choose between npm and yarn based on your preference or project requirements.

2. Set Up Your Project

Open your terminal and execute the following commands to create and initialize your project:

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

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

3. Make Your First Request

Install Axios, a popular HTTP client, to make API requests:

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

Create an index.js file in your project directory and paste the following code:

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const axios = require('axios');
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const url = 'https://unichain-sepolia.g.alchemy.com/v2/${your-api-key}';
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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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  });

4. Run Your Script

Execute your script to make a request to the Unichain Sepolia testnet:

$
node index.js

You should see the latest block information from Unichain’s Sepolia testnet outputted to your console:

$
Latest Block: 0x...

Next Steps

Congratulations! You’ve made your first request to the Unichain API on the Sepolia testnet. You can now explore the various JSON-RPC methods available on Unichain and start building your dApps on this innovative platform.