Introducing smart contracts
Interacting with blockchains involves a dynamic interplay between external code and the blockchain’s internal architecture, particularly smart contracts. Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with predefined rules that automatically execute actions when specific conditions are met. External code refers to applications, scripts, or software components running outside the blockchain network.
To bridge the gap between external code and blockchain functionality, most blockchain platforms offer remote procedure call (RPC) APIs. Application programming interfaces (APIs) facilitate communication and interaction between distinct software applications, enabling them to work together harmoniously.
An API defines a set of rules and protocols that govern how software components should interact, making it easier for developers to use functionalities provided by another system without needing to understand its internal workings.
Think of an API as a waiter taking orders in a restaurant. Customers (developers) interact with the waiter (API) to request specific dishes (functions or data) from the kitchen (the system providing the service). The waiter conveys the order to the kitchen, brings back the dishes, and serves them to the customers. The customers do not have to know how the kitchen operates; they just need to know how to communicate their orders effectively to the waiter.
Similarly, in the context of blockchain platforms such as Ethereum, RPC APIs act as intermediaries between external code (applications) and the core blockchain software. They provide a standardized way for external code to send requests for actions, data retrieval, or other operations to the blockchain. The blockchain’s core software processes these requests and sends back the relevant information or results.
For instance, if developers want to retrieve the balance of an Ethereum address, they can use an RPC API call to request that information from the Ethereum network. The API handles the communication between the external code and the blockchain’s internal systems, abstracting away the complexity of direct interaction.
