# Polkadot

Polkadot is a blockchain platform that enables the creation of a network of interoperable and secure specialized blockchains called parachains. It aims to solve traditional blockchain networks' scalability, interoperability, and governance issues by facilitating seamless communication between blockchains while maintaining high-security standards.

### How to Connect to Polkadot

#### Using Public Endpoint

You can connect to polkadot using Blockops public API endpoints. These endpoints are only suitable for testing. Public RPC endpoints are not intended for dApp building. (Throughput rate limited to 50 rps).

{% hint style="info" %}
We have different rate limits set for private API endpoints (e.g. ones with API keys attached) - Read more below
{% endhint %}

To avoid rate limiting and service interruption, [sign up now](https://beta-app.blockops.network/?callback=api-service) to get your own API key.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Https" %}
For Polkadot Mainnet

```bash
https://polkadot-public-rpc.blockops.network/rpc
```

For Polkadot Westend

```bash
https://westend-rpc.blockops.network/rpc
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Websocket" %}
For Polkadot Mainnet

```bash
wss://polkadot-public-rpc.blockops.network/ws
```

For Polkadot Westend

```
wss://westend-rpc.blockops.network/ws
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

The below example uses the public API endpoint to make a request on the terminal

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Https" %}
Using curl

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "chain_getBlock"}' 'https://polkadot-public-rpc.blockops.network/rpc'
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Websocket" %}
Using wscat

* Download wscat from <https://www.npmjs.com/package/wscat>
* Install wscat by running the following command: `npm install -g wscat`

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
wscat -c 'wss://polkadot-rpc.blockops.network/ws' --header 'authorization: APIKEY xxxx'
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

#### Using Private Endpoint

Using API keys on an RPC node provides better tracking and monitoring of API usage.

Secure your data, speed up your queries, and take control of your API usage with our RPC API endpoint and personalized API keys. [Sign up now](https://beta-app.blockops.network/?callback=api-service) to get your own API key.

To get your API key, create a project using a unique Identifier as the project name and select Polkadot from the network options.

<figure><img src="https://1708223268-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fdj2MsRM0vL9rfte6D4jZ%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-8c03034e4cbc7c868e39bfa972032b389d96ba6b%2Fpolkadot-create.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Create a Polkadot project</p></figcaption></figure>

Open the project to view your api key and rpc endpoints.

<figure><img src="https://1708223268-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fdj2MsRM0vL9rfte6D4jZ%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c3c871b40f99766d60d2a95086b23b2ec110d7dc%2Fpolkadot-view.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>view Polkadot project</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Send requests

{% hint style="info" %}
All requests are `POST` requests.
{% endhint %}

**Connect via Command Line**

You can connect to the network using websocket or HTTP with your API key in two ways:

* Adding the API key as a query string `?api_key=${APIKEY}`
* Or the request header `-H 'authorization: APIKEY ${APIKEY}'`

**Curl**

For example, the following CURL command can be used to get header and body of a relay chain block.

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H 'authorization: APIKEY xxxx'  -d '{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "chain_getBlock"}' https://polkadot-rpc.blockops.network/rpc
```

{% endcode %}

Here is the response you will receive back.

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":{"block":{"header":{"parentHash":"0x381dd358f0b1e328e861822b2a51a72e8dc064803a5c7ccc96277da3b16d7667","number":"0xe07a1d","stateRoot":"0xa2aacd7ef5d7ff66da1df6643b3e1c13975d210363c568f1bed51bad56cf40db","extrinsicsRoot":"0x00bc7f1504c9a07364835d80d2114ca3d4e7ad774453198b119bea9be2a1f7c1","digest":{"logs":["0x0642414245b50103d8000000d17aae1000000000768dc1931ba697bb9ab4a08debf5d710bd1f55e6325d65315161c2340cc0217170dfe2df24a3680c8ff48868ac665f4b34ebefa4bc844d510c848d9fc99252035db579a0acbf52cded336d6daf6ab7fdb1d1eee0d480e6388c2a12785d4de809"]},"justifications":null},"id":1}
```

{% endcode %}

**Wscat**

If you want to send data requests with WebSockets, you can use several libraries or wscat. You can install and use wscat as follows:

* Download wscat from <https://www.npmjs.com/package/wscat>
* Install wscat by running the following command: `npm install -g wscat`

You can connect to the network with wscat using two options by adding the API key as a query string.

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
wscat -c 'wss://polkadot-rpc.blockops.network/ws?api_key=*********************'
```

{% endcode %}

Or the request header.

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
wscat -c 'wss://polkadot-rpc.blockops.network/ws' --header 'authorization: APIKEY xxxx'
```

{% endcode %}

After executing the command, the terminal will display a message indicating that the connection has been enabled successfully.

```bash
Connected (press CTRL+C to quit)
>
```

Then, you can send the following request:

```
{"id":1, "jsonrpc":"2.0", "method": "chain_getBlock"}
```

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information on the Polkadot network, please see the official [Polkadot developer documentation](https://wiki.polkadot.network/docs/getting-started).
{% endhint %}

Login or set up an account [here](https://beta-app.blockops.network/?callback=api-service) to get started!

#### ***Quick Links***

[Website](https://polkadot.network)

[Github](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot)